The turret of a Panzer IV tank mounted onto a street bunker, part of city defences from the last ...

The turret of a Panzer IV tank mounted onto a street bunker, part of city defences from the last stages of the Second World War. Photographed by 61252 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Ronald Frederick (Ron) Layton, 453 Squadron RAAF after he had hitched a ride in a truck to Berlin with fellow squadron member "Undie" Underwood and two RAF men. No. 453 Squadron RAAF was posted to Wunstorf, Germany, in 1945 following almost three years of service attached to Fighter Command and based in Scotland. On 2 May 1945, the squadron escorted the aircraft that returned Queen Wilhelmina to The Netherlands after three years in exile in Britain. This was 453 Squadron's last mission of the war; Germany surrendered six days later. The squadron remained in Britain for several months before deploying to join the British occupation forces in Germany on 29 August. It was planned that 453 Squadron (along with 451 Squadron) would form part of a long-term Australian presence with the occupation forces, but a lack of volunteers for an extra year's service made this impractical and 453 Squadron disbanded at Wunstorf on 21 January 1946.