Quiet and Industrious

Fortunato Jannetta was born in Belmonte Castello (Frosinone) Italy on the 22nd January 1910.  A confectioner from St Andrews, Scotland he was arrested in the Fifeshire Police District on the 11th June 1940. Fortunato listed his sister Filomena who lived at 209 South Street, St Andrews as his next of kin.

He had arrived in Scotland in 1921 where he resided up until his arrest with the exception of six months spent in Italy in 1936. While he was interned in Australia, his father was interned on the Isle of Man and his brother in Canada. 

Fortunato was viewed as a quiet and industrious type, working with the carpentry party in camp. His cousin Sabatino was also in camp and he associated with Enrico Casci.

On the 16th May 1944, 33 UK Italian internees including Fortunato were released for work with the Civil Aliens Corps working in forestry.

In early February 1945, Fortunato was with a group of 63 ‘released’ Italian UK internees who boarded the Athlone Castle for Liverpool, England.  The ship’s route went from Sydney via Wellington, New Zealand, the Panama Canal, New York USA and Ponta Delgado Azores. This group landed in Liverpool, England on the 29th March 1945.

On the 16th June, Fortunato along with 21 other survivors of the Arandora Star tragedy was bestowed the honour of Cavaliere al Merito della Repubblica Italiana.

Fortunato Jannetta

January 1943 Tatura Camp 2A (AWM)