Uberto Limentani
1913-1989
Milano

Uberto Limentani came to England just before the outbreak of the Second World War, aged twenty-six years old and in possession of no less than two degrees from the University of Milan, the city where he had been born on 15 December 1913.

When war broke out, Uberto was employed by the BBC in the Italian section and did not expect to be interned. However he was arrested on June 13, 1940 by Special Branch agents and after spending time at Lingfield Racecourse and then at Bury, Lancashire, he was embarked onto the Arandora Star.

Uberto survived the Arandora Star sinking. After rescue by HMCS St. Laurent, he was hospitalised at Mearnskirk Hospital, Glasgow, After 10 days in hospital, he was taken to Donaldson Internment Camp at Edinburgh. Through efforts of his employer, he was released and rejoined the BBC on July 31, 1940. He continued to broadcast until the end of the war in 1945.

After the war, he was appointed a Lecturer at Cambridge University and in 1962, he was appointed a Professor of Italian Literature at Cambrige University.

The version of Uberto Limentani's eye-witness report that is posted here, was originally published in Cambridge in the "Magdalene College Magazine and Record" dated 1980-81.

download a copy of the eyewitness report here

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