General news
12 February, 2025
A journey of memory, friendship and family: the Airoldi and Armarti connection to West Wyalong
Italian families visit historical WWII sites where parents worked
ON January 4th, 2025, a deeply emotional chapter in Australian and Italian history was revisited when Pierangelo Airoldi, Luisa Locatelli, and Walter Brevi completed their three-week whirlwind tour of Australia with a poignant visit to West Wyalong.
This visit was no ordinary tour; it marked the culmination of a powerful, personal connection that spanned decades, generations, and continents.
For Pierangelo Airoldi, the visit held particular significance. His father, Angelo Airoldi, had arrived in Australia in 1944 as a Prisoner of War (POW). Along with fellow POW Ernesto Armarti, Angelo had been transported from Europe aboard the ship Mariposa to Australia after being captured by British troops in Buk Buk, North Africa, in 1940 during World War II.
After being held in Cowra, Angelo and Ernesto spent nearly a year in West Wyalong at Lakeside, the property of Mr. Harold Bolte and his wife Mrs. Hilda Bolte. The two POWs were not treated as mere labourers but as part of the Bolte family. In June 1944, they were released from the POW camp and sent to work as agricultural workers on the Boltes' farm. The bond formed during that year would endure for the rest of their lives, bridging the divide between war and peace, between strangers and friends. Angelo and Ernesto became part of the fabric of the community here in West Wyalong.
“Thanks, and gratitude to our grandparents for establishing the extraordinary bond we hold between our two families,” said Yolande Bolte.
“The 80-year connection holds a special place in the hearts of our family.”
From War to Family: The Boltes and the Airoldis
In 1944, when Angelo and Ernesto first arrived at Lakeside, they were far from home and, for all intents and purposes, strangers to the Bolte family. However, Harold and Hilda treated them with kindness, respect, and the hospitality that would define a relationship that lasted long after the war had ended. The two POWs ate all their meals at the family home, joining in the Boltes’ everyday life as if they were no different than family.
Amanda Stitt, Andrew Bolte, and Yolande Bolte, grandchildren of Harold and Hilda, are the direct descendants who have kept this relationship alive over the years, visiting Italy and maintaining strong ties with the Airoldi family. They were the ones who escorted Pierangelo, Luisa, and Walter to Lakeside for an emotional and nostalgic tour of the farm, now an enduring symbol of the connection between two families forged in the crucible of war.
Building New Lives
After being released from the POW camp, Angelo was able to start a new life. He married Angelina in late 1947 and together they had four children, including Pierangelo. In 1948, Ernesto Armarti, who had become close friends with Angelo during their time at Lakeside, married Rosa, and the two families formed a lasting bond.
A Legacy of Connection
The tour of Lakeside was not just a visit to a farm; it was a journey through the past, a walk down memory lane for the Bolte grandchildren, and a poignant moment for the Airoldi family. As Pierangelo and his companions stood on the land where his father once worked, the emotions were raw, with memories of both hardship and camaraderie flooding the space.
As the group toured the property, the memory of Angelo Airoldi and Ernesto Armarti was felt by all present. The connection between the families continued to transcend time and distance, and it was clear that the memory of those days at Lakeside would be carried forward for generations to come.
“This visit has made us reflect on the importance of being kind and how far and how long that kindness can travel,” said Amanda Stitt (nee Bolte).
“I can’t imagine how confronting farm life at Lakeside would have been for them, the reality of Summer in Australia can be brutal.
“As an aside we would really like to thank Evolution Mining for allowing us full access to the former Bolte farm Lakeside. Thanks to modern technology language is no longer a barrier.”
The Impact of War and the Power of Kindness
The story of Angelo Airoldi, Ernesto Armarti, and the Bolte family is a reminder of the unexpected bonds that can form during even the darkest of times. The lives of these men, caught in the turmoil of war, were forever shaped by the kindness and generosity they received in a foreign land.
In the years since the war ended, the ties between the Airoldi and Bolte families have only grown stronger. Pierangelo’s emotional visit to West Wyalong is a testament to the lasting impact of that connection.
As the tour came to a close and the group left Lakeside, there was a sense of peace—a sense that the past had been honoured, and the ties that had been formed decades ago would continue to endure.
For Pierangelo Airoldi, his visit to West Wyalong was more than a journey to a place; it was a pilgrimage to honour the memory of a father who had found family in a foreign land, to remember the sacrifices of those who came before him, and to celebrate the power of kindness across generations.
A Story that Lives On
This emotional trip to Lakeside was just one more chapter in the ongoing friendship between the Airoldi and Bolte families. It’s a testament to the power of human connection and the impact of small acts of kindness during extraordinary times. And as the years go by, the story of Angelo Airoldi, Ernesto Armarti, and their time in West Wyalong will continue to live on, passed down through the generations, reminding us all of the strength of the bonds that can form—even in the most unlikely of circumstances.
Read More: West Wyalong
