War Diary of a Suffolk Soldier

Harold George Rumsey was a keen sportsman who joined the Territorial Army in 1939, becoming a Troop Sergeant in the 67th Medium Regiment of the Royal Artillery.  They were posted to fight in the North Africa campaign and were eventually captured at Tobruk in June 1942.
Harold was a captive to the Italians until their armistice when he was transferred to Germany to be incarcerated until his release in 1945.

In his diary and letters home he created an interesting account of his shore leave in Durban, his fighting experiences in the desert, capture and then transportation to the various Camps and Stalags, and details various entertainments and escape attempts made by Prisoners of War.

He managed to retain a number of illustrations and interesting notes, as well as articles written for the Concentration Camp magazines. A collection of official and personal letters to his wife back home in Ipswich add a different perspective to his enforced stay overseas away from his young family.

These memoirs and documents have been combined to make a uniquely interesting account of one man’s war.

Compiled and edited by Hugh Frostick.