Loveday – Part 3: Tunnel

Loveday – Part 3: Tunnel

Barmera, South Australia. 1943-03-11/17. Detention cells of the 10th Australian prisoner of war and internment camp, loveday group. (Australian War Memorial)

Loveday internment camp had many escape attempts, the most notable being a tunnel dug from under a tent near a permitter fence, which came out on the other side of the barbwire fence, hidden by a bush.
The tunnel was deep enough underground that trucks passing over the top on the road did not collapse it. To get around the large amounts of dirt being pulled from the tunnel excavation, prisoners asked for permission to make a mud brick hut, which was granted. Surprisingly, no officers questioned where the dirt was coming from.

Internees used kitchen knives to dig the tunnels, and handkerchiefs to cart the dirt from the tunnel. The dirt that wasn’t used for mud bricks was spread around the camp day and night, without soldiers guarding the camp realising.

On 30 April 1942 three internees reported to a guard that they believed there would be a mass escape that evening. The three men were removed from the camp for their own safety. An inspection of the entirety of Camp 10 revealed the tunnel. It was believed that within a few hours of the report to the guard, the tunnel would have been big enough for the escape of hundreds of detainees. Soldiers filled the tunnel with water and collapsed it to prevent escapes and seal the exit route.[1]

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2024

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[1] Max Scholz, ‘As I Remember: The Loveday Interment Camp,’ (Barmera, 2004), pp. 32-33. ; 'Last Prisoners Have Left Loveday', Murray Pioneer, (23 January 1947), p. 1.

 

'The Soldiers' Farewell. South Australians off to the War. Monday's Parade.'

Farewell parade of the first contingent of South Australian soldiers for the First World War

SLSA [B 30437]

According to a newspaper article entitled .' in The Register, Adelaide (Tuesday, September 11, 1914. Page.9),
"The parade was a triumph of faith, hope and loyalty - faith in the strength of British arms, hope of a speedy peace, and loyalty which can never give enough for King and country. The city was transformed. North Terrace and King William Street presented a picture of seething humanity which will not readily be forgotten. For fully two hours before the parade trains and trams were pouring people into the city. There was no open roadway to be seen from Victoria square to the Adelaide Railway Station. The (parade) route was in a northerly direction from West terrace to North terrace, thence to Pultney street along Rundle, King William, and Grote streets, passing the Queen's statue".

A military band leading South Australian soldiers as they make a farewell march along King William Street, Adelaide before going overseas in World War I; large crowds line the roadside on both sides

SLSA: [PRG 280/1/3/339]

Gawler's Dark History Presentation - 11 May 2024.

Gawler's Dark History Presentation 

- 11 May 2024.

Join Me on Saturday 11th of May for a late afternoon talk about Gawler's Dark History!

I'll be detailing some shocking local murders, suicides, nasty accidents, and maybe a ghost or two! This event is strictly 18+ as some of the details are rather gruesome!

This is a fundraiser event for the Gawler National Trust Museum to help raise some much-needed money for the upkeep of Gawler's historical museum.

I'll also have books available for sale and signing (EFTPOS available).

$15 per person, 11 May 2024 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM.


Tickets are almost sold out so get in while you still can!

Gawler National Trust Museum - 59 Murray Street Gawler, SA 5118


https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/gawlers-dark-history-address-by-award-winning-historian-allen-tiller-tickets-831684349277?

#history #allentiller #gawler #truecrime

Loveday – Part 2: The Murder of Francesco Fantin

 Loveday – Part 2: 

The Murder of Francesco Fantin

Portrait of Francesco G. Fantin 1920 [SLSA: B 75173]

 The Italian antifascist internees in Loveday organised a money-raising event called ‘Sheepskins for Russia’, which was associated with the defence of Stalingrad, Francesco Fantin was heavily involved in this campaign, which provoked the fascists in the camp.
A newspaper arrived in the camp on November 16 1942, dated two days earlier, that referred, by name, to some of the Loveday internees who had helped raise money for Russia. This led to anger within the fascist factions, and during a dinner discussion, it was agreed the fascists should be killed as traitors.[1]

Around 6:30 pm, on the 16^th of November 1942, Giovanni Bruno Casotti, who had arrived at the South Australia camp only two weeks prior from Western Australia, approached Fantin from behind. Fantin was standing at a drinking tap, Casotti struck Fantin from behind with a large piece of wood. Fantin fell, and as he did, Casotti kicked him in the groin and head.
Fantin was carried to his bunk in his tent. Fascist and camp leader, Dr Piscitelli was called to attend. Pisctelli was not willing to treat Fantin, so Fantin was taken to the base hospital where he was attended by Dr Adriano Mugga. Mugga stated that Fantin’s neck was broken, his skull fractured, and several ribs cracked. The military base doctor, Dr. Luke Verco was called to attend. Dr Verco stated that Fantin had a cerebral haemorrhage, caused by the fractured skull, and had Fantin moved to the Barmera Base Hospital, where Fantin would die of his injuries that night at 10:25 pm.[2]

Witness recollections of the event differ between fascist and anti-fascist accounts. The fascists claimed that on the evening of the event, Casotti had met Fantin between Huts 3 and 4, when Fantin called to him. Casotti claimed that Fantin was happy that Italians were dying in the war and that all the fascists were being killed. Casotti then claimed that Fantin had started insulting his family, so he pushed Fantin, with both his hands on Fantin’s chest. As Fantin fell, his head hit the water tap, and this is what caused his injuries.
Casotti’s version of events was supported by most internees in the camp. The majority being fascists.

