POW #: P204
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: September 21, 1942
NATURALIZED: April 14, 1923
BORN:
DIED: August 1977

CAMP(S): Petawawa, Fredericton
TOWN/CITY: Cape Breton
MARITAL STATUS: Unknown
OCCUPATION: Labourer, Whitney Pier Steel Plant

RELEASE NOTES: Released conditionally upon his first subscribing to the Undertaking set out in Regulation 24 of the DOCR, and further, that he subscribe to a special Undertaking. See below for further details.

Michael La Penna was born in Roseto, Italy.  He arrived in Canada in 1911 and became naturalized on April 14, 1923 (Certificate # 24184A).  He worked at the Whitney Pier Steel Plant in Whitney Pier, Cape Breton, and lived on East St. in Sydney.  La Penna was a church goer and was very involved with St. Nicholas Church where he sang in the choir, helped with the collection, and did other odd jobs.  

On June 10, 1940, he was arrested and sent to Camp Petawawa.  It is unclear why the Canadian government interned La Penna. According to Dominic (Buddy) Nardocchio Jr., son of Dominic Nardocchio, La Penna was likely an innocent victim:  “And there was Michael La Penna and this fellow was an angel. You know, he was a saint on earth. ‘Why?! Why?! Why?!’ Everybody used to say, ‘Oh my God! Somebody made a mistake with his name because they don’t mean him!’ You know, and there were a lot of fellows like that.” In another source, it is noted that La Penna and others may have been victims of informers who reported Italian Canadians to authorities claiming that they were Italian spies.

La Penna was eventually transferred to Camp Fredericton before his release on September 21, 1942.  Upon release, La Penna had to report monthly to the RCMP and could not change his place of residence or travel out of Sydney without first consulting them.  Further, he was not allowed to do or say anything that would detract from the Canadian war effort or her allies, or assist Canada’s enemies.

Post-release, La Penna returned to work at the steel plant.  In 1977, at the age of 81, he passed away.  He left behind a notebook which contained brief entries about his time in the internment camps, such as his work duties and pay rate. 

Biography by Louanne Aspillaga

SOURCES:

• Interview with Dominic (Buddy) Nardocchio Jr.  June 21, 2011. Columbus Center Collection.
• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG117-A-3, Vol. 696, File no. 11774
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG18, F-3, Vol. 3563, Part 6.
• Migliore, Sam and A. Evo Di Pierro. Italian Lives: Cape Breton Memories. Cape Breton: UCCB Press, 1999.
• Minister’s Orders List V1 & V6.

POW #: P720
ARRESTED: July 18, 1940
RELEASED: July 09, 1941
NATURALIZED: February 14, 1929
BORN: October 12, 1890
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Niagara Region
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Shoemaker

RELEASE NOTES: Unconditional release but had to report to RCMP on arrival for further instruction on registration and parole

Giuseppe La Rosa immigrated to Canada in 1923. A shoemaker, he had a small shop in Niagara Falls, Ontario. At the time of his arrest, he was a citizen (a naturalized British subject). He was married to Rosie, and they had two children: a 19-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter.

Prior to the March on Rome, La Rosa was a member of the Italian Popular Party – a Catholic Church society. In Canada, La Rosa was a member of the Marconi Lodge of the Order Sons of Italy – an organization he joined in 1935 for the insurance benefits. He received the newspaper Popolo d’Italia for free and subscribed to Il Corriere d’Italia, published in New York City. For the latter, he paid $5.00 to the paper’s agent, Camillo Vetere.1 La Rosa had served in the Italian military during World War I but was not a member of the Ex-Combattenti.

He had never been in any legal trouble prior to his internment. Although a search of his home uncovered issues of Vox Popoli, an anti-fascist church newspaper, La Rosa was interned on July 29, 1940. He was 51 years of age.

At the time of his arrest, as well as during and after his internment, La Rosa suffered from a ruptured hernia. His family also suffered as a result of his internment. They were very poor. His wife worked at a fruit factory to make some money, and she was forced to sell the machinery in his shoe shop.

La Rosa objected to his internment and was represented by legal counsel in the review of his case. Justice J.D. Hyndman spoke with him in Petawawa on November 1, 1940, and May 2, 1941. In his summary, Hyndman described La Rosa as a “simple, honest man.” He wrote:

I do not consider this man to be the least dangerous, and in the absence of some concrete evidence to the effect that he has said or done something from which it can be inferred that he is disloyal to this country, I am of the opinion that he should be released. If there is any evidence at all along this line, I think it should be produced as quickly as possible as I believe this man is unfairly detained. Unless such evidence is forthcoming within the next two or three weeks at the outside, I would strongly recommend that his report be adopted (J.D. Hyndman to Minister of Justice, May 12, 1941).

La Rosa was released about a month later. His brother Ignazio La Rosa was also interned. Both brothers had worked for International Harvester, a manufacturer of farm equipment. La Rosa’s son served in the Canadian military and, in 1943, was on active duty in North Africa.

1 Vetere was a former school teacher and journalist based in Montreal. Some suspect he acted as a paid police informant.

Biography by Lucy Di Pietro

Do you know…
What happened to La Rosa after the war?

SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 670, Internee File 5040, “Giuseppe La Rosa.”
• Library and Archives Canada, J.D. Hyndman Fonds: MG 30, E 182, Vol. 14, J.D. Hyndman to Minister of Justice, in the Matter of the Defence of Canada Regulations and in the Matter of Giuseppe La Rose, 40D-269-4E-257, May 12, 1941.
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG 18, Vol. 3569, File C.
• Salvatore, Filippo. Fascism and the Italians of Montreal: An Oral History, 1922-1945. Toronto: Guernica, 1998.
• Tomchuk, Travis. “Special Agent 203: The Motivations of Augusto Bersani.” In Beyond Barbed Wire: Essays on the Internment of Italian Canadians. Edited by Licia Canton et al. Toronto: Guernica, 2012.

POW #: P737
ARRESTED: June 20, 1940
RELEASED: June 21, 1941
NATURALIZED:
BORN: January 02, 1891
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Niagara Region
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Owner, shoe repair business

RELEASE NOTES: Had to report to the authorities immediately upon arrival in Niagara Falls

Ignazio La Rosa was born in Italy in 1891. He arrived in Canada in and around 1922 and became a citizen (a naturalized British subject) in 1927. According to the record of his interrogation by Justice Hyndman, La Rosa was a member of the Order Sons of Italy from 1923, but denied being a fascist and belonging to a fascist lodge. La Rosa stated that he did not “admire” Mussolini, loved Canada, and never sent gold or money to Italy – though he admittedly collected for the Canadian Red Cross. La Rosa claimed to have no interest in politics. He had a grade four education and was Roman Catholic. He made a point of saying that he subscribed to Il Corriere d’Italia and that he never subscribed to Il Bollettino.

La Rosa admitted that Dr. Vittorio Sabetta (a fascist involved with the Order Sons of Italy) visited the lodge on one occasion. La Rosa was president and treasurer of the Holy Name Society of St. Anne’s Church and attended Order Sons of Italy meetings once a month. He did not own his home and had the same landlord for 19 years. He explained to Justice Hyndman that he and his brother, Giuseppe La Rosa, were shoemakers.

Hyndman commented that Ignazio looked older than his age and that he was treated for chronic rheumatism while at Camp Petawawa. Hyndman recommended La Rosa’s release. His wife Rosa (noted as 40 years old in his RCMP file) was struggling to make ends meet with their two children, Rose (15) and Sam (6). The family was on relief as a result of La Rosa’s internment, and they received $40.55 per month.

Biography by Melina De Guglielmo

SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG117, Vol. 661, File 4435.
• Library and Archives Canada, J.D. Hyndman fonds: MG30, E 182, Vol. 14, J.D. Hyndman to Minister of Justice, In the Matter of the Defence of Canada Regulations and in the Matter of Ignazio La Rosa, 40D-269-4E-319, 12 May 1941.

POW #: P766
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: January 29, 1941
NATURALIZED: June 25, 1925
BORN: 1881
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Montreal
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Clothing designer, Grand Clothing Company

Michele La Vita was born in Naples, Italy in 1881. He migrated to the United States at 17 and became a United States citizen shortly thereafter. In 1922, he moved to Montreal. La Vita became a citizen (a naturalized British subject) in 1925 and worked as a women’s clothing designer at Grand Clothing Company on Major St. in Montreal, earning $100 per week. Prior to this, La Vita had worked at Messrs. D’Allards for seven years. At the time of his internment, he was married with six children, four of whom were married. He lived at 7519 Henri Julien St. prior to his internment and moved to 3316 Van Horne Ave., Montreal, after his release.

According to his Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) file, La Vita was interned for “fascist activities.”

Biography by Melina De Guglielmo
 
SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG117, Vol. 673, File 5238.
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG18, F-3 Vol. 3563, Part 1.

POW #:
ARRESTED:
RELEASED: April 01, 1941
NATURALIZED: May 09, 1933
BORN: 1909
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Toronto
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION:

Pasquale Lancia was born in Italy in 1909. He migrated to Canada in 1927 and became a citizen (a naturalized British subject) on May 9, 1933. According to his Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) file, Lancia was an active member of Toronto’s Dufferin St. fascio, where he was a member of the dopolavoro and captain of the bowling team. His name was included in Il Bollettino as organizer of a banquet held by the fascio. He was married with two children: Phyllis (age 4) and Ronald (age 2).

A letter written by S.T. Wood states:

The subject replied to the questions addressed to him with a frankness that is most enlightening. He is an expert boccio [sic] player which … corresponds closely to lawn bowling, and it is evident that he became affiliated with the fascio and dopolavoro solely for recreational diversion which, it will be noted, was afforded him at a minimum of personal expense.

Biography by Melina De Guglielmo
 
SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG18, F-3 Vol. 3563, Part 2.
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG18, F-3 Vol. 3563, Part 3, Letter from S.T. Wood.

