4 May Ceremony at Grønhøj Kro                   På dansk                                  Updated:  12 MAY 2014

See the article in Danish with photos by editor Birgitte Brøgger Dyrberg, KARUP WEEKLY (UGE-AVISEN KARUP). See more on LAN R5679 - Grønhøj - 2014.
Last year former editor Knud Gaarn-Larsen wrote a number of articles including My uncle fell down in Grønhøj*Local information on air crash*Aircrew commemorated

On Sunday 4 May a memorial ceremony was held at Grønhøj Kro.
By Birgitte Brøgger Dyrberg.  (Translated by AS) 

MEMORIAL CEREMONY
On 4 May 69 years ago the Danish radio reporter Johannes G. Sørensen on the BBC told the people of Denmark that the German occupation forces had surrendered.
It was commemorated at the Grønhøj Kro where a memorial stone was unveiled a year ago to the 7 Allied airmen who perished when their Lancaster crashed near
Grønhøj on 25 September 1942.

The Danish Home Guard Company Kongenshus and the Grønhøj Kro were in charge of the events which they have made a regular annual ceremony. About 40
citizens appeared at 6 p.m. at the Grønhøj Kro and together they drove/walked to the Marker pole at the crash site that was put up in a small wood right after
Hedens Golfklub at Resenfeldevej. (See also Aerial Photo Grønhøj)

Here Poul Vester from the Home Guard related that the Lancaster was hit by shots over Djursland, but the plane flew on. Over Grønhøj one of the soldiers bailed out,
but as the plane was close to the ground his parachute did not have time to open up. The soldier landed behind a hen house in Mønstedvej 16 in Grønhøj where he perished. The plane crashed near the Marker pole at the crash site that was put up there last year. Here the remaining crew members perished. Later all of them
were buried in Frederikshavn.

Then the party went back to the Grønhøj Kro where another 40-50 citizens had appeared in the meantime. 7 torches had been put up at the memorial stone -
a torch to every member of the crew. Corporal Mads Mortensen from the Danish Home Guard was a guard of honour at the standard.

After everybody had sung Det haver så nyligen regnet, Vicar Andreas Lundbek Hansen made a memorial speech. He mentioned people who suffered during
World War II where we were not masters of our own house, and the unity across all polical barriers. People fought for their freedom and their country. The 7 young
men who perished in Grønhøj put their lives at risk for a free Europe in a country they barely knew. Tonight we honour those who fought for our freedom.

After A Lark Ascended, jointly sung, coffee and the famous Grønhøj pretzel was served at the inn. Innkeeper Gregers Laigaard entertained with his
guitar and there was a lively conversation.

Captions:
1. Vicar Andreas Lundbek made a memorial speech.
2. About 40 citizens appeared for the walk to the Marker pole which last year was put up where the Lancaster crashed near Grønhøj.
3. Poul Vester of the Danish Home Guard Kongenshus at the Marker pole where a Lancaster crashed on 25 September 1942.
4. The Memorial stone that last year was erected at the Grønhøj Kro in honour of 7 young British airmen who perished during a World War II air crash near Grønhøj.
    Corporal Mads Mortensen was standing at the standard.