World War II Military & Personal Archive of Geoffrey Maudsley, Sergeant, Special Investigation Branch, Military Police 1939 - 1946 which relates to his active service in Europe, particularly in Germany and France. Items featured in the Archive are : 1. Two small albums of pre-war postcard photographs featuring significant buildings & locations in Berlin. 2. Two larger albums containing a range of 'personal' post - war photographs taken in France & Germany featuring 'Victory in Europe Celebrations' in Paris, Allied Parades in Berlin, Bomb damage & destruction in Berlin together with other locations and activities with service colleagues. 3.An original copy of 'Soldier' - British Army Magazine, June 22nd. 1946 & Newspaper ' Les Nouvelles Du Matin' with the headline 'La Guerre Est Finie,' 8th. May 1945. 4. Four Belgium paper currency notes & a French Railway map. 5. Discharge Papers, Medical Notes & War Dept. Driving Permit for Geoffrey Maudsley. 6. A set of 5 Medals & Ribbons : Defence Medal, WW2 Service Medal, 1939/45 Star, France & Germany Star, Police Exemplary Service Medal. Further information about provenance supplied by family members can be found in the Condition Report. CONDITION REPORT: All the items belonged to my late father Geoffrey Maudsley who was a Sergeant in the Special Investigation Branch of the Military Police and served in Europe immediately following D-Day so I suppose he had, to some extent, the freedom to roam. He joined up when he was a police officer in 1939 and returned in 1946 to Lancashire Constabulary, hence the Police Service medal.
The photos of scenes in Germany - the deserted autobahns but mainly of the ruins of Berlin together with those of Paris were taken by him as were most of the personnel pictures but a few, the groups of his fellow servicemen, were taken by a third party. The postcards are (I think) all of pre-war undamaged Berlin and show dramatically the difference before and after. The other wartime items were also picked up by my father.
I know very little about his service in Europe as, like many other servicemen, he didn't talk much about it but I do know he was involved in gun battles with black marketeers several times and he was posted to Caen, Paris and Berlin.
Archivist's note : It is possible that the 'Personal' Post-War photos are quite rare if not unique.