POW #: P732
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: January 10, 1942
NATURALIZED: March 06, 1924
BORN: June 07, 1883
DIED: October 27, 1946

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Hamilton
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Owner/Manager, Vulcania Hotel

RELEASE NOTES: Conditional release upon undertaking Regulation 24 (Defence of Canada Regulations) and monthly reporting

Luigi Lanza was born in Roseto Valfortare, Province of Fogia, Italy.

At the time of his arrest, Lanza was a prominent member of the Italian-Canadian community in Hamilton, ON, and was a citizen (a naturalized British subject). At 47 years of age, Lanza was the married father of five adult children: Joseph (28), Ida (27), Jim (25), Mary (22) and Adele (19).

Lanza first arrived in Canada in 1901 from Roseto Valfortare, Fogia, Italy.  On his arrival, Lanza settled in Sydney, Nova Scotia along with his father, Giuseppe and his brothers Francesco and Antonio.  The Lanza men worked as labourers at the Sydney Steel Mill.

According to his family, Luigi Lanza spent some time in the United States residing in Hoboken, New Jersey. He married Maria Giovanna (Jennie) Sabatino. In 1912, the couple had settled in Sault Ste. Marie, ON, where Lanza worked as a labourer at the Algoma Steel Plant. The family moved to Hamilton, ON, in 1917, where Lanza opened his own grocery business – Luigi Lanza Grocery & Butcher Store.

Lanza did travel to Italy, with two known trips in 1916 and 1929. On the latter trip, he sailed on a ship named the Vulcania. When he bought a hotel in 1934, he named it after the ship. At the time of his arrest, he owned and managed the Vulcania Hotel in Hamilton and was in the midst of buying the building. As a result of his internment, the deal faltered and the sale was not completed. Instead, the building was sold to a third party, which Lanza’s family claimed led to the loss of a license valued at $50,000. Lanza also had a second mortgage on another piece of property that ended up being auctioned for $3000 less than it was worth. 

Government documents note that Lanza was an important founding member of the Hamilton fascio – Giuseppe Tudisco. He is listed as among the executive of the fascio and dopolavoro, serving as the vice-president of both. Lanza was also involved with the local Trieste Lodge of the Order Sons of Italy. He had served in the group as “Venerable”/President.

According to Lanza’s wife, he was not maltreated in camp. However, he did bear a great deal because of his age. After his release he suffered from a series of illnesses that led to his death. His wife, Jennie Lanza, attributed these illnesses to her husband’s internment.

Biography by Lucy Di Pietro

Do you know…
How did he become involved in the fascio?
 
SOURCES

• Library and Archives Canada, Canadian Armed Forces: RG 24, Vol 6586, File 5-1-1.
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG18, F-3, Vol 3563, Part 5.
• Jennie Lanza, undated letter, Order Sons of Italy, Grand Lodge Records, Archives of Ontario, F-4378.
• Robert Lanza and Lynda Matthews, grandchildren of Luigi Lanza. Correspondence with project staff at Columbus Centre of Toronto, October/November 2012.

POW #: P461
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: December 26, 1940
NATURALIZED:
BORN: 1892
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Montreal
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Owner, grocery store and butcher shop

RELEASE NOTES: Unconditional release

Not much is known about Consolato Latella. At the time of his arrest, he was married to Marguerite. The couple had four children ranging from 27 to 15 years old. He immigrated to Canada in 1907, but government documents are unclear about his status. His file with the Custodian of Enemy Property (CEP) indicates that he had become a citizen (a naturalized British subject). However, his name appears on a list compiled by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police of “Italian members of the fascio, not naturalized, whose interrogation is recommended.”

Latella seems to have been successful. His CEP file notes assets totalling about $35,000, representing his business from the grocery store and butcher shop, and rental of properties. His wife resisted the confiscation of his assets by the CEP. She took over the grocery store and butcher shop and continued to collect rent payments from tenants. On October 15, 1940, she also refused to pay the $75.00 CEP wanted to charge her for the store space and living space she was occupying, noting the appeal of her husband and the presumed expectation of his release. It is unclear why the CEP would charge the wife rent for the continued use of her husband’s property.

Latella’s tenant, tailor Francesco Reda, was also interned. Other biographical information is lacking.

Biography by Lucy Di Pietro

Do you know…
Was Latella an active member of one of the fasci in Montreal?
What happened to Latella after his release?

SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Canadian Armed Forces, RG 24, Vol. 6586, File 5-1-1.
• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 650, Internee File 3384, “Consolato Latella.”
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG 18, C11-19-2-3-pt 4.

POW #: P553
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: February 12, 1943
NATURALIZED:
BORN:
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa, Fredericton
TOWN/CITY: Montreal
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Lawyer

Mario Emiliano Lattoni was married to Lucille Celina Villani and the couple lived at 3907 Van Horne Ave. in Montreal. Lattoni worked at a law firm located at 276 St. James St. West.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested Lattoni at his office. He was taken to the Bourdeaux Jail before being transferred to the Petawawa Internment Camp.

