A War Time Log

Peter William Sooby's father served as a soldier in a reconnaissance unit in the Second World War. While on a mission near Cologne, he was taken prisoner by the German Army. He endured harsh conditions in captivity and was forced to walk hundreds of miles between camps across Europe. He kept a diary through all of it, concealing it from his guards, though discovery would have cost him his life. The diary is a dated record of his ordeal, with drawings of his surroundings and maps of the capture site and the route of his marches, all made from memory. He also preserved photographs and telegrams he had gathered during the war.

The war left lasting damage on him, both physically and mentally. He was already a slight man, and he left captivity weighing only 80 pounds. His health remained poor for the rest of his life. He rarely spoke about the war, but his family understood that what he had witnessed weighed heavily on him. His wife recalled that he suffered from frequent night sweats and nightmares for years afterward.

Despite these hardships and his failing health, he pursued his interests and devoted himself to his family until his death in 1988 at age 72, a death attributed to health complications from the war. His children describe him as a devoted father and grandfather, and his memory remains with them.