70 years since the occupation of Denmark

[Alias]

Today it is 70 years since the German occupation of Denmark ended.
When I was at work earlier, I suddenly heard loud noises and cheering, so I looked out the window.
Down in the street TONS of old WW2 vehicles with cheering people in and on them passed by. Danish, English and American flags on all the vehicles.

I was actually quite moved by this. It gave an illusion of what a happy day it was for people who lived back then.

Those old cars, jeeps and lorries were LOUD, LOL, you don´t think about that when you see pictures of them. There was also this smell of gasoline in the air.

[lookout]

 I can remember standing on the front door step at home watching all the Army lorries full of servicemen leaving Burtonwood Air Base,in the 40's,and not understanding at the time,mum and dad waving. It's only as I got older that I understood how we were protected by these airmen/servicemen,who were mainly American.
So I can imagine you being moved. I'd have been about 6 at the time,.as it would have been nearly a year after the war ended.

[Alias]

I can remember standing on the front door step at home watching all the Army lorries full of servicemen leaving Burtonwood Air Base,in the 40's,and not understanding at the time,mum and dad waving. It's only as I got older that I understood how we were protected by these airmen/servicemen,who were mainly American.
So I can imagine you being moved. I'd have been about 6 at the time,.as it would have been nearly a year after the war ended.

I think it is important that people who were part of it share their memories, like you just did. Equally importat that people who weren´t listen.

There is a tradition on this day, or rather evening, that people put a lit candle in a window sill to symbolize the ending of the "blackout" of windows they did during the war.
Just looked out the window, I can see four candles - I don´t have one. 

[Patti]

It must have been emotional, yet spectacular to have lived and witnessed this 70 years ago. We all have a lot to be grateful for. 

[lookout]

 As a baby having been born a year after the war broke out,I used to sleep in the hall,in my pram,and dad put one of his socks on the coil of the grandfather clock so that the chimes didn't wake me up. Apparently,I used to sleep during the raids and when the" Doodle-Bugs" used to fly over. They were the bombers that could be heard overhead and once they went silent,it spelled trouble as it was then that a bomb would drop. I remember mum saying she lived in fear when she heard one and hid in the cupboard under the stairs,as she wouldn't go in an air-raid shelter or the Anderson shelter which we had in the garden.
I even remember dad dis-assembling the Anderson shelter and its corrugated material,and where it had been,he planted strawberries. Then began planting veggies and potatoes.
Dad had some Jew friends who lived in Liverpool and he'd brought them to the house once Liverpool was targeted,but his brother-in-law,a staunch communist,threatened to go to the newspapers because dad was sheltering these people. I don't know the full story,but these friends of dad kept him employed for most of his working life.Their way of repaying him.
We were also fortunate at the time to have an uncle who was a steward on one of the Cunard Line ships and who used to bring us produce from the States after his vists there,so as a family during the war,we did pretty well and didn't appear to go without. Some poor souls must have really struggled,and yes,we should look back at those days/months/years and thank all concerned for our lives and for what we have today.

I had the good fortune to visit the war graves in Canberra when I stayed with my family in Australia,and it would make you weep at the thousands who gave their lives so that we could live ours,in peace. The place is immaculate and a credit to those who look after the graves. The Anzacs are very proud of their history and are also extremely patriotic.

[Alias]

Thanks for sharing that, Lookout, an everyday picture of a time gone by. 

[Steve_uk]

Yes lookout thank you.