Posted 20 May 2014 - 09:33 AM by Sid Guttridge
I have read that the merchant ships Saturnia, Vulcania, Duilio and Giulio Cesare evacuated 13,255 women, 10,912 children and 3,559 men from North Africa over 2 April 1942 and 11 August 1943.
Who organized this? The Red Cross? How many journeys were made?
In addition, the tankers Arcola and Taigete, previuosly interned in the Spanish Canary Islands, were used to supply the fuel for the evacuation. How did this work? Where did the refuelling take place? Were thay allowed back into the Mediterranean?
I also notice that both Arcola and Taigete entered the service of the British Ministry of War Transport in 1944. Was this part of the deal?
Many thanks.
Posted 20 May 2014 - 12:49 PM by nmao
Very interesting story, that i never had heard of!
I found several pages with some info, but no record of the agreement.
http://notizie.radic...l-epopea-del-ri
"the little-known story of the white ships that in 1942, under the auspices of the Red Cross, were used to repatriate 50,000 Italian civilians [that] remained in Ethiopia and Eritrea after the British conquest.
[...]
At the end of 1941 the British Government informed the Italian one, through the United States, that he could not guarantee the safety of the Italians in the Horn of Africa and that it was necessary to open a negotiation for their return to Italy.
[...]
The British did not conceded for military navigation of the Suez Canal so each ship was to sail around Africa.
[...]
Returnees were mainly Italians who lived in Ethiopia and Eritrea, the less those who lived in Somalia."
http://lanostrastori...ostri-africani/
"They were about 28 thousand our compatriots in three different trips between 1942 and 1943 left Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia to repatriate."
http://www.holywellh...orgewilson.html
"[...] oil tankers of the Corsino Italiane line and three of these ships, the Arcola, Taigete and Lucania were authorised by the allies in 1942 to bring back oil from Curacao for the repatriation of Italian civilians from Ethiopia and the Italian colony of Tunisia by the Italian hospital ships, Giulio Cesare, Vulcania, Saturnia and Duilio. There were 120,000 Italians living in Tunisia in 1943 and the Italian government asked Switzerland to help reach an agreement with the allies for the repatriation of some of their nationals.
The tankers were required to identify themselves as neutral with the highly distinctive hull markings visible on the ship in this photograph but despite this one of them, the Lucania, was sunk by a British submarine."
http://ukwarcabinet....-16-23-0001.pdf
"The three tankers, Arcola (6,349 tons), Taigete (4,672 tons) and Toolaro
(5,162 tons) were reported on the 5th May [1941] to be making preparations for depar
ture from Teneriffe. "
https://archive.org/...42germ_djvu.txt
"The German Naval Command, Italy reports that on 6 Aug. [1942]at
noon the Italian repatriation ships ARCOLA and TAIGETE were proceed-
ing at a speed of 8.5 knots on a course of 92° when located at 6°
43' N, 34° 82' W."
Some more info on the voyages:
http://books.google....0Cesare&f=false
A very interesting story, hope our italian friends can add some details.
regards,
-Nuno
PS: some further details here:
http://www.ibiblio.o...zette/37655.pdf
Posted 21 May 2014 - 11:54 AM by Sid Guttridge
Hi nmao,
Many thanks,
I have found the following article mentioned in an old post by Enrico Cernuschi:
Franco Bargoni, Singolari missioni in Atlantico, Rivista Marittima, April 1985.
Has anyone got this article who would be willing toanswer some questions on it?
Cheers.
I have read that the merchant ships Saturnia, Vulcania, Duilio and Giulio Cesare evacuated 13,255 women, 10,912 children and 3,559 men from North Africa over 2 April 1942 and 11 August 1943.
Who organized this? The Red Cross? How many journeys were made?
In addition, the tankers Arcola and Taigete, previuosly interned in the Spanish Canary Islands, were used to supply the fuel for the evacuation. How did this work? Where did the refuelling take place? Were thay allowed back into the Mediterranean?
I also notice that both Arcola and Taigete entered the service of the British Ministry of War Transport in 1944. Was this part of the deal?
Many thanks.
Posted 20 May 2014 - 12:49 PM by nmao
Very interesting story, that i never had heard of!
I found several pages with some info, but no record of the agreement.
http://notizie.radic...l-epopea-del-ri
"the little-known story of the white ships that in 1942, under the auspices of the Red Cross, were used to repatriate 50,000 Italian civilians [that] remained in Ethiopia and Eritrea after the British conquest.
[...]
At the end of 1941 the British Government informed the Italian one, through the United States, that he could not guarantee the safety of the Italians in the Horn of Africa and that it was necessary to open a negotiation for their return to Italy.
[...]
The British did not conceded for military navigation of the Suez Canal so each ship was to sail around Africa.
[...]
Returnees were mainly Italians who lived in Ethiopia and Eritrea, the less those who lived in Somalia."
http://lanostrastori...ostri-africani/
"They were about 28 thousand our compatriots in three different trips between 1942 and 1943 left Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia to repatriate."
http://www.holywellh...orgewilson.html
"[...] oil tankers of the Corsino Italiane line and three of these ships, the Arcola, Taigete and Lucania were authorised by the allies in 1942 to bring back oil from Curacao for the repatriation of Italian civilians from Ethiopia and the Italian colony of Tunisia by the Italian hospital ships, Giulio Cesare, Vulcania, Saturnia and Duilio. There were 120,000 Italians living in Tunisia in 1943 and the Italian government asked Switzerland to help reach an agreement with the allies for the repatriation of some of their nationals.
The tankers were required to identify themselves as neutral with the highly distinctive hull markings visible on the ship in this photograph but despite this one of them, the Lucania, was sunk by a British submarine."
http://ukwarcabinet....-16-23-0001.pdf
"The three tankers, Arcola (6,349 tons), Taigete (4,672 tons) and Toolaro
(5,162 tons) were reported on the 5th May [1941] to be making preparations for depar
ture from Teneriffe. "
https://archive.org/...42germ_djvu.txt
"The German Naval Command, Italy reports that on 6 Aug. [1942]at
noon the Italian repatriation ships ARCOLA and TAIGETE were proceed-
ing at a speed of 8.5 knots on a course of 92° when located at 6°
43' N, 34° 82' W."
Some more info on the voyages:
http://books.google....0Cesare&f=false
A very interesting story, hope our italian friends can add some details.
regards,
-Nuno
PS: some further details here:
http://www.ibiblio.o...zette/37655.pdf
Posted 21 May 2014 - 11:54 AM by Sid Guttridge
Hi nmao,
Many thanks,
I have found the following article mentioned in an old post by Enrico Cernuschi:
Franco Bargoni, Singolari missioni in Atlantico, Rivista Marittima, April 1985.
Has anyone got this article who would be willing toanswer some questions on it?
Cheers.
