Leif Larsen - The Shetland Bus.

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by Smudger Jnr, May 24, 2009.

  1. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    I was loaned a book by a friend last Wednesday and he asked me to take really good care of it as he had never loaned it to anyone before and it was given to him by a very special person, whom he would not name.

    The book is called The Shetland Bus by David Howarth, Lieutenant-Commander R.N.V.R.

    The book is riveting reading and tells of the courage of the Norwegian sailors, mostly fishermen, who travelled to the UK to offer their services during WW2.

    It tells of courage against mountainous seas and the enemy, bearing in mind that the small trawlers used were travelling only in the dark six months of the Winter, when the Arctic and the seas between Shetland and Norway were and still are nortorious for stormy weather.

    :poppy: Lief larson :poppy: was decorated with no less than, the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal and Bar, the Distinguished Service Cross and the Distinguished Service Order as well as Norwegian awards.

    No other man, British or Foreign, has ever received all these british Military Honours.

    A truly outstanding man.

    Some attached links about the man himself and the operations.

    http://www.shetland-heritage.co.uk/shetlandbus/audio/Shetland%20Bus%20Study%20Notes.pdf

    Online Encyclopedia and Dictionary - Leif Larsen

    Leif Larsen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Regards

    Tom
     
    LesCM19 likes this.
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  3. China Hand

    China Hand No Longer A Forum Member

    A great story indeed.

    There is a additional more modern edition, published by The Shetland Times, in 1998, ISBN 1898852421, with previously unpublished pics, modern photographs of wartime locations, and stills from the film. In an 'Afterword', the son of the author, Lt Cdr Howarth, notes that "early in 1991 a nationwide poll in Norway voted 'The Shetland Bus' the best Norwegian film ever made". He adds, "certainly it was widely described as 'the most authentic war film ever made', not least because of the unusually (perhaps uniquely) high proportion of the cast who played themselves". For example, he says "the part of Leif Larsen...was played by Larsen himself, and because in real life he always was himself, treating kings and commoners exactly the same, he was just as good acting the role in peacetime as he had been at doing it in wartime.."
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    The article on the BBC TV Series 'Coast' was very good and included some clips from the film.
     
  5. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    There is a memorial on the quayside at Bergen, commemorating those who took part in the "Shetland Bus" exploits.Saw it mentioned on tourist's guide and realised we had been in the area.Unfortunately going back would have meant the possibility of missing our ship which was planned to leave the berth before we could return.

    There is also a memorial plaque off the berth commemorating the help the Norwegian peoples gave to Great Britain during the Great War.I was not aware we had alliances with Norway during the Great War.I can only think it was possibily maritime aid given to our seamen during emergencies at sea.
     
  6. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    My friend who loaned me the book, another Tom:D, was born and grew up on one of the Shetland Islands.

    His father was a Artic Fisherman who owned his own boat and volunteered for the RN and served as a LS on HMS Warspite.

    Tom was a young boy during the war, but grew up on first hand stories of the Norwegians and can recite many tales.

    He has great ties with Norway and worked for many years with a Norwegian Oil Company and now having read the book I can understand why he is so Pro Norwegian.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  7. arkrite

    arkrite Senior Member

    This book was required reading when I was at Secondary Modern School ( pre Comprehensive Schools) while studying English. I suppose any book of this type is None PC in schools these days.Good thing about the 6o's lots of old warriors wrote their memiors and most were remaindered quickly.This meant as a school boy I was never short of good reading. All of my Teachers ( Masters) had seen WW2 or National Service.Hard men some of them.
     
  8. cally

    cally Picture Prince.

  9. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    As the war progresssed, the losses of the trawlers was becoming acute and eventually the Navy spoke to the Americans who within three weeks provided several American Submarine chasers.

    Apparently the craft were shipped over on large transports and then sailed to Scotland.

    The Crews were disappointed to learn that they would have to give up their boats and train the Norwegians in maintainance etc, as they thought that they were being sent on a secret mission.

    The Submarine chasers turned out to be wonderful craft for the secret missions and there were no losses up to the end of the war.

    Here is a link about the boats

    Splinter Fleet - The Wooden Subchasers of World War II

    Regards
    Tom
     
  10. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    A great story indeed.

