But the sinking of the Arandora Star remains one of the lesser known war crimes of the second world war. <\/p>\n
My research<\/a> has examined the oral histories of some of the Italian families, based in the UK, who remember the second world war. My latest project has looked into the long-term effects<\/a> of Arandora Star sinking as it was experienced and transmitted across generations.<\/p>\n The Arandora Star was a first class cruise liner built in 1927 by the Cammell Laird Company Ltd, in Birkenhead, near Liverpool. It was one of the best-known ships in the world at the time.<\/p>\n When the war broke out, the Arandora, like many commercial ships, was placed at the disposal of the British government. Under the command of Captain E.W. Moulton, the Arandora was ordered to carry German, Austrian and Italian internees from Liverpool to Canada. <\/p>\n More than 1,600 men were forced onto the ship which was actually designed to carry 500<\/a>. Internees were crammed below decks and the exits were guarded by barbed wire. <\/p>\n On July 2 1940 \u2013 the morning after it embarked on its voyage \u2013 the Arandora was torpedoed by a German U-boat, 100 miles northwest of Ireland.<\/p>\n Around 805 men, over 50 percent of the total number drowned, were Italian<\/a>. About 100 British soldiers and crew members also lost their life, including the ship\u2019s captain.<\/p>\n One British sailor told the press<\/a> in 1940 that the Arandora Star turned half over on her side and sank, carrying down the occupants of several life rafts. \u201cWhen the ship disappeared,\u201d the sailor said, \u201cthere were hundreds of men on her decks \u2026 A cloud of steam rose a hundred feet in the air, and the suction dragged rafts and men underneath with her\u201d. <\/p>\n But the ship\u2019s traumatic final moments were just the start of the story for the families of those involved.<\/p>\n \n Part of my study involved making a 15-minute documentary, entitled The Arandora Star Sinking, to raise awareness about the xenophobia and discrimination faced by the people and communities who were left behind.<\/p>\n The film captures memories of the incident from the perspective of one of the descendants.<\/p>\n Vincenzo Margiotta is a third generation Italian based in Liverpool, whose grandfather was interned and died on the Arandora Star.<\/p>\n Margiotta\u2019s family migrated to Scotland at the beginning of the 20th century, from Picinisco, Lazio, and established businesses in catering.<\/p>\n \u201cThings were great. Life was good,\u201d he said \u2013 until the outbreak of the second world war. Following Benito Mussolini\u2019s declaration of war, on June 10 1940, anti-Italian feeling erupted among British citizens.<\/p>\n Around 4,500 Italian men<\/a> between the ages of 16 and 70 with less than 20 years\u2019 residence in Britain were ordered to be interned<\/a>, including Margiotta\u2019s grandfather. <\/p>\n Research has shown how<\/a> Italian internees were regarded as the most \u201cdangerous characters\u201d<\/a>. They were deported even though their degree of loyalty to the fascists had not been assessed.<\/a><\/p>\n Public opinion in the UK was initially in favour of the internment of \u201cenemy aliens\u201d. However, after the tragedy of the Arandora Star \u2013 and as a result of campaigns by various members of parliament \u2013 opinion changed and supported the release of \u201cloyal\u201d internees. Eventually internees were able to apply for release and many of them served in the armed forces<\/a>.<\/p>\n Over the years, Margiotta heard many stories about what happened to his grandfather. <\/p>\n One reason for this is because the official history was unclear. Why, for example, were none of the deportation transport ships marked as carrying prisoners of war? Instead, they set sail unaccompanied, equipped with anti-submarine guns<\/a>, and employing a zigzag pattern in their movements \u2013 making the ships obvious targets for German U-boats.<\/p>\nThe attack<\/h2>\n
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\n From World War II \u2018enemy\u2019 internment to Windrush: Britain quickly forgets its gratitude to economic migrants<\/a>
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\nVincenzo Margiotta<\/h2>\n
Information vacuum<\/h2>\n
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