‘The drawings were done by an Australian who looked after Bill while at 4B: Horace Montague “Monty" Redding, who had been in South Africa when war broke out and joined, I believe, the South African Volunteers. After the war he was repatriated back to South Africa, then had to raise the money to pay for his passage back to Australia.

‘The photograph of Bill shows him just prior to him coming home. His eyes show how it was to be for him for the remainder of his life: they were fixed in one position, he was unable to move them right or left. Mary and I paid a visit to Moreconi about 12 years ago and stayed with the granddaughter of one of the women. In total they had looked after 23 POWs.

‘I have an old diary of Bill's in which is written:

“POW 226061 James Ryder, Service no 63360, born 1915. Captured Tobruk, 21st June 1942. Home address 16 Beech Crescent, Ferryhill.”

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