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Two of the three known survivors of the sinking, Evan Morgan Jones, 89, formerly of the Welsh Regiment, and Rando Bertoia, 88, an ex-internee from Glasgow, were present at the plaque dedication.
They were joined by several hundred relatives and friends of the dead, plus diplomatic representatives from Italy and Germany, at the service at Liverpool’s parish church of Our Lady and St Nicholas.
At least half of those killed were Italian and many of them held British nationality. They were interned as soon as Italy declared war on Great Britain. Her Liverpool master, Captain Edgar Wallace Moulton, was also lost.
The Most Rev Mario Conti, Archbishop of Glasgow, a city from where many of the internees came, gave the address.
“What is poignant about this loss of lives is that these were civilians who were happily integrated members of British society,” said the Archbishop, a fluent Italian speaker.
“They were innocents caught up in the enmities of war, yesterday’s friends becoming today’s enemies.”
Dr Giancarlo Aragona, the Italian ambassador to the UK, said: “This is a very important event to us and I am so pleased it has been commemorated here in Liverpool. It will be recognised as a very good day for relations between Italy and Great Britain.”
The commemorative day was organised by Nunzia Bertali, Italian honorary consul for Liverpool District, Cllr Flo Clucas, and Graham Boxer, of Liverpool City Council.
The plaque was designed by Fred O’Brien, of Northern Design Unit, and will be relocated to the Pier Head when building work there is finished.
Cllr Clucas said: “People have come from all over Europe to attend this commemoration day for those who lost their lives on the Arandora Star.
“This shows how fantastically important it is for the families to have a sense of closure 68 years after the tragedy.”
After a commemorative concert and readings at Merseyside Maritime Museum, wreaths were cast into the river from a Mersey ferry.
Source:
Liverpool Daily Post
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