Good history research help needed

[poppy]

I am trying to find details of something that happened on or around he outbreak of the war.
I think WW2,but may be1.

The majority of workers at the Ritz were Italian nationals and were given the choice of going back to Italy or being interned for the duration.
They all chose repatriation and set sail for Italy, but the boat was sunk and the all perished.
Have been trying to find details, any ideas where to start?

[Sweetpea]

Von's yer man! I actually think there were some Italian prisoners of war, here in the Fens, working the land. Most chose to stay I think. I think they were Italian.

[poppy]

Thanks Sweet, I had heard about the Italian POWs in the Fens I think they almost all stayed, we bought our cottage in Cornwall from a German POW who stayed and married a Cornish Land Girl.
I think your right about Von.
You listening Ragnor any Ideas pretty please

[Sweetpea]

By The Ritz, do you mean The Ritz in central London? If so, I happen to know my Mum spent time there during the war. She was a member of The American Red Cross, something my Dad never stopped mentioning!!

[poppy]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

By The Ritz, do you mean The Ritz in central London? If so, I happen to know my Mum spent time there during the war. She was a member of The American Red Cross, something my Dad never stopped mentioning!!

yes that's the one Ritz Hotel London,

Originally Posted by poppy

I am trying to find details of something that happened on or around he outbreak of the war.
I think WW2,but may be1.

The majority of workers at the Ritz were Italian nationals and were given the choice of going back to Italy or being interned for the duration.
They all chose repatriation and set sail for Italy, but the boat was sunk and the all perished.
Have been trying to find details, any ideas where to start?

Got to be WWII. Italy was allied in WWI.

Do you know the name of the ship?

It COULD be Arandora star, of the Blue star line;

arandorastarcampaign.com

More on Italian civvy internments;

UNVEILING A CHAPTER OF WW2 HISTORY, Saturday, July 5, 1997

Here are two links re Italian internment, but they mostly refer to "ex combatants";

Italians in Britain

Internees

Hope that helps some.

[Sweetpea]

I just Googled: "Italian Prisoners of War in the Fens" this forum came up second in the listing -Yay!!!

Google this;

Internment of Italian Ritz workers in U.K

Internment of Italian Ritz workers in U.K - Google-Suche

We are FIRST on Google.

[Sweetpea]

Wow!!

[poppy]

Thanks Von that is a great help my grandfather was a 'B' class alien and was allowed to leave the camp but was sort of under house arrest and had to report regularly to he police.
I think he would have been intervened had not my mother and hers sisters all been married to English guys who were service men, and they themselves joined the war effort, my mum drove an ambulance.
I think I may be getting two different stories I was told mixed up, Iam sure it was the Andora Star I was thinking of , but it was sailing for Canada not Italy, which when you think about it makes perfect sense, after all we were at war with Italy.
So I think you have unravelled my tangled memories of childhood stories.
Thanks Von.
It was all very confusing having family members on both sides of a war, and trying to drop bombs on one another.
Well not literally one another but you know what I mean, it could very easily have been