Battista Antonio Allaria
Battista Antonio Allaria was born on Friday, May 31st, 1889 in the small town Molini Di Triora, Liguria, Italy. He was the only son of a farmer, Antonio Allaria, and his wife Maria Anna Caldani.
Battista is believed to have grown up in Italy but his father, who had the first slate mine in Molini di Triora, died very young, leaving eight or nine children. Battista followed the example of his brothers and he went to seek his fortune abroad at the age of 17, first in France then in England. He moved to England when he decided to work at sea. He was signed on Titanic on April 6th, 1912, in Southampton. He gave his address as 9 Orchard Place, Southampton, Hampshire, England and stated his previous ship as the RMS Olympic. Luigi Gatti hired him to work as an assistant waiter in his À la Carte Restaurant and Battista was believed to have had a wage of £3 per month plus tip. Battista perished in the sinking and his body was recovered. He was the 221st body recovered by the C.S. Mackay-Bennett. He was brought back to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery on May 6th, 1912.
For almost 86 years, his death remained shrouded in mystery. None of the family was ever informed that Battista's body was recovered at sea and buried in Halifax. His parents died brokenhearted as a result, they could not even say a prayer or lay a flower on his grave. For 86 long years the whole of Italy was believed that Battista had disappeared into the sea, drowned as a prisoner of the Titanic.
Only a few years ago, thanks to James Cameron's famous 1997 movie and the advent of the internet, it was possible to finally know the whole truth about the tragic death of the young and brave waiter. The great grandchildren of Battista Allaria, Luisella Allaria and Arianna, their father Gino, along with two friends Giorgio and Roberto Basso Lugli, have started an Internet search to find news,to determine what happened after the sinking of the Titanic and discover the tomb of the Baptist.
From the logbook of the Mackay-Bennett, written by Frederick Hamilton, the page of the discovery of Allaria, we read: ... "While Mackay-Bennett was already returning to Halifax sailors were hoisted on board the last three bodies. All wore the uniform "First Class servants", waiters were First Class. Two were identified, one was on shirt initials AB (Allaria, N. d. R.) The third was buried at sea." Even after what you read is noteworthy moves, the list of personal effects recovered from the ocean, the traces of a life too quickly broken. "Dresses: green coat, jacket and dark trousers, underwear marked with the letters A and B (the initials). Effects: knife, razor, lock, keys marked" bathroom waiters ", comb, savings Postal, notebook and allowed to disembark. " All cataloged, everything belonged to the young Allaria, Molini.