Giorgio Enrico Scola
1916-2006
San Remo

Giorgio Enrico Scola was born at San Remo, Provincia di Imperia, Liguria in 1916. His family emigrated to London where on 11 June 1940, he was rounded up as part of the internment of Italians after Mussolini declared war on Great Britain.

Giorgio was one of the 265 Italians who survived the sinking of the Arandora Star - he was rescued by the Canadian destroyer HMCS Saint Laurent. On disembarkation at Greenock, 200 Italian survivors including Giorgio, were subsequently sent to Australia on the HMT Dunera. As a young twenty-three year old man, he was interned for over five years and eventually returned to England and released in August 1945.

He kept a record of his time in internment and his diary and drawings provide a fascinating personal insight into Giorgio's WWII experience.

Giorgio's diary was first trancribed in 1991 by Maureen Howell. In 2024, Giorgio's son, Julian Scola, expanded his father's record to add sketches and watercolours that his father had created. Julian has generously made this extraordinary personal account available to everyone to read and enjoy.

Read more about this moving account using these links.

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