Loveday – Part 2: The Murder of Francesco Fantin

 Loveday – Part 2: 

The Murder of Francesco Fantin

Portrait of Francesco G. Fantin 1920 [SLSA: B 75173]

 The Italian antifascist internees in Loveday organised a money raising event called ‘Sheepskins for Russa’, which was associated with the defence of Stalingrad, Francesco Fantin was heavily involved in this campaign, which provoked the fascists in the camp.
A newspaper arrived in the camp on November 16 1942, dated two days earlier, that referred, by name, to some of the Loveday internees who had helped raise money for Russia. This led to anger within the fascist factions, and during a dinner discussion, it was agreed the fascists should be killed as traitors.[1]

Around 6:30 pm, on the 16^th of November 1942, Giovanni Bruno Casotti, who had arrived at the South Australia camp only two weeks prior from Western Australia, approached Fantin from behind. Fantin was standing at a drinking tap, Casotti struck Fantin from behind with a large piece of wood. Fantin fell, and as he did, Casotti kicked him in the groin and head.
Fantin was carried to his bunk in his tent. Fascist and camp leader, Dr Piscitelli was called to attend. Pisctelli was not willing to treat Fantin, so Fantin was taken to the base hospital where he was attended by Dr Adriano Mugga. Mugga stated that Fantin’s neck was broken, his skull fractured, and several ribs cracked. The military base doctor, Dr. Luke Verco was called to attend. Dr Verco stated that Fantin had a cerebral haemorrhage, caused by the fractured skull, and had Fantin moved to the Barmera Base Hospital, where Fentin would die of his injuries that night at 10:25 pm.[2]

Witness recollections of the event differ between fascist and anti-fascist accounts. The fascists claimed that the evening of the event, Casotti had met Fantin between Huts 3 and 4, when Fantin has called to him. Casotti claimed that Fantin was happy that Italians were dying in the war and that all the fascists were being killed. Casotti then claimed that Fantin had started insulting his family, so he pushed Fantin, with both his hands on Fantin’s chest. As Fantin fell, his head hit the water tap, and this is what caused his injuries.
Casotti’s version of events was supported by most internees in the camp. The majority being fascists.

The anti-fascist version of events included witness accounts from Augusto Pretti, who claimed he saw Casotti strike Fantin with a piece of 3x2x2 wood on the head, then hit him in the ribs with the same piece of timber. Pretti claimed that Casotti then began kicking Fantin.[3]
Domencio Franchici stated that he, and others, say Casotti hit Fantin in the head with the wood, kick him over the heart; on the ribs, and groin and private parts.[4]
Most antifascist internees were too terrified to speak out, as they believed they would meet the same fate.

Casotti was charged with manslaughter, but his case was deferred while more evidence was collected. When court resumed Crown Prosecutor, Mr Chamberlain claimed that his new evidence would prove Casotti murdered Fantin.[5]
K.H. Kirkman, the Deptuy Director of Security in South Australia and Master of the Supreme Court became involved. Correspondence began with the Director of General Security, Brigadier General W.B. Simpson in Camberra. It was decided that the murder charge should not be pursued in the courts as it would bring protests and further complications for the military and the camp.[6]

The trial resumed on March 16 1943, with Casotti found guilty of manslaughter. He was sentenced to two years hard labour at Yatala Labor Prison.[7]

Francesco Fantin became a martyr for the anti-fascist movement in Australia. After his death, Australian anarchists, anti-fascists and communists protested his murder. Joan Finger of the Political Rights Committee campaigned that maladministration at the Loveday camp and a military coverup had occurred. The North Queensland Guardian, a communist newspaper, declared that no antifascist should be in internment camps.[8]

 

A bi-lingual theatre production, written by Teresa Crea, titled ‘Red Like the devil’, about Fantin’s life and murder, was performed at the Loveday internment camp where Fantin was attacked. The play opened at the Playhouse Theatre in Adelaide on October 29, 1991, and was presented by Doppio Teatro.[9]

