South Yorkshire Times, July 22nd, 1944
Escaped From Germans
Pte. Thomas Redfern, Green Howards, eldest son of Mrs. and the late Mr. Albert Redfern of 48, Albert Road, West Melton, who was taken prisoner at Tobruk, is reported to have escaped and reached Southern Italy, where he is in Allied hands.
After being captured, Pte. Redfern, who is now 23, was taken to a prison camp in Italy. About 12 months later he was reported by the War Office to be missing, having escaped from the camp.
Mrs. Redfern then heard nothing of his whereabouts for over 12 months, until a few weeks ago, when the War Office informed her that he was free and well in German occupied Italy between April 20th and 30th 1944, which was followed last week with the news that he was safe.
Mrs. Redfern has received a short letter from her son, the first for 13 months in which he says he will probably be home before September.