Vincenzo Manno

Story

Vincenzo Manno

Vincenzo was born in 1899 in the village of San Nicola in the Calabrian Mountains, the only son of Pietro Manno and Carmela Simonetta. He was 8 years old when his mother died and 12 when his father passed away. He and his sisters Caterina, Rosa (who later died of the Spanish flu) and Maria were left to care for themselves.

Vincenzo learned about hard work and responsibility at an early age, working as a shepherd in the mountains around his village.

He was conscripted in WW1 and served with the Italian Army in the protracted offensive against the Austrians in near Arctic conditions in the Italian Alps. Having escaped the avalanche that killed close to 10,000 soldiers in the winter of 1916, he was injured in battle and initially left for dead.

After the war he returned to San Nicola, paradise after the harshness of the Alps. He never talked about the war or his role in it. Years later though living in Australia he was granted by the Italian Government the honour of Cavalieri (the equivalent of a knighthood) for his leadership in that conflict.

In 1924 Vincenzo married Carmela Piscioneri. Two children followed: Pietro in 1925 and Rosa in 1927. Despite the small plot of land he had acquired, he saw little hope of financial security in Italy. With Rosa barely a few months old he left his family and sailed on the Caprera for Australia. It was many years before he was able to afford the passage for his family.

Vincenzo arrived in Melbourne in December 1927. With a few friends he travelled via Adelaide to Broken Hill, and then moved to Mildura. There they heard of work clearing Mallee stumps at Werrimull. Work was hard and hours long. They had to wash, cook and drink from the same water as the sheep. When one of their number became ill they left Werrimull and journeyed on to Nth Queensland.

Vincenzo became a cane cutter. Meeting up with friends from San Nicola Ð Ilario and Giuseppe Cavallaro they pooled their money and bought 70 acres of land in Redlynch, where they established a vegetable farm.

Finally adding the money he had made in Australia to that from the sale of his land in Italy he had enough for his wife and children to join him. They arrived in 1936 and he took them to their new home Ð a tin hut with a dirt floor and furniture made from wooden boxes.

A second daughter, Mary was born in 1937. Vincenzo was happy in his adopted land. He applied for naturalisation for himself and his family but because of the international situation his application did not proceed. Instead with the outbreak of war he became Enemy Alien Q12910 in September 1939.

In 1941 Ilario and Giuseppe moved south leaving Vincenzo in charge of the farm. However in 1942 Vincenzo was interned (Internee No. 7879) leaving his wife and children alone on the property.

Vincenzo was taken from Gaythorne to the internment camp at Loveday. His interview record states: ‘My application for naturalisation was refused because of the war…I fought in the last war and I will fight against no one…If I were compelled to fight here I would fight the Japanese…’

Vincenzo was moved to Barmera, Oodnadatta and Moree and then discharged in March 1943 into the Civil Aliens Corps, where he worked at Morgan. When Carmela need surgery for goitre Vincenzo applied for and was given permission to return to his family at Redlynch. He was released from his restriction order in 1944 and immediately reapplied for naturalisation. This time it was granted.

After the war the farm was sold and with his share Vincenzo bought land in Redlynch. His daughter Rosa married Giuseppe Dichiera and after 18 months they moved to a dried fruit property in Irymple, Victoria. On Rosa\’s recommendation Vincenzo moved the family to Mildura. It was 1949 and he was 50.

Vincenzo sold in Queensland and bought a dried fruit property in Walnut Ave. Transferring it to his son when he married, Vincenzo and Carmela purchased a 20 acre property in Morpong Ave, Irymple. Daughter Mary was married from that home. With health waning Vincenzo and Carmela retired from block work in the early 1960s. They sold their farm, bought an investment property for their children and went to live in Deakin Ave Mildura.

Carmela died suddenly in 1968 at the age of 62. Vincenzo was shaken and grieved for his lost companion until his own passing at the age of 83. However in those years as a widower he showed endurance. He survived breast cancer, kept busy with a large vegetable garden and lent his children a hand wherever he could. He also welcomed in a multicultural generation as many of his grandchildren married Australian, Greek and German partners.

Jenny (Dichiera) McKenry

Granddaughter

February 2009

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