May 2025 update: Amazingly, one of the girls in this photo was recognised by her children and the lady remembers the day when she borrowed a traditional dress to celebrate the liberation of Strakonice. Article (in Czech) from the Strakonice magazine here.
This colourised photo was taken May 14th 1945 during the liberation of Strakonice. The two little girls in the photo must be over eighty years old now. The daughter of the US soldier would like to find them.
May 14th 1945 was a Monday. Hitler was dead on April 30th and the unconditional surrender occurred May 7th – hence the beaming smiles in the photos, and the two little girls dressed in traditional costume.
The soldier was called Leland. He was part of General Patton’s 3rd Army, 4th Armored Division, Engineering Battalion and arrived on Omaha beach six weeks after D-Day.
Leland was a bridge rebuilder. As the allied troops chased the German Army back toward Berlin, the Germans blew up the bridges and Leland’s Battalion re-built them using Bailey bridges.
The Bailey bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge. It was developed in 1940–1941 by the British for military use during the Second World War and saw extensive use by British, Canadian and American military engineering units.
Leland’s daughter, Karen, would like to connect with the two little girls in the photo, who must be over eighty years old now. Does anyone recognise them? Perhaps you are the son or the daughter, or grandson or granddaughter?
If you can help. Please email paul@thepraguereview.com
Here’s the original, un-colourised photo.
The Prague Review 