This memorial has been erected in memory of leif andreas larsen shetlands larsen. The shetland bus took munitions and supplies from the islands to the resistance movement in nazioccupied norway, while rescuing refugees. These were disguised as working fishing boats and the crew were dressed as fishermen. On 9 may 1945, vigra, commanded by larsen, and hitra, by eidsheim, entered the harbour of lyngoy near bergen in free norway. In 1954 leif larsen played himself in the movie shetlandsgjengen aka suicide mission in the usa. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license.
Leif andreas larsen dso, dsc, cgm, dsm and bar 9 january 1906 12 october 1990, popularly known as shetlands larsen, was a norwegian sailor and the most highly decorated allied naval officer of world war ii. The group had made 198 trips to norway in fishing boats and submarine chasers, leif larsen completing 52 of them. I can assure you and dwight that the shetland bus is far from forgotten in the village of scalloway where it was based. In all he made 52 trips to norway, and became the most highlydecorated allied naval officer of the second world war. Leif andreas larsen dso, dsc, cgm, dsm and bar, popularly known as shetlands larsen, was a norwegian sailor and the most highly decorated allied naval officer of world war ii. As the second world war came to a close, and at the end of the german occupation of norway, vigra and hitra entered bergen as part of the shetland bus for the last time. Members of the special forces club tour sites associated with the shetland bus a top secret wwii operation carried out between shetland and norway. Any recommandation for books on the special operations. Built in world war ii to service mtbs that went between shetland and norway, this slip was one of the links in the shetland bus. During world war ii the shetland bus undercover operations supported the norwegian resistance.
The shetland bus world war ii 193945 scotlands history. The book tells the story of the norwegian resistance and the fishing boats ferrying agents etc from the shetlands to norway during the second world war. Shetland project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read. Leif andreas larsen dso, dsc, cgm, dsm and bar 9 january 1906 12 october 1990, popularly known as shetlands larsen, was a highly decorated norwegian sailor. Leif larsen public figure, local business facebook. This page was last edited on 7 october 2019, at 23. He assisted in the shetland bus operation which saw fishermen and locals. Shetland bus memorial this memorial was built with stones taken from the village or place where each of the 44 crewmen who died on the shetland bus missions came from. How the shetland bus became a wartime lifeline the. The shetland bus made over 200 trips across the sea and the most famous of the men, leif andreas larsen shetlands larsen made 52 of them. Shetland islands map geography of shetland islands map. Larsen was the most decorated allied naval officer from the second.
Shetlandsgjengen, which translates as the shetlandgang, relates the true story of the illegal traffic across the north sea from german occupied norway to shetland during world war ii. The shetland bus book by david howarth thriftbooks. Most have made sacrifices opposing tyranny or other forms of evil. Leif larsen is perhaps the most famous of the shetland bus men. I was hoping to get the same thrills from the shetland bus, but came away mildly disappointed.
The shetland bus is a standout example of a world war ii memoir penned shortly after the events by one of the participants. Based first at lunna, then scalloway, the shetland bus made over 200 trips across the sea under the command of leif larsen. Kare stayed with larsen for the remainder of 1941 until the end of spring 1942. Leif larsen received a unanimous vote from his ships crew to be the captain.
On top of the memorial is a model of one of the fishing boats used in the shetland bus operation. Life after the war of wwii hero revealed the scotsman. One man, leif andreas larsen shetlands larsen was unique no other. During world war ii the shetland bus was established by the norwegian navy, and was used as a means of administration along the norwegian coast. On the 75th anniversary of the first sailing, bill moore. This will be an occasional series on people i especially admire. He was arguably the most famous of the men who operated the shetland bus escape route during the war. World war ii western europe the author was second in command of the shetland base for the small boats, collectively known as the shetland bus, which maintained the wwii escape and supply route from occupied norway. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. I stayed in the larsen suite, named after the most famous shetland bus participant, leif larsen, a hero in norway. Weve compiled a list of 12 books that will make fine holidayreading and help you gain more insight during a holiday to shetland. And played an important role as member of shetland bus where he made 52 operations to norway to carry resistance fighters. Leif andreas larsen dso, dsc, cgm, dsm and bar 9 january 1906 12 october 1990, popularly known as shetlands larsen, was a. In 1954 leif larsen played himself in the movie shetlandsgjengen 4 aka.
The names of these men are shown on the four plaques arranged around the memorial. The shetland bus had transported 192 agents and 383 long tons 389 t of weapons and supplies to norway. Leif larsen led these operations and his huge number of military decorations testify to their success. Leif larsen, balneario monte hermoso, buenos aires, argentina. Aug 29, 2019 built in world war ii to service mtbs that went between shetland and norway, this slip was one of the links in the shetland bus. Shetland islands map geography of shetland islands map of. Released in 1951 and 1957, respectively, these titles offer little. A wellknown skipper on the shetlands bus, with 54 trips across the north sea, was leif larsen, shetlandslarsen from bergen. Leif andreas larsen dso, dsc, cgm, dsm and bar 9 january 1906 12 october 1990, popularly known as shetlandslarsen, was a norwegian sailor and the most highly decorated allied naval officer of world war ii.