As an internee, at the Petawawa and Fredericton internment camps, Lattoni acted as camp spokesperson for the Italian internees because of his English-language skills and his training as a lawyer. This meant that he was in direct contact with the camp commandant. His other duties included distributing prisoner mail and organizing work teams. In an interview, Lattoni stated that he was involved in the construction of several barracks, planning vegetable gardens and playing fields at Petawawa. According to Lattoni, his position as camp spokesperson led to special privileges:

Each barracks had its leader, and there were also people running various services. I had a special twenty-metre long barracks built for us. We put a mini-convenience store in it where we could buy cigarettes and even wine. There was also a pool table. We were the elite of the camp. Thanks to my relations with the commander, we were allowed to leave the camp and go meet girls from the village next to Petawawa.

During Lattoni’s internment, Lucille was forced to move out of their home on Van Horne Ave. and rent two rooms at 1647 Sherbrooke St. West. She was obliged to sell the couple’s furniture to feed herself. She was unsuccessful at finding employment, as of early November 1940.

Lattoni’s father Liborio Lattoni, a Protestant minister, was also interned.

Mario Lattoni was later named a Crown Attorney by Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent.

Biography by Travis Tomchuk
 
SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 644, Internee File 3070, “Mario Lattoni.”
• Salvatore, Filippo. Fascism and the Italians of Montreal: An Oral History, 1922-1945. Toronto: Guernica, 1998.

POW #:
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED:
NATURALIZED:
BORN:
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Montreal
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Pastor, Dorchester Protestant Church

Dr. Liborio Lattoni went to university in Florence, where he studied literature. In 1909, he travelled to the United States after having been invited by a friend who lived there. Lattoni moved to Montreal a few months later after having been offered a job at the Dorchester Methodist Church. In 1910, his wife and two children – Jenny and Mario (b. 1900) – joined him in Montreal. According to Domenique Trivisonno, Lattoni went on to serve as the minister at the Italian Church of the Redeemer during roughly the same time period.

In 1923, Lattoni was involved in establishing a Grand Lodge of the Order Sons of Italy in Montreal. As a Methodist minister, Lattoni helped Italian immigrants as much as he could. He gave adults and children English, French and Italian language lessons, and he tried to convert them from Roman Catholicism.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) believed that Lattoni had been appointed by the Italian Consul Paolo De Simone to teach Italian in Quebec City. His travel expenses were reportedly paid by the Italian Consulate in Montreal. Lattoni was also alleged to have been a member of the Organizzazione per la Vigilanza e la Repressione dell’Antifascismo (OVRA, Organization for Vigilance and Repression of Anti-Fascism).

Lattoni’s son Mario Lattoni, a lawyer who was also interned, described his father as follows:

My father was an upright but also a rigid man. He had well-established moral principles and did not stand for any signs of weakness, which made having a dialogue with him difficult. When I hurt my knee one time, he scolded me for complaining about it to our maid. My father considered that showed a lack of dignity and that people of our social class should not show signs of weakness. I had a hard time talking to my father and getting him to understand me. He was too serious and did not easily open up with children. I never discussed political questions with him. If I had dared say I didn’t support Mussolini’s ideology, he would have taken it as a lack of respect (Fascism and the Italians of Montreal, 125).

Liborio Lattoni lived in a rooming house at 268 Pine Ave. West, in Montreal, at the time of his internment.

Biography by Travis Tomchuk

SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 644, Internee File 3070, “Liborio Lattoni.”
• Salvatore, Filippo. Fascism and the Italians of Montreal: An Oral History, 1922-1945. Toronto: Guernica, 1998. 

POW #: P254
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: December 22, 1941
NATURALIZED:
BORN: 1893
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Toronto
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Shoemaker, Robert Simpson Company

RELEASE NOTES: Unconditional release

Romolo Laudadio was born in Italy in 1893. He lived at 109 Chestnut St. in Toronto, where he rented an unfurnished room on the second floor. He was married with no children. At the time of his arrest, Laudadio claimed to have had $50.00 in his possession, which was taken from him by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). After his release, he wrote to the office of the Custodian of Enemy Property asking that the other half (he had been given $25.00 at time of his release) be returned to him. He explained that he was having great difficulty finding work after his release.

Biography by Melina De Guglielmo
 
SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Canadian Armed Forces, RG 24, Vol. 6586, File 5-1-1.
• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG117, Vol. 681, Internee File 6014.
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG18, F-3 Vol. 3563, Part 5.

POW #: P922
ARRESTED:
RELEASED: April 22, 1943
NATURALIZED:
BORN: June 16, 1893
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa, Fredericton
TOWN/CITY: Montreal
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION:

RELEASE NOTES: Released conditionally upon his subscribing to a Special Undertaking.

Giovanni Laurenzi was born in Italy on July 16, 1893 and arrived in Canada in 1919 via rail from New York.

At the time of his arrest, he was married to a French Canadian lady and they had three children (ages 16 to 20).  His children were reported to have attended a Montreal fascist school.  Laurenzi was not naturalized. 

When the family home on St. Antoine Street was searched, a complete fascist uniform was found.  When asked about it, Laurenzi admitted to owning the uniform and to being a member of the fascio since 1934. Most recently, he was associated with the St. Henry Branch of the fascio and he attended regular meetings until April 1940, when the hall was closed and all activities were ceased.

