Those of us who grew up in 1970s Middlesbrough remember with pleasure the Rea family cafes and our pride in the local boy’s chart successes (Chris Rea obituary, 22 December). What is less known, but particularly relevant in these immigration-sensitive times, is the fate of Camillo Rea, Chris’s grandfather, who founded the ice-cream cafes in 1930s Middlesbrough.
After Italy declared war on Britain in June 1940, Winston Churchill ordered the arrest of almost all Italian men living in Britain. Thirteen men from Teesside, including Camillo, were transported to Liverpool and the SS Arandora Star to be interned in Canada. During the voyage the ship was torpedoed, with the loss of 850 lives, including 11 men from Teesside, one of whom was Camillo.
Andrew Keeley
Warrington, Cheshire
