An unidentified German child ice skating on Steinhuder Meer [Lake]. 61252 Leading Aircraftman ...

An unidentified German child ice skating on Steinhuder Meer [Lake]. 61252 Leading Aircraftman (LAC) Ronald Frederick (Ron) Layton, 453 Squadron RAAF, befriended some local children while he was stationed at Wunstorf from August 1945 until January 1946. A sheet metal worker of Grafton, NSW, LAC Layton enlisted in 1940 when he was aged 20 years. He initially trained with the 41st Battalion but successfully applied to transfer to the RAAF. He undertook several training courses; in 1942 as an instrument repairer and in 1944 as an instrument maker. He was posted to Goodenough Island in 1943 and to various establishments in Australia. On 25 April 1945 he was sent to the Middle East along with approximately 30 others for posting overseas. He ended up in England before being sent to Germany as a member of 453 Squadron. He returned to Australia in 1946 and was discharged from the RAAF in May of that year. He resumed his job at Schaeffer and Sons Pty Ltd following discharge.No. 453 Squadron RAAF was posted to 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.