Italian Prisoner of War Shrine at Harvey Agric High School

Parent Place or Precinct

25228 Harvey Agricultural College (fmr)

Statement of Significance

• The place has historic value for its association with the internment of Italian men during World War II.
• The place has social value for those who were interned at the camp and their families.
• The place has social value for the wider community for its demonstration of the type of treatment administered during wartime.

Physical Description

The Shrine is now housed in a purpose built structure. The structure is of random stone construction with brick internal walls and distinctive hexagonal shaping to the end elevations. The roof is hipped in form and clad with colorbond. Window openings have been inserted into the elevations but there is no glazing. The openings have concrete reveals and sills. There is a porte cochere type element that projects out from the main entrance providing shelter to visitors. Also in the grounds is a fountain "Fontana 2000" which has been constructed in the same manner as the shrine and shelter.

History

Harvey Internment Camp No 11 was established in September 1940 in response to Mussolini joining Hitler and declaring war on France and Great Britain. Many Italian men living and working in Western Australia were rounded up and interned, the selection criteria for internment was haphazard.

To relieve the boredom and frustration Giovanni-Battista Boshetti, an experienced stonemason, wished to build a chapel as work therapy for other internees and leave a permanent visual reminder of the Italian presence at Camp 11. Requests for the materials were refused and instead a small shrine was built. Although the shrine is a religious icon, two symbols of defiance (AXX – 20th year of the era of Fascism in Italy and IHSV – In Hoc Signo Vinces translated to - in this sign we will conquer) are incorporated in the design as a political statement. He was assisted by Giuseppe Raneri (architect) and Gaetano Tomba.

Some of the crew from the German Raider Kormoran, which sank H.M.A.S. Sydney in November 1941 and the crew of the Italian liner the Remo, which berthed at Fremantle after the outbreak of war, were also housed at the camp.
The Camp was closed in April 1942 when the WA coastline was under threat from the Japanese. Its strong lights posed a security threat. The remaining 500 internees were transferred to Kalgoorlie en route to Loveday in South Australia.

The camp site became an Army Training School and later a Rural Training Centre for Ex-Servicemen. For many years it has been the site of the Agricultural School.

All that remains of the Internment camp are the Shrine, two huts, the jail in its original condition and the hospital building which houses teaching staff. The Shrine was enclosed in a Chapel in 1992. The materials for the construction of the chapel were chosen for their similarity to the shrine.

Integrity/Authenticity

High/ High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Last Update

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