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2024


[1] Paul Nursey-Bray, 'Anti-Fascism and Internment: The Case of Francesco Fantin,' Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia, Number 17, (1989), pp. 88-111.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Tommy Lawson, ‘Francesco Fantin, Italian Anarchism and Anti-Fascism in Australia’, lib.com, (2022), https://libcom.org/article/francesco-fantin-italian-anarchism-and-anti-fascism-australia.
[4] Statement made by Mumu Augusto Pretti to Sgt R. De Rosa, A.A. (A.C.T ). C.R.S. A373, Item: Box 21, 10913.
[5] 'FATAL FACTION QUARREL', The Advertiser, (17 March 1943), p. 6.
[6] Nursey-Bray, 'Anti-Fascism and Internment,' Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia, pp. 88-111.
[7] 'TWO YEARS HARD LABOUR FOR INTERNEE', Murray Pioneer, (1 April 1943), p. 1.
[8] Nursey-Bray, 'Anti-Fascism and Internment.' Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia, pp. 88-111.
[9] Gordon Sheldon, 'No title', The Canberra Times, (17 October 1991), p. 13.

Loveday – Part 1: The Murder of Francesco Fantin

 Loveday – Part 1: 

The Murder of Francesco Fantin

 

 

In December 1942, The Sydney Tribune ran the headlines ‘ANTI-FACIST MURDERED: Political Terrorism in S.A.’  World War II was raging, and in Australia, Japanese, Germans and Italian people had been segregated into internment camps with many arriving in the South Australian outback camp, Loveday, the largest camp of its kind in Australia.

Loveday was established in 1941, near Bamera, holding over 5000 internees, and 1500 staff comprised from the Australian Military Forces. It also held, at times, Prisoners of War. The camp was established by the Australian government to hold people it labelled ‘enemy aliens,’ typically, these were people from countries that Australia and its allies had declared war against.
 According to the Loveday Lives website, of 15000 internees across the group of camps during its usages, 7000 were in Australia at the outbreak of the war, and 8000 were transported from the United Kingdom and Dutch East Indies through arrangements by their government.[1]

 In June 1941 the 4^th Garrison Battalion arrived at Loveday to begin Guard duty. Later that month the first internees, a group of 458 Italians arrived at the camp from Hay in New South Wales.  In august 1941, the first international internees arrived, sent from Britain after the fall of France. The first Japanese internees arrived from the Northern Territory in January 1942, with German and more Italians arriving the same month.
In 1943, the camp reached 5382 internees. The camp closed in 1946 – for more information about the history of the camp and a timeline of significant events please visit: https://lovedaylives.com/

 

One internee at Loveday was Italian Franceso Fantin. Fantin was born in San Vito di Leguzzano in North Italy in 1901. Fantin was a textile worker in Italy. The rise of Fascism in Italy saw Fantin become an anarchist and political militant. Fantin left Italy in 1927, arriving at Melbourne, before moving to Queensland where his brothers, Luigi and Alfonso had a cane farm at Sawmill Pocket, Edmonton.

In the 1930s, Fantin had moved to Victoria, where he became active in the Labour and anti-fascist movements. He became a correspondent for the anti-fascist newspaper La Risoccossa. Fantin was arrested by Australian authorities in 1940 as a fascist. He appealed the decision, but lost, and was sent to Loveday Internment Camp 14A at Barmera. Unlike other internment camps, Loveday separated internees by nationality, not political affiliation, which led to a political divide between those detained. Fantin stood with the anti-fascist, and became a political leader, which led to constant harassment, abuse, and assault from fascist detainees.[2] Another detainee entered Fantins tent and beat him senseless. Fantin reported the assault, but the authorities would not get involved.

 In 1942, near sunset, on November 16, Fantin was drinking from a water tap. He was alone when fascist supporter, Giovanni Bruno Casotti, a detainee who had arrived only two weeks prior from Western Australia, assaulted him. There are two versions of events, which I will discuss in part two.

Researched and written by Allen Tiller © 2024

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[1] ‘History’, Loveday Lives, (2023),  https://lovedaylives.com/history/.

