Italians Interned WW2

[AileenA]

Hello
My GAunt was partner to a man named Silvio Angelini who owned and ran a icecream parlour in Girvan. I don't know much about his background but wondered if he had been interned during the war. Is there anyway in which I can find out if indeed he was and where? I've searched the net and found info telling me that the Italians living in Scotland at that time were classed as A, B and C and that A and B class if they were living on the coast had been interned.
Hope someone can help.
Aileen

[Montrose Budie]

Hi AileenA

The first question you need to answer is whether or not he'd taken out British nationality. If he didn't, as was quite commonly the case, he may have been interned.

http://family.jrank.org/pages/3080/naturalization.html gives a neat, short summary of the naturalisation situation as well as the The National Archives at Kew HO series references involved.

It looks like he'll be in the relevant index if he was naturalised in 1935 or earlier.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stor ... 4400.shtml has some excellent background info in the forum messages; in particular, -

Arrest and internment generally followed the same pattern: two or more Special Branch would call and make the arrest and arrange conveyance to a local police station, followed by finger-printing and a couple or more night in a police station cell whilst special tribunals decided what category the arrested person fell into: "A" - high security risk; "B" - doubtful cases; and "C" - no security risk.

If he was interned he probably ended up in a camp in The Isle of Man. I don't know if any records survive listing those who were interned; or of the tribunals involved, but it looks like there could be some info, - see -

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/reco ... ernees.htm

mb

[AileenA]

Thank you so much mb, you've given me a wealth of information, it's going to take time get through it all, it's much appreciated =D>
AileenA

[Montrose Budie]

Hi Aileen

Nae prob ! My pleasure !

My great advantage is that, while I may not have the answer immediately to hand, I know where to look, or, at least, start looking; and, as here, have some knowledge, e.g. that the Isle of Man was the main place for internment camps for WWII 'enemy aliens' in Scotland.

Some years ago, I was able to help someone who couldn't find their German-born grandfather. He'd just 'disappeared'. It turned out to be the case that he died in the internment camp in the Isle of Man.

mb

[AileenA]

Posted this a while ago and had some really good feedback. Just wondered if there would be any info in the local papers for Girvan. Can anyone help? Anyone know which papers were current at that time?
Thanks
Aileen

[Montrose Budie]

Posted this a while ago and had some really good feedback. Just wondered if there would be any info in the local papers for Girvan. Can anyone help? Anyone know which papers were current at that time?
Thanks
Aileen

Hi Aileen

Near certain that there would have been stories in the local papers, - Ayrshire
Post, Ayr Advertiser, and one other whose name escapes me for the moment, - Carrick ?????

Maybe even also The Glasgow Herald.

mb

[Currie]

Hello Aileen,

Italy entered the War on the side of Germany in June, 1940. It seems that arrest and internment of Italians should not normally have occurred prior to that although there were registration, curfew, and other requirements for non-enemy aliens from an earlier date.

Publication of security related information would have been restricted in some degree during war-time, but I’m not sure how this would have affected reports about individuals being interned.

Here’s a list of the South Ayrshire newspapers that were microfilmed as part of the Newsplan 2000 Project. Some have WW2 coverage. http://www.scotlandsinformation.com/sco ... rel,%20opa

South Ayrshire Libraries may have more information about newspaper availability. http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/librar ... story.aspx

Here are some items from the Glasgow Herald that will give you an idea of how things developed. There are probably other articles around that time that could be found by browsing.

14 May 1940 http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pn ... lian&hl=en

30 May 1940 http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tH ... port&hl=en

4 June 1940 http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uH ... port&hl=en

12 June 1940 http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v3 ... lian&hl=en

13 June 1940 http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wH ... lian&hl=en

5 July 1940 http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sB ... port&hl=en

Hope that helps,
Alan