Latest news with #ShetlandBus
Forbes
08-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
Why The Quiet Heroism Of Norway's War Sailors Is As Relevant As Ever
D/S Hestmanden, one of Norway's many cargo ships that played a key role in the Allied war effort. On the Shetland Islands today, a poignant 80th commemoration of Victory in Europe Day in 1945 has been going on all day. Alongside the harbour in Lerwick are five fishing boats, once part of the clandestine Anglo-Norwegian Shetland Bus mission, and the wartime cargo ship Hestmanden. Among the Norwegians who have sailed the boats over to thank the people of Scotland for their help in the World War II are the descendants of crews from the Shetland Buses and many other Norwegian war sailors. The story of the Norwegian war sailors is one of courage, resilience and humility. Although Norway's population was fewer than 3mn when the war began, it had the fourth largest merchant naval in the world. Norwegian ships carried oil, coal, wool, food, medical and other essential supplies from the Arctic to the Antarctic. 'Britain and Norway have always had a close friendship," observes Jorn Madslien, the grandson of a Norwegian war sailor. 'It's particularly relevant today when maritime co-operation is essential. But without the Norwegian merchant navy, the U.S. could not have got involved in the war." Over the Second World War, more than 4,000 ordinary Norwegian sailors - mostly men - were killed. Yet they went unrewarded and unrecognised even by their own government. Many died before an incremental pension contribution was made many years later while the government only issued an official apology in 2003. Many of the survivors remained deeply traumatised by what they saw and experienced during the war. Most barely spoke about it, some never. Besides, few Norwegians wanted to talk much about the war, with recriminations over collaboration fresh. Today, however, with the help of service archives, the families involved and tales handed down from survivors, we know more. More recently, War Sailor, the most expensive Norwegian film ever made, has told the story on Netflix. Jorn Madslien, grandson of Norwegian war sailor Jorge Maslien. Jorgen Madslien was a policeman in the Norwegian police force when Germany invaded Norway. When he was offered promotion to a senior level, he chose to go to sea rather than remain in the police force under the Nazis. Sailing may have been helpful in his work with the Norwegian Resistance; only last summer did the family realise that Madslien had played a far greater role in the than he had let on. Madslien became the commander of a small local group. Archives reveal Madslein's cell was betrayed. He was arrested, tortured and imprisoned in the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp until the end of the war, when he weighed just 42 kilos. 'We only know this because he wrote a letter to my grandmother when he was freed,' his grandson Jorn Maslien says.'He never spoke about it to anyone other than his next-door neighbour.' In total, over 2,000 men and women from the Resistance were executed or died in died concentration camps. Reprisals against civilians following Resistance Operations were also often harsh. Yet theirr activities forced Germany to keep as many as 300,000 - 350,000 men in Norway, preventing them from fighting elsewhere. When German troops landed in Norway's key ports in April 1940, the command was given that all Norwegian sailors should sail their boats back into Norwegian waters or German ports. None did. Most of the Norwegian fleet was at sea, and so beyond German control. Many sailors initially headed for Norway's northern ports, which were close to an early counteroffensive brought to an end by the fall of France and the Allied withdrawal. The King, Crown Prince and government escaped to London, where they set up the Norwegian government in exile. Crown Prince, later King Olav, was appointed Chief of Defence. Throughout the war, the Norwegians worked closely with the British government and Allied forces. Control of the merchant fleet was vested in the Norwegian Shipping and Trade Mission, Notraship, a joint organisation run from the U.K. by Norwegian and British officials. An encounter between the factory vessel "Jan Wellem" of the German whaling fleet and the "Norvinn" ... More of the Norwegian merchant fleet, 1930s. (Photo by: United Archives/M-Verlag Berlin/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) In June 1940, the Allies requested that Norwegian boats outside Norway sail to Allied or neutral ports if safe to do so. Not all, but the majority did. Several Norwegian ships were in Swedish ports. Among them were vessels containing steel and ball bearings, badly needed by the U.K. to make aircraft and tank parts. Germany demanded that Sweden seize the ships, but Sweden, a neutral country, replied that it had no powers to prevent these ships from sailing to England. Between 1940 - 41, five ships made the voyage successfully. Swedish and British lawyers also strengthened the law concerning vessels from an occupied country sailing from a neutral third country. Germany tried to put a kvarstad (stay put in Swedish) order on the remaining vessels. Operation Performance, the second effort to get the ships out of Sweden was however a disaster. Many of the ships sunk as soon as they reached Karingon, the last island in the Gothenburg archipelago. Ragnhild Bie's grandfather was on board only one of the two out of ten British and Norwegian ships that made it. 