Credible members of the Montreal society said that Laurenzi was pro-fascist and anti-British.  Even Mrs. Laurenzi corroborated this claim stating that in a recent quarrel with her husband, he stated, “‘Mussolini will soon take care of the Goddamned French and English Canadians and will be running this country.’” Moreover, she claimed that he made other similar remarks in front of their children and guests.

It is unclear how long Laurenzi was interned for records lack arrest and internment dates. However, he was released from internment in April of 1943.

Biography by Louanne Aspillaga
 

Do you know…
The arrest and internment dates for Laurenzi?
If he and his wife stayed together after his release from internment?

SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 709, Internee File 24542 “Giovanni Laurenzi.”
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG 18, Vol. 3563, Parts 2.

POW #: K547
ARRESTED: August 26, 1940
RELEASED: July 03, 1941
NATURALIZED: January 29, 1936
BORN: July 08, 1894
DIED:

CAMP(S):
TOWN/CITY:
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Fruit Farmer

RELEASE NOTES: Unconditional release

Frederick Giuseppe Lenzi came to Canada in 1926. He and his wife had four children: Aldine was 19, Pete 18, Rennie 17 and Josephine 14. Lenzi had an 8.5-acre fruit orchard.

Lenzi was interned because he allegedly said that he hoped Italy would win the war. However, during his interview with J.D. Hyndman, a judge appointed to review his internment, Lenzi denied having said this. He also told Hyndman that at his first camp trial he was not represented by a lawyer and did not understand his rights.

Biography by Travis Tomchuk

SOURCES:
Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 684, Internee File 6389,  “Frederick Giuseppe Lenzi.”
Library and Archives Canada, J.D. Hyndman Fonds: MG 30, E 182, Vol. 14, Letter to Ernest Lapointe, Minister of Justice, May 1, 1941.

POW #: P264
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: February 12, 1941
NATURALIZED:
BORN:
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Toronto
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Retired Fruit Merchant

RELEASE NOTES: Conditional release (see below)

Giuseppe Leo was married to Christina. They lived with their three children at 2 Balsam Rd. in Toronto. Leo’s Custodian of Enemy Property file only mentions two children by name – Anthony and Frances, a second-year dentistry student at the University of Toronto. 

Leo had worked as a fruit merchant, but he was retired at the time of internment. The Leos co-owned a number of properties, on Gerrard St. East, which Christina managed.

In May 1938, Leo was president of the Società La Trinacria, a mutual aid society formed by Italian Canadian immigrants from Sicily. He may have been interned because of his involvement in this organization. 

Leo’s release conditions were as follows: he had to report to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) once a month, could not change his place of residence or leave Toronto without the consent of RCMP, and was forbidden to be involved in fascist activities or organizations. 

Biography by Travis Tomchuk

SOURCE:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 649, Internee File 3289, “Giuseppe Leo.”

POW #: P712
ARRESTED:
RELEASED: April 16, 1941
NATURALIZED: March 27, 1925
BORN: March 07, 1895
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Hamilton
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Operated a grocery store

RELEASE NOTES: Unconditional release but had to report on arrival to the RCMP in Hamilton for further instruction regarding his registration and parole

Michele (Michael) Licata was a successful member of the Italian Canadian community in Hamilton. At the time of this arrest, he was married to Carmella. They had a 19-year-old son named Richard Harry.

Licata belonged to the Racalmutese Mutual Aid Society. He was president for five years. He left the club because some of the members voted against him in his bid for alderman. 

He was arrested and interned on August 7, 1940. When Justice J.D. Hyndman reviewed the case, Licata denied membership in the fascio, dopolavoro and Casa d’Italia. He visited the Casa d’Italia but only “went there at election times to hear candidates for alderman and mayor. He never gave gold or money to Italy – his son does not speak Italian but went to English schools. He donated a coloured window to the Church of All Souls, and protests that he was ‘one-hundred per-cent Canadian’” (J.D. Hyndman, February 28, 1941). Licata claimed that while he did not know why he was interned, he believed it was motivated by the jealousy of or retaliation from those whose credit he had cut off at his store. 

In his summary of the case, and after hearing from witnesses in support of Licata, Hyndman wrote: “At the hearing in Hamilton I asked Constable Touchie, who represented the Crown and cross-examined some of the witnesses, if he had any evidence to offer to substantiate the charge that this man is a danger to the country, and he replied that he had not” (J.D. Hyndman to Minister of Justice, April 8, 1941). Licata was released soon afterwards.

Biography by Lucy Di Pietro

Do you know…
What happened to Licata after the war?

SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117-A-3, Vol. 670, Internee File 5027, “Michele Licata.”
• Library and Archives Canada, J.D. Hyndman Fonds: MG 30, E 182, Hyndman to W.R. Jackett, February 28, 1941, and April 8, 1941, “Memorandum for Mr. W.R. Jackett RE: Michele Licata,” 40-D-269-4E-282.
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG 18, Vol. 3569, File C.

