'E.J. Rudsdale's Journals of Wartime Colchester' edited by Catherine Pearson, £12.99


Published by The History Press, ISBN: 978-0752458212

Book Synopsis

E.J. Rudsdale's journals provide a remarkable insight into life in Britain during the Second World War. Rudsdale recorded his experiences of living in a garrison town in the East of England, which was threatened by invasion and regular bombing raids. He also chronicled the changes he witnessed as a museum curator and air raid shelter superintendent at Colchester Castle, the impact of the War Agricultural Committees on farming communities and the work undertaken by the Royal Observer Corps. Rudsdale recorded the impact of air raid attacks on his home town of Colchester and on the county of Essex and witnessed the building of new aerodromes to accommodate the arrival of allied troops. His journals, therefore, form an important record of anxious times and tragic events but throughout it all his sense of humour is never diminished for long.

The publication of the book has been supported by the Essex Heritage Trust and the Hervey Benham Charitable Trust. The book has been featured on BBC Radio 4's Making History programme.

The book draws mainly on extracts which do not appear on E.J. Rudsdale's blog.


The book is also available to purchase from Waterstone's and The History Press.

If you are visiting Colchester, you can buy the book at Red Lion Books and Colchester Visitor Information Centre at the Hollytrees Museum.

If you would like any further details, please contact me.