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Friday, September 10, 2010
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Surprised |
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200 in Station |
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Motorized Unit |
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Taken to Armouries |
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Surprised |
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The raids that continued
yesterday, were similar to those conducted two weeks ago
on the homes of district residents suspected of having
Nazi leanings. However, whereas no arrests were made in
the German raids, heads of every Italian home visited were
taken into custody and are still held.
“
Surprise”, the best weapon in any offensive, again
proved its worth in the drive. From the minute it was obvious
Italy would follow Hitler, it was understood that action
similar to that taken against German nationals would face
natives of the Fascist country. |
P10819
- Italians
being placed in police vehicle. June 12, 1940.
Courtesy of the Windsor Star |
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Such action against the Germans did not take definite form
until days after the beginning of hostilities. |
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And the quickness of this action was mirrored in the faces
of the arrested men as they were booked at police headquarters
for investigation. But no one said a word. Neither did they
complain. They just appeared bewildered by the sudden change
in events that had left them virtual prisoners of war.
An aftermath of the raids was the closing today of a sub
post office on Wyandotte Street east. The postmaster was
one of those arrested, it was reported. The office will not
likely be reopened as it was ostensibly for the convenience
of Italians in Windsor, officials said. |
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200
in Station |
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It would be impossible
to compare the scene at the police station Monday afternoon
with any in this city’s past. At one time more than
200 officials and prisoners jammed the outer offices. While
station authorities were busy booking the human “loot”, the
raiders were busy sorting the
firearms, flags and piles of books, papers, pamphlets and
other |
P10815
- This
censored communication, bearing the date and an internee’s
signature, was the only notice relatives received of
internment at Petawawa.
Courtesy of the Windsor Star
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literature
they had gathered.
Translators are reported to be still busy checking the
literature found in the individual homes.It is upon their |
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finding that final
disposition of some of the men held will be based, it is
reported.
More than a dozen revolvers, automatics, rifles and shot
guns are reported to have been seized in the raids…Authorities
paid special attention to the seizure in one home of two
military style shirts, bearing the crests of the “Blue
Shirts of Canada”, an alleged fascist organization
investigated by government officials a few years ago. It
was reported that a branch of the organization was being
set up in Windsor…
The headquarters of at least one recognized Italian club
in the city is known to have been included on the raiding
list. Records of the association and Italian flags were reported
to have been seized… |
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Motorized
Unit |
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More than 30 cars
were used in the raids. Like the motorized unit of an army,
they left the station in one column, but soon “broke ranks”,
to head for their respective destinations. It was noted
that
a majority of the cars remained in the Ward Three area.
Armed with search warrants, squads of four or five officers were assigned to
each objective. While two men guarded the outside, the remainder of the party
entered the dwellings. Officers reported that they did not have any difficulty
gaining entrance to any of the places. A few protests were made when policemen |
P10817
- Italians being rounded up in Windsor, June 12th,
1940.
Courtesy of the Windsor Star
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starte dupsetting
linen closets and clothes containers, but they were politely
ignored… |
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In
some cases the heads of the households were at work at the
time of the raids. Men were stationed in the residences,
and apprehended the suspects on their return home in the
evening. |
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Taken
to Armouries |
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For
more than two hours there was a continuous stream of prisoners
and men into the station. As soon as they were booked, the
Italians were locked in the cramped and hot cell-block. When
the last party returned, approximately half the prisoners
were transferred to the armouries under guard of the Essex
Tank Regiment… |
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The
opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada. |
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