A long way to Denmark

[SandyMcJ]

Came across this photo amongst others from WW2 in old wallet belonging to my Dad. Can anyone offer any explanation of what and where it is? Writing on back may be name and address? My father served in RAF Regiment in Germany in late 1945 and early 1946 and I think this may be from then.

[jamcat95]

Hi
I read the text as:
Anders Hansen or Jensen Paulsen
Augtrupvej 19 (Agtrupvej)
Kolding
Denmark.

I don't know where the photo is from though.

Ian

[SandyMcJ]

Thanks Ian - that makes sense. My Dad would have been stationed near Hamburg a few months after the surrender of Germany and the liberation of Denmark. I suspect that this was a display put up by some grateful Danes in Germany and that the name and address on the rear of the photo belongs to one of them. The maker's mark on the photo paper (Agfa-Brovira) is compatible with date / location.

[SandyMcJ]

Kolding was spot on - contacted the library there and received this reply:
'The photo was taken in connection with the liberation of Denmark/Kolding in May 1945. Unfortunately, we do not know who was behind ”the decoration”, but it's clearly a tribute to the British forces that liberated the country. The first British soldiers came to Kolding on 6 May 1945, but the official tribute to the forces did not take place until 7 May - This day the main force arrived in Kolding.
The picture was taken in front of the town hall on the town's main square (Akseltorv) on 6-7 May 1945.
At this link you will find many pictures from the liberation in Kolding: https://arkiv.dk/soeg?searchstring=befrielsen+kolding
Many British troops visited Kolding after the war, as the only Leave Camp / Rest Camp outside Germany was located in Kolding. Until October 1947, about 30,000 British troops visited Kolding.'

As my father was stationed in Germany at this time, presumably he visited Kolding on leave.

Sandy

[jamcat95]

Great photos.
Cheers Ian