'They were called the Lucky Ships.' Her grandfather then returned to for the third and final operation. This time, his ship was hit and sunk. He escaped on a lifeboat to Norway and made it back to neutral Sweden, from where he flew to England, where he spent the remainder of the war running refugee camps as well as working for the Special Operations Executive (who masterminded the Shetland Bus missions). 'In 1943, the U.S. government donated three submarine chasers, cutting losses on Norwegian cargo ships and ensuring the rest of the Shetland Bus missions were successful," says Bie, a war historian. The Berganger, torpedoed later in the Atlantic In 1940, Harald Lunde was a young Norwegian merchant navy sailor on board D/S Davanger when it was struck by a German U-boat (U-48) as it sailed from Curaçao on September 14 1940, carrying nearly 10,000 tons of fuel oil en route to Bermuda. The ship sank within four minutes. Lunde managed to escape onto a lifeboat, which drifted in the Atlantic for a week before reaching Ireland. Lunde saw friends die on the raft. Only 12 men out of a crew of 29 survived. He went back to sea, but on June 2 1942, his ship the Berganger was torpedoed en route from Buenos Aires and Santos to New York and Boston. This is the report he gave his superiors. By today's standards, it's a model of understatement. After a day, the two consignments of surviving crew were picked up by Norwegian cargo ship and a U.S. destroyer. Chart showing the position where Berganger was sunk Lunde had joined the merchant fleet as a seaman in 1934. He did not return home until 1946. From 1948 - 1973, he sailed for Westfal-Larsen, often as captain on the South American route. Communication between those at sea and their families was almsost entirely through letters. 'It could take months between each message,' says his granddaughter Vilde Regine Villnes. His sons, Oddvar and Gunnar, were only around two and a half years old when they first met their father. 'Of the 25 years he worked at sea, he was away for 20. The older children describe him as somewhat of a stranger, while my mother, the youngest, has a very different and more personal memory of him,' she says. The Norwegian government only officially acknowledged his wartime service in 1973. Lunde was given nothing by the Norwegian government until 1973. ''He received 9,000 NOK in compensation (equivalent to 180 kroner per month), which felt like a token sum considering the sacrifices he had made.' 'Whenever I face doubt or fear, I think of him — a young man adrift in the Atlantic Ocean, holding on to hope and refusing to give up,' Vilde says. The story of these quiet war heroes is about humility, courage and resilience - all qualities that make great leaders. Their history is as relevant today as ever.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Shetland Bus' convoy greeted with floating salute as it arrives in Lerwick
'Shetland Bus' convoy greeted with floating salute as it arrives in Lerwick A convoy of ships that retraced a route used for secret operations during the Second World War has arrived in Shetland after sailing from Norway. The Liberation Convoy, which followed the journey made by the so-called 'Shetland Bus' during the war, was greeted with a floating salute as it arrived in Lerwick on Tuesday night. The Shetland Bus vessels were used to smuggle special forces soldiers and secret agents from Shetland to Nazi-occupied Norway. They also carried weapons, explosives and radios for the resistance movement and, on their return journeys, brought refugees and soldiers escaping from the Nazis. The Hestmanden was part of the Shetland Bus convoy that arrived in Lerwick on Tuesday (Dave Donaldson/PA) The recreation of events this year honoured the 80th anniversary of VE Day which will take place on May 8, with vessels firing water jets into the air in celebration of the historic victory in Europe. ADVERTISEMENT The vessels included: the Hestmanden, the Erkna, the Andholmen, the Heland and the Arnefjord which were used for missions during the war. Sailors described this week's voyage as choppy, having left Bergen, Norway, early on Monday morning. On board, passengers enjoyed champagne while a trumpet player heralded the arrival on Tuesday evening in Lerwick. src=' alt='' width='3800″ height='5700″ /> A passenger aboard one of the Norwegian vessels (Dave Donaldson/PA)[/caption] The convoy was organised by a group of volunteers, maritime enthusiasts, wartime historians, museums and various other groups. The project was supported by the Norwegian ministry of defence, the Norwegian navy, the Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce and a number of charitable foundations and companies. Members of the public will be invited onboard the vessels for memorial services and events over the next few days.