[2] Paul Nursey-Bray, 'Fantin, Francesco Giovanni (Frank) (1901–1942)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/fantin-francesco-giovanni-frank-12912/text23327.

The Ghost of Cream Puff Corner

 

Cream Puff Corner is located at Upper Yorke Rd, Wokurna, near Port Broughton. The location got its name from two returned servicemen, Cedric Witty and David Richards, who began a carrying business at this location in 1946. According to a sign at the location,

‘When local folk asked the boys how they managed “batching”, the answer was always the same. “Real good, living like lords, we knock up a batch of cream puffs every Sunday morning.”
From then on, they were always asked “How’s the cream puffs going?”
“Real good,” they’d answer, “but we only manage them on Sundays.” When asked the whereabouts of their bachelor cottage, they’d laconically answer, “Cream Puff Corner of course!”

It has long been reported that the location is haunted by an unidentified man in a checked shirt. Have you seen him? Do you know who he might be?

Please let us know!

Schoolmasters of the Gawler Primary School 1878 - 1978

Schoolmasters of the 

Gawler Primary School 

1878 - 1978

1878-1881- L. S. Burton

l88l -1887-1. A. Plummer

1887-1891- John Harry

1891-1895- R. T. Burnard

1895-1897 - John Donnell

1897-1905 -Alfred Holloway

1905- 1913-Oliver D. Jones

1913 -George S. Berriman

1913-1927-Evan Thomas (Edward D. Nicholas-Acting Head Teacher for a period in 1919, during the illness of Mr Thomas)

(Ernest H. Priest-Acting Head Teacher for part of 1926-1927, during Mr. Thomas' long illness, before his retirement)

1927-1929-Roy Bromley

1929-1930-William J. Fisher

I1930-1932- Alfred J. Keats

1932-1942- William J. Barbary

1942-1945- Martin J. Hansberry

1945- 1948- Roland S. Michelmore

1948- 1950-E. Ray Sexion

1950- 1951 -John T. Blizard

1951 -l 954-Ronald C. Bierwirth

1954-1956-Walter R. Hayward

1956- I 960- Héctor McKenzie

1960 – 1962 -J. C. Nadebaum

1962-1964-Michael l. Jones

1964-1969-Eric Riley

1969-1972-Ronald Krieg

1973 -F. l. Barnett

1974-1976- J. Hurn

1977- -Don. Paterson

 The 1888 Tragedy at Semaphore.

 

In 1888, the newspapers of the day were scathing of 20-year-old Susan Schmidt, who on February 8th, had ridden on the footboard of a train carriage travelling to Semaphore. As the train crossed the points, it shook, dislodging Susan and throwing her under the train where she was crushed to death.^[1]

It came to light that Susan and a friend, Emma Fitts, had left Susan's parents’ house in the evening, and walked to Port Adelaide. They saw a friend off at Alberton station, then walked back to Exeter station, when the Semaphore bound train arrived. Rather than walk, they hopped onto the steps of the train from the opposite side of the platform. William Uden, travelling in the train, told the girls they had better get off the train, but they ignored him. As the train entered Semaphore station and crossed the points, it made a slight jump, dislodging Susan, who was flung under the train.

Porter, Charles White, who was on his way to the points, saw the train give a little jump and heard someone yell out from under the train. He was first to see Susan on the rails and went immediately for a doctor. When the train stopped at Semaphore, the guard William Swann, saw the danger lights lit up at the points by White and could see Susan lying around 100 yards from the train.

