A smiling and confident looking young man on a Spitfire wing; a Spitfire by the name ‘Skagen Ind.’ The photo was taken on 10 April 1942, the young man is Pilot Officer Axel Anders Svendsen. A fortnight later he is shot down and killed over Northern France.
Andreas Petersen is one of the few Danes to join the Royal Canadian Air Force. He served as air gunner in 166 Squadron completing a tour of operations.
Six Danish airmen were on operation in the skies over Normandy on 6 June 1944. Two were involved in bombing the coastal batteries, three provided fighter cover over the Channel and the beaches, and the last carried out an improvised reconnaissance mission.
Norway was liberated on 8 May 1945 on VE-day. More than fifty Danes serving in the Royal Norwegian Air Force celebrated and participated in the liberation of their second, wartime homeland.