The anti-fascist version of events included witness accounts from Augusto Pretti, who claimed he saw Casotti strike Fantin with a piece of 3x2x2 wood on the head, then hit him in the ribs with the same piece of timber. Pretti claimed that Casotti then began kicking Fantin.[3]
Domenico Franchici stated that he, and others, say Casotti hit Fantin in the head with the wood, kick him over the heart; on the ribs, and groin and private parts.[4]
Most antifascist internees were too terrified to speak out, as they believed they would meet the same fate.

Casotti was charged with manslaughter, but his case was deferred while more evidence was collected. When the court resumed Crown Prosecutor, Mr Chamberlain claimed that his new evidence would prove Casotti murdered Fantin.[5]
K.H. Kirkman, the Deputy Director of Security in South Australia and Master of the Supreme Court became involved. The correspondence began with the Director of General Security, Brigadier General W.B. Simpson in Canberra. It was decided that the murder charge should not be pursued in the courts as it would bring protests and further complications for the military and the camp.[6]

The trial resumed on March 16 1943, with Casotti found guilty of manslaughter. He was sentenced to two years hard labour at Yatala Labor Prison.[7]

Francesco Fantin became a martyr for the anti-fascist movement in Australia. After his death, Australian anarchists, anti-fascists and communists protested his murder. Joan Finger of the Political Rights Committee campaigned that maladministration at the Loveday camp and a military coverup had occurred. The North Queensland Guardian, a communist newspaper, declared that no antifascist should be in internment camps.[8]

 

A bi-lingual theatre production, written by Teresa Crea, titled ‘Red Like the Devil’, about Fantin’s life and murder, was performed at the Loveday internment camp where Fantin was attacked. The play opened at the Playhouse Theatre in Adelaide on October 29, 1991, and was presented by Doppio Teatro.[9]

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2024


[1] Paul Nursey-Bray, 'Anti-Fascism and Internment: The Case of Francesco Fantin,' Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia, Number 17, (1989), pp. 88-111.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Tommy Lawson, ‘Francesco Fantin, Italian Anarchism and Anti-Fascism in Australia’, lib.com, (2022), https://libcom.org/article/francesco-fantin-italian-anarchism-and-anti-fascism-australia.
[4] Statement made by Mumu Augusto Pretti to Sgt R. De Rosa, A.A. (A.C.T ). C.R.S. A373, Item: Box 21, 10913.
[5] 'FATAL FACTION QUARREL', The Advertiser, (17 March 1943), p. 6.
[6] Nursey-Bray, 'Anti-Fascism and Internment,' Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia, pp. 88-111.
[7] 'TWO YEARS HARD LABOUR FOR INTERNEE', Murray Pioneer, (1 April 1943), p. 1.
[8] Nursey-Bray, 'Anti-Fascism and Internment.' Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia, pp. 88-111.
[9] Gordon Sheldon, 'No title', The Canberra Times, (17 October 1991), p. 13.

Loveday – Part 1: The Murder of Francesco Fantin

 Loveday – Part 1: 

The Murder of Francesco Fantin

 

 

In December 1942, The Sydney Tribune ran the headline ‘ANTI-FACIST MURDERED: Political Terrorism in S.A.’  World War II was raging, and in Australia, Japanese, Germans and Italian people had been segregated into internment camps with many arriving in the South Australian outback camp, Loveday, the largest camp of its kind in Australia.

Loveday was established in 1941, near Bamera, holding over 5000 internees, and 1500 staff comprised from the Australian Military Forces. It also held, at times, Prisoners of War. The camp was established by the Australian government to hold people it labelled ‘enemy aliens,’ typically, these were people from countries that Australia and its allies had declared war against.
 According to the Loveday Lives website, of 15000 internees across the group of camps during its usages, 7000 were in Australia at the outbreak of the war, and 8000 were transported from the United Kingdom and Dutch East Indies through arrangements by their government.[1]

 In June 1941 the 4^th Garrison Battalion arrived at Loveday to begin Guard duty. Later that month the first internees, a group of 458 Italians arrived at the camp from Hay in New South Wales.  In August 1941, the first international internees arrived, sent from Britain after the fall of France. The first Japanese internees arrived from the Northern Territory in January 1942, with Germans and more Italians arriving the same month.
In 1943, the camp reached 5382 internees. The camp closed in 1946 – for more information about the history of the camp and a timeline of significant events please visit: https://lovedaylives.com/

 

One internee at Loveday was Italian, Francesco Fantin. Fantin was born in San Vito di Leguzzano in North Italy in 1901. Fantin was a textile worker in Italy. The rise of Fascism in Italy saw Fantin become an anarchist and political militant. Fantin left Italy in 1927, arriving in Melbourne, before moving to Queensland where his brothers, Luigi and Alfonso had a cane farm at Sawmill Pocket, Edmonton.

In the 1930s, Fantin moved to Victoria, where he became active in the Labour and anti-fascist movements. He became a correspondent for the anti-fascist newspaper La Risoccossa. Fantin was arrested by Australian authorities in 1940 as a fascist. He appealed the decision but lost, and was sent to Loveday Internment Camp 14A at Barmera. Unlike other internment camps, Loveday separated internees by nationality, not political affiliation, which led to a political divide between those detained. Fantin stood with the anti-fascists and became a political leader, which led to constant harassment, abuse, and assault from fascist detainees.[2] Another detainee entered Fantin's tent and beat him senseless. Fantin reported the assault, but the authorities would not get involved.

 In 1942, near sunset, on November 16, Fantin was drinking from a water tap. He was alone when fascist supporter, Giovanni Bruno Casotti, a detainee who had arrived only two weeks prior from Western Australia, assaulted him. There are two versions of events, which I will discuss in part two.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2024

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[1] ‘History’, Loveday Lives, (2023),  https://lovedaylives.com/history/.

[2] Paul Nursey-Bray, 'Fantin, Francesco Giovanni (Frank) (1901–1942)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/fantin-francesco-giovanni-frank-12912/text23327.