There was little compassion in South Australia’s media of the day. The South Australian Register wrote, ‘Susan Schmidt was run over and killed by the Semaphore train on February 8, owing to her recklessness in unlawfully riding on the footboard of the carriage.’^[2]

The Evening Journal stated, ‘A Sad Death from Recklessness – It must be a painful reflection for the parents of the poor girl, Susan Schmidt, who was run over and killed by the Semaphore train…’[3]

The Port Augusta Dispatch wrote, ‘Susan Schmidt tried to ride on the step of a Semaphore railway carriage last Wednesday. Verdict – nobody but herself to blame.’^[4]

Susan's body was transported to the Port Hospital where Dr Toil examined her, before placing her dead body in the morgue.^[5] Susan's lower body had been ‘completely crushed.’^[6]

An inquest into the death occurred at the Port Admiral Hotel on February 9, 1888, overseen by Coroner T. Ward. J.P.  Susan’s father Bennett Schmidt gave evidence at the inquest, stating,

She was 20 years of age last September. Last saw her alive about half-past 7 on Wednesday evening in company, with., two friends. They left his place and went in the direction of the Semaphore-road. Was awakened about a quarter past 10 by Mr. Warn, who told him of the accident. Directly saw it was his daughter that had been run over. She asked him to lift her up, and repeated the question in the train. She never told him how the accident occurred. Never knew deceased to be reckless.^[7]

 

The jury returned a verdict that ‘the deceased met her death by being run over by the Semaphore train, the accident is caused by her attempting to ride on the step of the carriage and added a rider that no blame was attached to anybody. ^[8]

 

Researched and written by Allen Tiller  © 2024

[1] 'Latest News.', Evening Journal, (9 February 1888), p. 2. (SECOND EDITION).
[2] 'ABSTRACT OF NEWS.', South Australian Register, (13 February 1888), p. 7.
[3] 'S.A. SWIMMING CLUB.', Evening Journal, (10 February 1888), p. 3. (SECOND EDITION).
[4] 'Grape Shot.', The Port Augusta Dispatch, Newcastle and Flinders Chronicle, (14 February 1888), p. 2.
[5] 'Latest News.', Evening Journal, (9 February 1888), p. 2. (SECOND EDITION).
[6] Ibid.
[7] 'CORONERS' INQUESTS.', South Australian Register, (10 February 1888), p. 7.
[8] Ibid.

Haunted Adelaide Plains South Australia

 

Haunted Adelaide Plains
South Australia

On dark and stormy nights, a phantom walks Port Wakefield Road, hitchhiking to Adelaide. He wears a long, Australian Air Force jacket, with a RAAF uniform underneath. He hitches a ride, and then vanishes from the car…who is this ghost that has been reported since the 1940s? Is he the only ghost walking Port Wakefield Road, and what other spectres are seen in the area?In Haunted Adelaide Plains: South Australia, award-winning historian and paranormal investigator, Allen Tiller investigates this ghost story, and others from the region; including the ghost of a soldier in Mallala, phantoms in Alma, Balaklava, Dublin, Pinery, and Two Wells… and, an unusual sighting of Princess Diana in Mallala at the time of her death.

Allen Tiller focuses his research on true ghost stories drawn from historical sources, interviews, witness statements and his own paranormal investigations. Allen Tiller is a former volunteer at the Mallala Museum and the Adelaide Plains Historical Committee. His family are pioneers in the region and can be linked to two hauntings on the Adelaide Plains, which Allen discusses in this book.
Haunted Adelaide Plains: South Australia, investigates the paranormal through fact-checked historical information that adds authenticity to some stories and debunks others; valuing evidence-based stories over psychic hearsay and giving an unbiased, factual account of local hauntings on the Adelaide Plains.

Buy it here:

Haunted Adelaide Plains

 

 Gawler Club

First published on the ‘Gawler: Colonial Athens’ blog on 05/03/2023.

The Gawler Club in 2023, is celebrating 150 years since the club's foundation.

The Gawler Club was founded in 1873. Originally the clubs’ rooms were situated in the basement under the Institute Reading Room. In 1880, the Corporation of the Town of Gawler leased a basement room in the Town Hall to the Gawler Club, where it has remained ever since, except for a brief period during which the Gawler Civic Centre was constructed. During this time the Gawler Club was located at the Elderly Centre on 14^th Street, Gawler South.[1]

 

Both my uncles, Lance and Robin, as well as my grandfather Edward were members of the Gawler Club, with their names gracing the championships boards in the club room.

researched and written by Allen Tiller. © 2023

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[1] 'MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS.', South Australian Register, (27 May 1880), p. 6.