Powys County Times
05-05-2025
- Powys County Times
Daughter of ‘Shetland Bus' sailor embarks on trip from Norway to Scotland
The daughter of a late and highly decorated seafarer who operated a secret operations route between Norway and Scotland during the Second World War is retracing the journey in a commemorative voyage. Ahead of the VE Day 80th anniversary, Astrid Larsen, the daughter of Leif Anders 'Shetlands' Larsen, is travelling on a 'Shetland Bus' vessel between the two countries in a Liberation Convoy recreating the route. The fishing boats and merchant ship were used to smuggle special forces soldiers and secret agents from Shetland to Nazi-occupied Norway. They also carried weapons, explosives and radios for the resistance movement and on their return journeys brought refugees and soldiers escaping from the Nazis. Vessels travelling the route, dubbed the 'Shetland Bus', were at constant risk of discovery by German submarines and planes. Mr Larsen was one of the most famous men who operated the Shetland Bus, having barely escaped Norway in February 1941 in a fishing boat before joining the Norwegian Naval Independent Unit, a cover title that came to be known as the Shetland Bus. He was the skipper of the fishing vessel Arthur during an attempt to sink the German battleship Tirpitz in the Trondheimsfjord in 1942, which failed. Despite the failure, he received a Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, making him the first non-British person to gain one. After the war ended, he returned to Norway where he was married and had three daughters, including Astrid. Mr Larsen died after a stroke in 1990, aged 84. Some of the boats used during the war are now being reunited to take part in a Liberation Convoy which is travelling from Norway to Lerwick in Shetland next month, arriving in time for events commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8. Mr Larsen's daughter, Astrid Larsen, aged 73, is travelling on one of the boats, which is due to arrive in Lerwick in the Shetland isles on May 6. Remembering her father, the retired healthcare professional said: 'We were a very normal family, the only special thing was that sometimes people wanted to speak with my father about the war, but he didn't like to speak about it. 'I think it was the same for many men and women who had experienced difficulty during the war.' Ms Larsen, who has one grown-up son, was born in 1951, just a few years after the war ended. She says her father learned to navigate Norwegian waters through the help of his own father, who owned a small fishing boat. Asked about her father's achievements in the war, Ms Larsen, of Bergen, Norway, said: 'My father did a great job, but he always said there were many others just like him, and that together they did a great job. 'He made 52 trips from Norway to Shetland during the war, so I am proud of what he did.' Ms Larsen is no stranger to the Shetland Isles, having travelled there some 30 times throughout her life. However, this marks the first time she will have travelled there on the same boats used by the Shetland Bus. She said: 'I'm not nervous at all, just excited. I really look forward to this trip and I think it's great we have the boats together. 'I think it will be a very good experience and I look forward to talking with the other people there. 'I have been to Shetland many times but never in one of these boats or in a convoy, so it'll be different. 'I started going to Shetland with my husband when my father was still alive. I really like Shetland, the nature, the people, and it's a very relaxing place.' She added: 'I continue to go every summer and take friends and family, there are so many people in Norway who want to go to Shetland. 'I think I have been more than 30 times.'
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
Daughter of ‘Shetland Bus' sailor embarks on trip from Norway to Scotland
The daughter of a late and highly decorated seafarer who operated a secret operations route between Norway and Scotland during the Second World War is retracing the journey in a commemorative voyage. Ahead of the VE Day 80th anniversary, Astrid Larsen, the daughter of Leif Anders 'Shetlands' Larsen, is travelling on a 'Shetland Bus' vessel between the two countries in a Liberation Convoy recreating the route. The fishing boats and merchant ship were used to smuggle special forces soldiers and secret agents from Shetland to Nazi-occupied Norway. They also carried weapons, explosives and radios for the resistance movement and on their return journeys brought refugees and soldiers escaping from the Nazis. Vessels travelling the route, dubbed the 'Shetland Bus', were at constant risk of discovery by German submarines and planes. Mr Larsen was one of the most famous men who operated the Shetland Bus, having barely escaped Norway in February 1941 in a fishing boat before joining the Norwegian Naval Independent Unit, a cover title that came to be known as the Shetland Bus. He was the skipper of the fishing vessel Arthur during an attempt to sink the German battleship Tirpitz in the Trondheimsfjord in 1942, which failed. Despite the failure, he received a Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, making him the first non-British person to gain one. After the war ended, he returned to Norway where he was married and had three daughters, including Astrid. Mr Larsen died after a stroke in 1990, aged 84. Some of the boats used during the war are now being reunited to take part in a Liberation Convoy which is travelling from Norway to Lerwick in Shetland next month, arriving in time for events commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8. Mr Larsen's daughter, Astrid Larsen, aged 73, is travelling on one of the boats, which is due to arrive in Lerwick in the Shetland isles on May 6. Remembering her father, the retired healthcare professional said: 'We were a very normal family, the only special thing was that sometimes people wanted to speak with my father about the war, but he didn't like to speak about it. 'I think it was the same for many men and women who had experienced difficulty during the war.' Ms Larsen, who has one grown-up son, was born in 1951, just a few years after the war ended. She says her father learned to navigate Norwegian waters through the help of his own father, who owned a small fishing boat. Asked about her father's achievements in the war, Ms Larsen, of Bergen, Norway, said: 'My father did a great job, but he always said there were many others just like him, and that together they did a great job. 'He made 52 trips from Norway to Shetland during the war, so I am proud of what he did.' Ms Larsen is no stranger to the Shetland Isles, having travelled there some 30 times throughout her life. However, this marks the first time she will have travelled there on the same boats used by the Shetland Bus. She said: 'I'm not nervous at all, just excited. I really look forward to this trip and I think it's great we have the boats together. 'I think it will be a very good experience and I look forward to talking with the other people there. 'I have been to Shetland many times but never in one of these boats or in a convoy, so it'll be different. 'I started going to Shetland with my husband when my father was still alive. I really like Shetland, the nature, the people, and it's a very relaxing place.' She added: 'I continue to go every summer and take friends and family, there are so many people in Norway who want to go to Shetland. 'I think I have been more than 30 times.'
