Alfonso Pacitti (my paternal Nonno) arrived in Scotland from Cerasuolo around 1910, initially working with his elder brother at Bothwell. From a confectioner, he built a cabinet and cafe fitting business with my paternal bis-nonno, Enrico Tortolani.

Silvio Bertolini (my maternal Nonno) emigrated in 1900 from the hilltop town of Castelvecchio, near Barga in Tuscany and settled in Glasgow. He married my Nonna Rosa Pieraccini before setting up a Fish and Chip shop in central Glasgow.

Rando Nilo Bertoia, died in 2013 aged 93 and was the last Italian survivor of the Arandora Star. His passing marked the closing of an era. He was one of the last physical manifestations of the sinking; the custodian of the living memory.

Edoardo Ceresa, nato a Bollengo, emigrò nel Regno Unito con sua moglie Caterina Gaida nel 1921. Arrivò a Brighton e fu impiegato come chef in uno degli hotel ferroviari. Dopo un breve soggiorno, la famiglia si trasferì a Manchester.

Carmine Pacitti was my Nonno's elder brother and the first to emigrate to the UK. He initially settled in London 1901 before moving to Holytown in Central Scotland.

Pasquale Pacitti was my Nonno's younger brother. One of the few who survived the sinking, he was immediately sent to Australia where he died in an internment camp in 1942.

Alessandro Pacitti, one of the "Russian" Pacittis, was rescued but was subsequently sent to an internment camp in Australia. He eventually returned to Scotland.

Uberto Limentani survived the Arandora Star. An announcer at BBC Radio London, he broadcast the first eye-witness account of the sinking, once he was released from hospital.

A number of the victims of the sinking were carried by the prevaling gales to the shores of Ireland and Scotland.

Francesco D'Inverno was the only victim whose body was washed ashore on the Scottish mainland near Girvan.

Giovanni Marenghi's body was one of the first victms to be washed ashore at Altdarrig, County Mayo on July 30, 1940.

Giorgio Scola kept a diary of his internment fromarrest through rescue to Australia. His personal story is here.