Thanks Bas!!!!

Warning......this is not really about amateur radio.....

There has been a bit of a WW2 mystery in my family for a couple of years that we have been unable to figure out. But thanks to a fellow ham, we now have the answer!

The mystery was a picture that was sent to me when I was doing some research into my father's WW2 RAF Regiment Squadron. Here's what I knew: the picture was taken in August 1944, and it's somewhere in the Netherlands. Here's the picture:

What was interesting to me, when this photograph arrived is the fact my Dad is in the picture. He's the Corporal on the left side of the picture with Flying Officer Norman Page MC. My Dad was Norman Page's signaller, and served with him in No. 4 Flight, 2816 Squadron. The armoured car, and the other airmen, were with 2757 Squadron. Both of these Squadrons worked together in 1313 Wing of the RAF Regiment.

I knew from stories my Dad had told me that they were in the Netherlands searching for V2 rocket launch sites, Luftwaffe control centres, radar stations, and weapons stores.

As you can see from the picture there is no detail about where it was taken. The road sign gives us a few clues, but to somebody who's never been to the Netherlands, there's not much to go on.

I tried for quite a while to try and figure out using the distances shown on the road sign, all with no luck. In the end I had the bright idea to contact a fellow ham radio operator in the Netherlands, Bas, PE4BAS. I sent the picture to Bas and asked him if he had any idea where this might be.  The answer arrived within 10 minutes, it was Middelburg, The Netherlands. Now we knew!

By the time I had composed an email thanking Bas for the information, he had already sent another email, this time with a modern picture.  Here's the picture Bas sent:

You will notice the same two building in the background of both pictures. Absolute proof it is the town of Middelburg. 

So this mystery is now solved thanks to Bas. I can't thank him enough for helping with this, I would never have figured it out by myself. 

Middelburg, The Netherlands.

Bedankt voor je hulp, Bas. Ik waardeer het enorm!

Stay Safe Out There!