IT04 – World War 2 and the Arandora Star


Lucia Pieroni, Marta Lanciani, Ornella Bianciardi (Barga)

When Mussolini declared war against Britain on the 10th June 1940, men born in Italy were interned whilst their brothers served in the allied forces. Eighteen (number to be confirmed) Barghigiani men taken from internment on the Isle of Man, lost their lives when the ship they were on, the Arandora Star was torpedoed by a German U boat. Wanda Bartolomei’s grandfather and grandmother were married by proxy and their children were born both in Barga and Scotland. Wanda recounts the wartime experiences of the four sons: “During WWII, one brother served as an Italian interpreter for the US army, one brother joined the British pioneer corps and my father, Moscardini Galliano and one brother were interned on the Isle of Man.” Her father was selected for deportation to Canada on the Arandora Star with the other internees but fortunately for him, “another man offered to go in his place so that he could stay with his brother.” (interview in Barga)

A memorial garden for the hundreds of people who lost their lives, was opened by the First Minister Alex Salmond and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow Mario Conti. The archbishop comes from Barga.

Barghigiani on the Arandora Star who lost their lives at sea. (Note: list is incomplete)
Humbert Alberti da Manchester
Oliviero Agostini di Glasgow
Vincenzo Silvio Bertolini da Glasgow
Ferdinando Biagioni di Glasgow
Giovanni Cosimini di Bellshill
Silvio Da Prato di Glasgow
Nello Ghiloni di Glasgow
Santino Moscardini di Motherwell
Amedeo Poli di Glasgow
Caesar Rocchiccioli di Troon
Giuseppe Togneri di Dumbartonv

IT04 An Dàrna Cogadh Mòr agus an Arandora Star
Nuair a dh’èigh Mussolini cogadh an aghaidh Bhreatainn ann an 1940, bha fir a rugadh san Eadailt ach a’ fuireach ann an Alba, air am braighdeanachadh fhad ’s a bha an luchd-dàimh a’ frithealadh anns na feachdan co-chòrdail. Bha mòran dhiubh air an toirt do dh’Eilean Mhanainn, agus bha an SS Arandora Star air a coimiseanadh gus an giùlain gu na campaichean braighdeanais ann an Canda. Dh’fhuiling an t-soitheach spaileart bho U-bàta Gearmailteach air 2 Iuchair agus chaidh an t-soitheach sìos le còrr agus ochd ceud neach air bòrd, a’ mhòr-chuid dhiubh nan Eadailtich fo bhraighdeanas. Bha e aithnichte gun robh ochd deug dhiubh à Barga. Chaidh gàrradh cuimhneachaidh fhosgladh aig Àrd-Eaglais Chaitligeach an Naoimh Anndra ann an Glaschu air an 70 mh ceann-bliadhna den tachartas.