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. |