Arguably the most famous of the men who operated the shetland bus escape route. Leif andreas larsen joined the shetland bus, the popular name for the clandestine naval operation in world war ii between the shetland islands scotland and. During world war i many shetlanders served in the gordon highlanders, a further 3,000 served in the merchant navy, and more than 1,500 in a special local naval reserve. Larsen was the skipper on the shetland bus knm vigra, until the end of the war. A small group of norwegian sailors loosely connected to the british navy take refugees from norway to shetland. Larsen was the most decorated allied naval officer from the second world war. This is his tribute to the bravery of the norwegian sailors who manned the boats for the dangerous crossing. The shetland bus was the nickname of a clandestine special operations group that made a. It made over 200 trips across the sea, and leif larsen, the most highly decorated allied naval officer of the war, made 52 of them. It made over 200 trips across the sea with leif larsen, the most highly decorated allied naval officer of the war, making 52 of them. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page.
Leif andreas larsen from bergen, nicknamed shetland larsen, made 52 tours to norway and back in fishing boats or subchasers. But the amazing bravery of leif larsen and his many fearless. Jan 26, 2017 shetlands gjengen 1954 full movie abraham mcmaster. World war ll the shetland bus lesson pack teacher made.
Hunter, chairman of the shetland bus friendship society recently listened to my interview and read my article. They started with using fishing boats, and later admiral nimitz heard of their. The shetland bus is not about buses in a conventional sense it is a term used for the fishing vessels and their crews, sailing between shetland and norway during world war 2. By the end of the nazi occupation, the shetland bus had taken 192 agents and 383 tons of weapons and supplies to norway.
It was nice to see the famous leif larsen himself made famous by the excellent shetland bus book. Shetlanders the war was now uncomfortably close to home. This operation became known as the shetland bus and acted as a. A small group of norwegian sailors loosely connected to the british navy take refugees from norway to. But to take the shetland bus meant escape when capture became the only other option. The book presents, rather drily at times, the stories of the men and ships who built the shetland bus operation from the time that they requisitioned and provisioned the ships and fishermensailors to the time when the wooden fishing ships were replaced with faster, more reliable submarine chasers. Kare iversens book were released in 1996 the shetland bus man kare iversen ble en av 101 nordmenn som ble sendt til london og fikk opptrening i linge kompaniet. His first trip was with leif larsen on board the arthur. The most famous shetland bus man, leif andreas larsen, made 52 trips to norway, and became the most highlydecorated allied naval officer of the second world war. The norwegian naval shetland bus began in lunna and scalloway, directing naval operations off the norwegian coast.
In the autumn of 1943 the shetland bus operation received a major boost in the form of the arrival of three small american subchasers submarine chasers. This memorial has been erected in memory of leif andreas larsen shetlandslarsen. Arguably the most famous of the men who operated the shetland bus escape route during the war. A lot of interesting detail of the workings of the organization, their problems, deaths, and later solutions. December 6th 1944 kare married the shetlandsgirl christine cissie slater. Each boat had a crew of 26 men, of whom three were officers. Motig 1, a voyage he recounted in an autobiographic book. By the end all the ships and submarine chasers in the operation had completed a total of 198 trips, and leif larsen, one of the leaders of the operation, had carried out 52 of. How the shetland bus became a wartime lifeline the sunday. He participated as a volunteer on the finnish side during the winter war and was a. They were named the hessa, hitra and vigra and were under the command of petter saelen, ingvald eidsheim and leif larsen. Probably not what youre looking for but if you want a good read about some amazing men norwegian and sort of attached to soe then read the shetland bus by david howarth.
With leif larsen, palmar bjornoy, anthony oliver, johannes kalve. This video provides an introduction to the shetland bus story, the experiences of. About 30 fishing vessels used by norwegian refugees were gathered and the shetland bus conducted covert operations, carrying intelligence agents, refugees, instructors for the resistance, and military supplies. Shetlands gjengen 1954 full movie abraham mcmaster. The shetland bus operation was operated initially by many small fishing boats. The author was an officer who helped organize and operate the shetland bus, which was the british supply organization for the norwegian underground. The shetland bus made over 200 trips across the sea and the most famous of the men, leif andreas larsen shetlandslarsen made 52 of them. Released in 1951 and 1957, respectively, these titles offer littleknown chapters in the history of world war ii. The shetland bus is the amazing truelife account of storms, attacks, danger, and the heroic efforts of brave men.
Now it is used for servicing fishing boats and salmon farm vessels. Leif andreas larsen popularly known as shetland larsen was perhaps the most famous of the shetland bus men. Norwegian leif larsen carried out over 50 missions across the north sea. I think the problem is the author is telling parts of the story from his own perspective and parts from others, and he isnt enough of a journalist or writer to give full voice to the tales of the others. This lesson pack contains a powerpoint, cloze passage and writing frame to support your teaching on the shetland bus. Having visited shetland during the month of january, to witness up helly aa, i have some small experience of getting to the islands by sea. Unlike many such memoirs, howarth himself plays the role of a supporting character, rather than leading man, but it is this humility and selfeffacement that built the trust of the norwegian irregulars who are the main subject of the book, and the source of much of the. The story of that trip, in one of the worst storms for 70 years, is told by david howarth in his book the shetland bus. Leif larsen 9 january 190612 october 1990 nicknamed shetlands larsen, was perhaps. Mar 23, 2018 members of the special forces club tour sites associated with the shetland bus a top secret wwii operation carried out between shetland and norway.
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