Comemmoration for the victims of the “Arandora Star” shipwreck

02/07/2008 - The victims of the “Arandora Star” shipwreck were remembered during a religious cerimony which was officiated in Liverpool by the Archbishop of Glasgow, Mario Conti and attended by Italian Ambassador Giancarlo Aragona. The ceremony took place as a tribute to the Italians who drowned in the shipwreck of the ship which was transporting them to Canada in July 1940.

Following Italy’s entrance in World War II, in June 1940, many Italians who had migrated to the United Kingdom were interned, and later deported to Canada and Australia. 712 Italians, along with German and Austrian citizens were taken onboard of the “Arandora Star”. The ship set sail from Liverpool on 1 July 1940, and was struck, one day later, by a torpedo from a German U boat. 446 Italian nationals perished in the shipwreck, as did many Germans and Austrians citizens, as well as British military and crew members.

The memory of the “Arandora Star” has been kept alive during all these years thanks to the effort of the Italian community in the United Kingdom, especially by the community of the Emilia Romagna region, where many of the victims came from, and also thanks to the dedication by the Italian diplomatic and consular authorities. The Emilia Romagna Region, the Province of Parma and other local authorities have financed the achievement of a series of events, including the laying down of a commemorative plaque and the presentation of the historical essay “Arandora Star. From Oblivion to Remembrance” by Maria Serena Balestracci. All the events have been included in the framework of the celebrations set for “Liverpool European Cultural Capital 2008”.

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