Post by pigeonpie on Sept 20, 2008 10:04:13 GMT
Italians remember Second World War naval action
J.S.N. Maó
A survivor of a Second World War naval action was present at an inauguration ceremony on the Illa del Rei last Wednesday. Dante Bartoli was serving on the Italian warship “Roma” when she was sunk by German aircraft on 9th September 1943. She sank in Menorcan waters, resulting in 1,253 deaths. Three hundred Italian sailors were evacuated to the former British Naval Hospital on the Illa del Rei. All but 26 of them survived and spent the next seventeen months of the war on Menorca, where they formed an excellent relationship with the locals.
The room in the old hospital, formerly ward 14, now serves as a museum to this sad episode. Along with local dignitaries and members of the Friends of the Illa del Rei, Dante Bartoli, aged 85, was accompanied by 60 of his compatriots, many of whom are related to the crew members of the “Roma”.
The transformation of the former hospital ward has been sponsored by Italian citizens resident on Menorca, who have formed an association known as Menorca Amica. A multi-national volunteer group works on the island’s restoration each Sunday morning.
J.S.N. Maó
A survivor of a Second World War naval action was present at an inauguration ceremony on the Illa del Rei last Wednesday. Dante Bartoli was serving on the Italian warship “Roma” when she was sunk by German aircraft on 9th September 1943. She sank in Menorcan waters, resulting in 1,253 deaths. Three hundred Italian sailors were evacuated to the former British Naval Hospital on the Illa del Rei. All but 26 of them survived and spent the next seventeen months of the war on Menorca, where they formed an excellent relationship with the locals.
The room in the old hospital, formerly ward 14, now serves as a museum to this sad episode. Along with local dignitaries and members of the Friends of the Illa del Rei, Dante Bartoli, aged 85, was accompanied by 60 of his compatriots, many of whom are related to the crew members of the “Roma”.
The transformation of the former hospital ward has been sponsored by Italian citizens resident on Menorca, who have formed an association known as Menorca Amica. A multi-national volunteer group works on the island’s restoration each Sunday morning.
