25-04-2025
Scots ship convoy to cross North Sea marking 80th anniversary of VE Day
A convoy of former World War II vessels will cross the North Sea in May to celebrate unsung British and Norwegian heroes – as Europe commemorates the 80th anniversary of VE Day. The flotilla is made up of historic fishing boats and a merchant ship. These vessels were used to smuggle special forces soldiers, secret agents and freedom fighters from Shetland to Norway, along with explosives, weapons and radios for the resistance movement. On their return journeys, they brought back refugees and soldiers fleeing Nazi-occupied Norway. The perilous route, which risked the constant threat of discovery by German submarines and planes, was famously dubbed the 'Shetland Bus' by the fearless sailors who navigated it, and the British soldiers who took part in the operation. Captain Jack Cowie, of the Gordon Highlanders, was the liaison officer for Norwegian fishing boats in transit to and from Shetland through Aberdeen . His daughter Isabel Jack said: "Obviously it was a secret operation so not much was said to us as children. "But Dad was well-liked and had a nice manner about him, with a warm sense of humour, and integrity and I think this helped him in this role. He was proud of what he did but he wasn't a man to make a fuss. "After the war ended, he returned to his job working for the bank until he retired." Many of the boats used during World War II have been brought together again to take part in The Liberation Convoy. MK Andholmen was one of the vessels used for missions to Shetland, as well as Orkney and the mainland. Current skipper Per Ola Holm said: "Everyone who crewed those small boats and ships taking the route knew they were risking their lives." Another vessel from the convoy is the merchant ship D/S Hestmanden. She served as part of the Norwegian merchant fleet, which operated from the UK throughout WWII and helped secure supplies of medicine , food and fuel, as well as ammunition and weapons to aid the Allies' resistance. Norwegian historian Ragnhild Bie said: "Some 4500 war sailors lost their lives and countless others endured psychological and physical traumas that affected them and their families long after the war." The Liberation Convoy will cross from Bergen in Norway to Lerwick in the Shetland Islands for VE Day ceremonies on May 8, before it branches out to ports across the Shetland Islands, the Orkney Islands, Scotland, and England. The convoy is "fitting recognition" of the alliance between Norway and the UK, and of Shetland's special role, according to Lord Lieutenant of Shetland , Lindsay Tullock. He said: "The arrival of the Liberation Convoy in Shetland will be an opportunity to acknowledge the long-standing alliance between the people of Shetland, the rest of the United Kingdom and Norway."