POW #: P224
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: February 06, 1943
NATURALIZED: Yes
BORN: 1899
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa, Fredericton
TOWN/CITY: Toronto
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Fruit Wholesaler, Owned Fruit and Grocery Store

RELEASE NOTES: Conditional release

Pietro Lima arrived in the United States around 1914. He was 15 years old. After having lived a brief period in the United States, he moved to Ottawa where he met his wife Rosina (Rose). The couple moved to Toronto in 1919 and purchased a fruit market located at 994 Bathurst St. The Limas lived at the same address, in an apartment attached to the store. Lima focused on the fruit wholesaling business while his wife ran the store with the help of Mr. Allen. Pietro and Rosina Lima had four children: Nancy (b. 1919), Josephine, Dorothy, and a fourth child whose name is not known. 

Lima was a social convenor for the Casa d’Italia and this probably led to his internment. During her husband’s internment, Rosina and Mr. Allen continued to run the store. Unfortunately, the fear within the Italian Canadian community and the stigma of internment resulted in a decline in business. Furthermore, neighbours avoided members of the Lima family. During this difficult time, Rosina obtained power of attorney so the Canadian government could not seize the Limas’ property.

Lima’s release conditions were as follows: he had to report to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) once a month, could not change his place of residence or leave Toronto without the consent of RCMP, and was forbidden to be involved in fascist activities or organizations.

Biography by Travis Tomchuk
 
SOURCES:

• Dance Collection Danse. “Nancy Lima Dent: A Woman Ahead of Her Time,” http://www.dcd.ca/exhibitions/limadent/beginnings.html#
• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 643, Internee File 2888, “Pietro Lima.”
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG 18, Vol. 3563, File C-11-19-2-3, Part 5, Letter from Louis St. Laurent, Minister of Justice, to S.T. Wood, RCMP Commissioner, Feb. 1, 1943.

POW #: F13
ARRESTED: August 30, 1940
RELEASED: July 07, 1941
NATURALIZED: Canadian born
BORN: July 12, 1911
DIED:

CAMP(S): Kingston
TOWN/CITY: Niagara Region
MARITAL STATUS: Single
OCCUPATION: Bookkeeper, Brewers Warehouse; Teacher

RELEASE NOTES: Unconditional

Verna Lo Bosco was born in Welland, ON; both of her parents had been born in Italy. Her father had immigrated to Canada in 1908 and was a barber by trade. According to government records, Lo Bosco had one brother (a clerk at Empire Cotton Mills), and three sisters (a bookkeeper, a stenographer, and a clerk). 

At the time of her arrest, Lo Bosco was 29 years old and single. She had been working as a bookkeeper in the Brewers Warehouse in Welland since 1927. She also taught at the local Italian school from 1933 to 1938 – the year the school closed. 

She was active in her community. In 1936, she became the secretary of the Cristoforo Colombo Club. She had been present at the club’s inauguration in 1935; the club was established by Giuseppe Rettura and Dr. Ignazio Scozzafave (also interned). The mandate or purpose of the club is not clear.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) kept a file on Lo Bosco pulled mostly from articles published in the fascist newspaper Il Bolletino. She must have had some prominence to be so featured. An article in the February 21, 1936 issue lists her as fascist school teacher. In the April 9, 1937 issue Lo Bosco is noted as being present at the historical commemoration of fascism held by Cristoforo Colombo Club on March 23. She is praised for her work at the fascist school by Dr. Scozzafave in the July 3, 1937 issue and she is acknowledged by Vice-Consul Guido Colonna di Paliano for the same work in the May 18, 1939 issue.

In 1939, Lo Bosco chaperoned a student summer trip to Italy with the local Organizzazioni Giovanili degli Italiani all’Estero (OGIE – Italian Youth Organizations Abroad); most of the costs of these trips were sponsored by the Italian government. She seems to have served as the vice inspector for the fascist-based youth organization.

She was also the secretary of the Italo Balbo Lodge of the Order Sons of Italy and spoke at its inauguration in 1937. This woman’s lodge was named after the Italian fascist and aviator, who had flown across the Atlantic to great fanfare, arriving in Montreal in 1933, along with other stops in Atlantic Canada and the United States. Lo Bosco had represented the lodge at the annual convention of the North American Order Sons of Italy in early 1940.

Lo Bosco was interned at the Kingston Prison for Women on Sep 14, 1940. She objected to her internment; and her case was heard by Justice JD Hyndman. In her testimony before him, she admitted her membership in the Order Sons of Italy but denied being a fascist. With respect to her teaching, she claimed that she only ever taught the language and grammar, and swore there was no teaching of materials pertaining to Fascism or propaganda of any kind. She had received a box of Italian-language texts from Toronto but had not used them. She also noted that she taught on a voluntary basis, receiving no pay. She told the judge that to her knowledge the school was supported by class fees paid by the parents of the students; she received no money from any other source. 

Lo Bosco did admit that she had travelled to Italy, but had parted with the children in Rome, after which they headed to summer camp, and she travelled to Sicily to visit family. She had paid $60 for the trip, and claimed she did not know who paid the balance. She told Hyndman that while in Italy no one tried to influence her to become a fascist. She further pointed out that a thorough search of her home had been made by authorities; no fascist materials had been found and brought forward as evidence against her.

