Yonna, Lamberto

Lamberto Yonna was born in Italy and emigrated to Australia in 1920. He was interned in Australia during World War II.

Lamberto Yonna was born in Ancona in Italy in 1891. He served in the Italian armed forces in the First World War before emigrating to Australia in 1920. In Australia he pursued a career in business and became Secretary of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Sydney. Despite being an Italian internee Lamberto Yonna was interned at POW camps at Long Bay, Liverpool and Orange in New South Wales and at Loveday in South Australia for 4 years.He remained at Loveday from March 1942 until January 1944. A gifted artist, Yonna brought his talents to bear in Loveday, making artworks depicting guards and fellow internees but also teaching others to sketch and draw. His works are an invaluable record of life inside the camp.