An American World War II soldier had no links to the borough or England so why did he have this picture with a Croydon address written on the back?

This is the mystery Joseph DiTomasso’s son is trying to solve, 70 years after the photograph was taken in Antwerp, Belgium.

It was taken outside a building that had something to do with aircraft identification.

On the back (pictured below) is written the words “Daphne Adams, Park View, 19 Haling Park Road, South Croydon, Surrey, England”.

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It comes from a time when Joseph, who was 29 in when the picture was taken, was stationed in Belgium as part of the 361st Engineer Regiment.

His son John, from Maryland, USA, is trying to solve the mystery after finding it in a pile of his late parents’ papers.

And now the 72-year-old has turned to the Croydon Guardian readers in the hope someone knows something about the image.

He said: “None of the other photos had any identifying features and I guess I was intrigued in part by the writing on the back of this one.

“I had some difficulty deciphering what it said and [hope people might know] something more about the women in the photo.

“It is only important to identify those in the picture so that their ancestors might get a glimpse of what their mother, aunt etc. was like during the war years.

“I have little hope that any of the four are still with us - although, it is possible.”

John wants to speak to anyone who recognises the name Daphne Adams or thinks they might be related to the women in the photograph.

To do this please email rfisk@london.newsquest.co.uk or write to John DiTomasso, c/o Robert Fisk, Croydon Guardian, Floor 10, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, SM2 5AS.