In his review of the case, Hyndman wrote:

It is possible that some designing person, such as the Consuls and other agents of the Italian Government who have since left this country, may have had more or less ulterior designs so far as these various Associations are concerned, but I am satisfied that the rank and file, especially those who have been either born in this country or lived here for many years, had no thought of disloyalty in belonging to them, but that it is the most natural thing in the world for people of the same race to have their own societies, a thing common to all races …. I can readily understand that these designing agents may have looked upon some of these Societies as fertile ground for their activities but that very little reached the stage when it could be said that the great majority of the members were consciously doing anything wrong …. (JD Hyndman to Minister of Justice, “In the matter of the Defence of Canada Regulations and in the matter of Verna Lo Bosco – 40D-269-4-E-361, 29 Apr 1941, JD Hyndman fonds MG30 E182)

Hyndman recommended release. Lo Bosco was sent home over two months later. She was provided a second-class ticket to Welland and ordered to register at the local Post Office in accordance with the National Registration Act.

Details of her life after her release are not known. According to Mary Raso, Lo Bosco later operated a china shop with her sister.

Biography by Lucy Di Pietro

Do you know…
Did Lo Bosco marry after her release and have children?
Based on the newspaper accounts she was very active in the community before the war, did she continue these activities or other volunteer work after her release?
 
SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Canadian Armed Forces: RG24, Vol 6586, File 5-1-1.
• Library and Archives Canada, JD Hyndman fonds: MG30, E182, JD Hyndman to Minister of Justice, “In the matter of the Defence of Canada Regulations and in the matter of Verna Lo Bosco – 40D-269-4-E-361, 29 Apr 1941.
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG18, F-3, Vol 3563, Part 1.
• Mary Raso. Personal Interview. November 17, 2011. ICEA2011.0077.0001, Columbus Centre Collection.
• McBride, Michelle. “The Curious Case of Female Internees” In Enemies Within: Italian and Other Internees in Canada and Abroad. Edited by Franca Iacovetta et al. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2000.
• Principe, Angelo. The Italian Canadian Fascist Women and the Government Wish-Washy Policy. In Beyond Barbed Wire: Essays on the Internment of Italian Canadians. Edited by Licia Canton et al. Toronto: Guernica, 2012.

POW #: P820
ARRESTED: July 29, 1940
RELEASED: February 09, 1943
NATURALIZED:
BORN:
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa, Fredericton
TOWN/CITY: Hamilton
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Unemployed

RELEASE NOTES: Conditional release (see below)

Vincenzo (Vincent) Lo Cicero was married to Isabella, and the couple lived at 40 Sheaffe St. in Hamilton. The Lo Ciceros had an 18-year-old son and eight daughters ranging in age from 4 to 24. Six of their children were dependents while three daughters were married.

Lo Cicero had last been employed in 1933, when he worked for the Thompson Pipe Foundry. The Lo Ciceros had been on relief ever since.

Lo Cicero’s release conditions were as follows: he had to report to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) once a month, could not change his place of residence or leave Hamilton without the consent of RCMP, and was forbidden to be involved in fascist activities or organizations.

Biography by Travis Tomchuk
 
SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 674, Internee File 5282, “Vincenzo Lo Cicero.”
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG 18, Vol. 3563, File C-11-19-2-3, Part 5, Letter from Louis St. Laurent, Minister of Justice, to S.T. Wood, RCMP Commissioner, Feb. 4, 1943.

POW #:
ARRESTED: June 20, 1940
RELEASED: July 02, 1940
NATURALIZED:
BORN:
DIED:

CAMP(S):
TOWN/CITY: Ottawa
MARITAL STATUS: Unknown
OCCUPATION:

Tullo Locatelli was interned for a brief period and may not have been sent to Petawawa. Little else is known about Locatelli.

Biography by Travis Tomchuk

SOURCE:

• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG 18, Vol. 3563, File C-11-19-2-3, Part 1, Minister’s Orders List, no date.

POW #: P906
ARRESTED: September 10, 1940
RELEASED: March 29, 1943
NATURALIZED: October 1925
BORN: 1893
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa, Fredericton
TOWN/CITY: Other Ontario
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Labourer, Master Cleaners; Bootlegger

RELEASE NOTES: Conditional release (see below)

Domenico Longo came to Canada in May 1912. He was married to Victoria Valeriotto, and the couple had seven children: Frank was 16, George 12, Angelo 11, Nancy 9, Edward 6 and Joseph was 1. The Longos lived at 110 Elizabeth St. in Guelph.

Longo had a criminal record and had been charged three times for illegal traffic in liquor. He was known to be an associate of Domenic Belcastro and Tommaso Rasso. Both of these men were involved in criminal activities, and they were also interned. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) believed that Longo, Belcastro and Rasso were responsible for two murders that occurred in the late 1930s. Longo was also reported to be a close friend of Frank Silvestro and Rocco Perri.

Longo was arrested by Guelph police and eventually transferred to the Lansdowne Barracks in Toronto before being sent to Petawawa Internment Camp. His family was on relief during his internment.

