The Society has received the following invitation from the Rotary Club of St Ives. If you are interested in attending this event please contact the Club directly.
ROTARY CLUB OF ST IVES INC
Many people may not be aware but there used to be a POW camp in St Ives for Italian prisoners of war captured in North Africa in World War II. It was situated on Mona Vale Road near Richmond Avenue. One of the last (probably the last) of the army personnel stationed there with full knowledge of its location and activities is Major L. P. (Laurie) Hindmarsh who was the Administration Sergeant for the full duration.
Laurie will be giving a talk on the camp, its location and what went on there at the Rotary Club of St Ives on Wednesday the 2ndApril 2014. He will also be happy to answer questions. The venue for his talk will be the Pymble Golf Club in Cowan Road, St Ives and the time for the Rotary meeting will be 6.30pm for 7pm and will end at about 8.45pm.
The cost will be $35 (including dinner) which will need to be paid at least 2 days beforehand. If you wish to attend, please contact Dee Stewart on mobile 0412 398814l or email dstewart48@bigpond.com
I was wondering if you could assist me. I am helping the granddaughter of one of the Italian prisoners of war who spent time at N35 Prisoner of War Hostel St Ives. She would like to visit the places he spend time in eg Hay and Cowra but also St Ives. Any information is appreciated.
ReplyDeleteApologies Just a Mum... Joanne Tapiolas Townsville joannetappy@gmail.com Alessandra Nicoletti is in Italy and I research Italian prisoners of war in Qld, but also help out Italians whose grandfathers were in other states. Are there any remmants of the army compound/prisoner of war hostel.
ReplyDeleteApologies Just a Mum... Joanne Tapiolas Townsville joannetappy@gmail.com Alessandra Nicoletti is in Italy and I research Italian prisoners of war in Qld, but also help out Italians whose grandfathers were in other states. Are there any remmants of the army compound/prisoner of war hostel.
ReplyDeleteI'm finding this post 5 years after 'Just a Mum' asked the question, but I'll answer in case it helps anyone.
ReplyDeleteI grew up on land that had been the St Ives internment camp for Italians. This part of St Ives was mainly orchards before that. It was the rural outskirts of Sydney and many local roads had not yet been paved (though at one stage there was a proposal to put a railway line from Gordon along Mona Vale Road to the beaches). The camp was right on the edge of the bush.
One local resident had been a prisoner in the camp. He had bought land the camp was on after the war and had settled there with his family. I grew up hearing occasional stories about the camp and what life was like there.
The land was sold off as residential plots after WWII so there have been no real signs of the camp for at least 50-60 years. There were still stables along the side of Richmond Ave facing the Wildflower Garden until the 1970 or 1980s, and large comfortable homes were built on the land from the 1950s. A few early weatherboard cottages still remain, but these have mostly been demolished.
Years ago, there would be occasional hints of the camp life that was once there, such as pieces of rusty metal, cutlery, and pottery that we'd find in the ground as kids. But it has been a very long time since any buildings or infrastructure indicated that an internment camp had been there. It is as though history was erased; as though nobody wanted to remember.
To find the location, drive along Mona Vale Road to the Ku-ring-Gai Wildflower Garden turnoff. That will take you around into Richmond Avenue — now a modern paved and guttered road, with lots of nice comfortable homes. The camp had been between those two streets.
I have been aware of the location of the camp for some time. However unfortunately nothing remains. Houses occupy much of the land apart from a small nature strip. I would have loved to metal detect the area for coins and army relics. If any land owner is happy for me to take a look around, please leave a message on this site.
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