STV News
05-05-2025
- General
- STV News
Daughter of ‘Shetland Bus' sailor to embark on trip from Norway to Scotland
The daughter of a late and highly decorated seafarer who operated a secret operations route between Norway and Scotland during the Second World War is retracing the journey in a commemorative voyage. Ahead of the VE Day 80th anniversary, Astrid Larsen, the daughter of Leif Anders 'Shetlands' Larsen, is travelling on a 'Shetland Bus' vessel between the two countries in a Liberation Convoy recreating the route. The fishing boats and merchant ship were used to smuggle special forces soldiers and secret agents from Shetland to Nazi-occupied Norway. They also carried weapons, explosives and radios for the resistance movement and on their return journeys brought refugees and soldiers escaping from the Nazis. Vessels travelling the route, dubbed the 'Shetland Bus', were at constant risk of discovery by German submarines and planes. Mr Larsen was one of the most famous men who operated the Shetland Bus, having barely escaped Norway in February 1941 in a fishing boat before joining the Norwegian Naval Independent Unit, a cover title that came to be known as the Shetland Bus. PA Media Astrid Larsen, the daughter of a late and highly decorated seafarer who operated a secret operations route between Norway and Scotland during the Second World War. He was the skipper of the fishing vessel Arthur during an attempt to sink the German battleship Tirpitz in the Trondheimsfjord in 1942, which failed. Despite the failure, he received a Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, making him the first non-British person to gain one. After the war ended, he returned to Norway where he was married and had three daughters, including Astrid. Mr Larsen died after a stroke in 1990, aged 84. Some of the boats used during the war are now being reunited to take part in a Liberation Convoy which is travelling from Norway to Lerwick in Shetland next month, arriving in time for events commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8. Mr Larsen's daughter, Astrid Larsen, aged 73, is travelling on one of the boats, which is due to arrive in Lerwick in the Shetland isles on May 6. Remembering her father, the retired healthcare professional said: 'We were a very normal family, the only special thing was that sometimes people wanted to speak with my father about the war, but he didn't like to speak about it. 'I think it was the same for many men and women who had experienced difficulty during the war.' Ms Larsen, who has one grown-up son, was born in 1951, just a few years after the war ended. She says her father learned to navigate Norwegian waters through the help of his own father, who owned a small fishing boat. Asked about her father's achievements in the war, Ms Larsen, of Bergen, Norway, said: 'My father did a great job, but he always said there were many others just like him, and that together they did a great job. 'He made 52 trips from Norway to Shetland during the war, so I am proud of what he did.' Ms Larsen is no stranger to the Shetland Isles, having travelled there some 30 times throughout her life. However, this marks the first time she will have travelled there on the same boats used by the Shetland Bus. She said: 'I'm not nervous at all, just excited. I really look forward to this trip and I think it's great we have the boats together. 'I think it will be a very good experience and I look forward to talking with the other people there. 'I have been to Shetland many times but never in one of these boats or in a convoy, so it'll be different. 'I started going to Shetland with my husband when my father was still alive. I really like Shetland, the nature, the people, and it's a very relaxing place.' She added: 'I continue to go every summer and take friends and family, there are so many people in Norway who want to go to Shetland. 'I think I have been more than 30 times.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