Biography by Travis Tomchuk
 
SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 681, Internee File 6163, “Domenico Longo.”
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG 18, Vol. 3563, File C-11-19-2-3, Part 2, Memorandum from RCMP to Inter-Departmental Committee, Oct. 4, 1940.

POW #: P336
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: May 24, 1942
NATURALIZED:
BORN: April 06, 1890
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Windsor
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Labourer, Chrysler Plant #5

RELEASE NOTES: Conditional release

Giulio Longo was married to Luisa Salatina, and the couple had three children: Anthony was 19, William was 17 and Mary was 11. The Longos lived at 372 Brant St. in Windsor. However, after Giulio’s internment, his family was forced to move to a less expensive rented home located at 945 Marentette St.

Longo’s release conditions were as follows: he had to report to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) once a month, could not change his place of residence or leave Windsor without the consent of RCMP, and was forbidden to be involved in fascist activities or organizations. 

Biography by Travis Tomchuk

SOURCE:
Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 660, Internee File 4217, “Giulio Longo.”

POW #: P554
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: October 12, 1942
NATURALIZED:
BORN:
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa, Fredericton
TOWN/CITY: Montreal
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Streetcar Conductor

RELEASE NOTES: Conditional release (see below)

Primiano Lopa was married to Natalia. The couple lived at 6746 De Gaspe Ave. in Montreal prior to Primiano’s internment. After his release, the Lopas lived at 7121 St. Hubert St. 

The Lopas owned a few properties in the Montreal area. Natalia used the rental income from these properties to support herself during her husband’s internment.

Lopa’s release conditions were as follows: he had to report to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) once a month, could not change his place of residence or leave Montreal without the consent of RCMP, and was forbidden to be involved in fascist activities or organizations.

Biography by Travis Tomchuk

SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 626, Internee File 598, “Primiano Lopa.”
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG 18, Vol. 3563, File C-11-19-2-3, Part 6, Letter from Louis St. Laurent, Minister of Justice, to S.T. Wood, RCMP Commissioner, Oct. 6, 1942.

POW #: P338
ARRESTED: June 10, 1940
RELEASED: August 20, 1941
NATURALIZED: May 10, 1929
BORN:
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa
TOWN/CITY: Windsor
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Labourer, City of Windsor Maintenance Department

RELEASE NOTES: Conditional release (see below)

Giuseppe (Joseph) Luciano was married to Anna De Palena, and the couple had three children: Frank was 21, Alice was 15, and Ernest was 14. The Lucianos lived at 912 Wellington Ave. in Windsor.

Luciano’s release conditions were as follows: he had to report to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) once a month, could not change his place of residence or leave Windsor without the consent of RCMP, and was forbidden to be involved in fascist activities or organizations.

Biography by Travis Tomchuk
 
SOURCE:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG 117, Vol. 660, Internee File 4214, “Giuseppe Luciano.”

POW #: P1200
ARRESTED: August 28, 1941
RELEASED: September 30, 1943
NATURALIZED: November 1933
BORN: March 15, 1901
DIED:

CAMP(S): Petawawa, Fredericton
TOWN/CITY: Montreal
MARITAL STATUS: Unknown
OCCUPATION: Owner, Utility Supply Co.; Secretary-Treasurer, Wolfe Lumber Mills Corporation

Julius Lupi, the Marquis of Seragan, arrived in Canada in 1928. He lived in Edmonton and acted as an Italian Consular Agent. In 1932 he moved to Montreal. Lupi was a fencing instructor. 

Laura D’Anna, a fascist who turned informant for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), reported that she had seen Lupi wearing a black shirt on special occasions. Another informant known as Contact 17 told RCMP that Lupi had attended fascist meetings. As the RCMP report stated:

[Lupi], however, discontinued associating openly with the Fascio, and there is good reason to believe that this severance of open relationship was calculated to avert suspicion. It is known that people engaged in important missions for the Fascist Regime were instructed to work undercover.

The report continued, “This man appears to have no visible means of income, yet he has always lived in comfortable circumstances and is now erecting a rather palatial residence in [Sainte Rose], a short distance from Montreal”.

Lupi seems to have been in a relationship with Helene McIntosh (estranged wife of internee Umberto Zerillo). The two lived together. Both were accused by fellow internee Alberto Severo Biffi of having taken advantage of his ill wife to defraud Biffi of his assets. Lupi claimed the transaction, in which he obtained all of Biffi’s work-related merchandise for the sum of $1.00, was legal. However, Lupi had not mentioned among his goods and assets the merchandise he claimed from Biffi, which he obtained prior to his own internment. As a result, the Custodian of Enemy Property looked more closely into Lupi’s affairs in 1942. After his release, Biffi would sue the both Lupi and Zerillo for restitution and damages. The results from this case are not known.

Biography by Travis Tomchuk
 
SOURCES:

• Library and Archives Canada, Custodian of Enemy Property: RG117 Vol 1928, File 2860.
• Library and Archives Canada, RCMP: RG 18, Vol. 3563, File C-11-19-2-3 Part 4, Letter from S.T. Wood, RCMP Commissioner, to Ernest Lapointe, Minister of Justice, 26 Aug. 1941.