    There is a additional more modern edition, published by The Shetland Times, in 1998, ISBN 1898852421, with previously unpublished pics, modern photographs of wartime locations, and stills from the film. In an 'Afterword', the son of the author, Lt Cdr Howarth, notes that "early in 1991 a nationwide poll in Norway voted 'The Shetland Bus' the best Norwegian film ever made". He adds, "certainly it was widely described as 'the most authentic war film ever made', not least because of the unusually (perhaps uniquely) high proportion of the cast who played themselves". For example, he says "the part of Leif Larsen...was played by Larsen himself, and because in real life he always was himself, treating kings and commoners exactly the same, he was just as good acting the role in peacetime as he had been at doing it in wartime.."

    On searching for the film I find that it was made in 1988, by the name "War without Flags" The story of the Shetland Bus.

    Does anyone have any idea if it was made into a video or DVD.

    No references on internet that I have hit and I would be grateful if any reader has any knowledge as I would very much like to view the film.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  11. Boxbanger

    Boxbanger Junior Member

    I was in Bergen about two weeks ago and found the memorial that Harry Rees missed at the end of the quay near the fish market. I shall attempt to attach a photo.
    The dome of polished granite has inscribed in it, in very small text, the names of 515 Norwegians lost during WW2.
     

    Attached Files:

  12. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Boxbanger,

    Hello and welcome to the forum.

    Many thanks for posting the photographs.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  13. Boxbanger

    Boxbanger Junior Member

    Thank you Tom. At the back of the tourist office in Alesund Norway there are several glass panels containing photos and names of men and boats used by the Norwegians and an indication of what they did in those dark years. Altho it is a problem to take pix thro' glass I do have some that are 'half' decent if you would like me to try and post them.
     
  14. Gibbo

    Gibbo Senior Member

    Leif Larsen has 2 entries in the IMDB. The first is for a 1954 Norwegian film called Shetlandsgjengen; this translates into the Shetland Gang but the English language version, which is only 69-70 minutes versus 93 for the original, was called Suicide Mission

    Shetlandsgjengen (1954)

    His other entry is for a 1973 BBC documentary called Target Tirpitz, presumably as an interviewee.

    Target Tirpitz (1973)

    I think that his collection of British medals is unique. I've never heard of anybody who won the DSO, DSC, CGM and DSM, or the equivalents for the army (DSO, MC, DCM and MM) or RAF (DSO, DFC, CGM and DFM). He received every medal that a British sailor could be awarded for gallantry in the face of the enemy except the VC. It was even harder than it might at first appear to win them all as the DSO, DSC, DFC and MC were awarded only to officers and the CGM, DCM, DSM, MM and DFM only to other ranks so a man would have to have been promoted from the ranks to have more than 2 of them; all ranks were eligibe for the VC.

    I'm not sure if he was eligible for the VC as he wasn't in the armed forces of the British Commonwealth. If this assumption is correct, then he won every British medal that he could have been awarded. Major Anders Lasson, a Dane, was the only foreigner to be awarded the VC in WWII but he was serving in a British unit, the SAS, whereas Leif Larsen was in the Royal Norwegian Navy.

    The Danish Victoria Cross holders
     
  15. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Martin (Gibbo),
    Just to corroborate your post with the medals and Rank


    Leif Andreas Larsen9 January 1906 - 12 October 1990[​IMG]
    NicknameShetlands-LarsenPlace of birthNorwayAllegianceNorwayRankKapteinløytnant
    (Lieutenant (N))UnitShetland BusCommands heldMV Arthur
    MV Bergholm
    SC Vigra
    Other small vesselsAwardsIncomplete list. [​IMG]War Cross with two Swords[​IMG]St. Olav Medal with oak branch[​IMG]Norwegian War Medal with tree stars[​IMG]Participation (in WWII) Medal[​IMG]King Haakon VII's 70th anniversary Medal[​IMG]Conspicuous Gallantry Medal[​IMG]Distinguished Service Medal and Bar[​IMG]Distinguished Service Cross[​IMG]Distinguished Service Order[​IMG]Participation in the Winter War Medal
    Leif Larsen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Regards
    Tom
     
  16. Boxbanger

    Boxbanger Junior Member

    Just to say, that I was on a cruise ship going up through the fjords that had a Norwegian skipper, I asked him if he knew anything about Leif Larsen....................silly question..................and he told me that the children of Norway learn about him at school. After we had chatted a while he told me that he in fact owned one of the original boats used on the Shetland Bus run and as it was such a wreck when he bought it he now had it down at Stavanger being renevated back to its original state The man is the Captain of one of the Fred Olsen fleet of cruise ships, the Balmoral.
    Just thought you may be interested.
     
    Harry Ree likes this.
  17. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    CGM details:

    Awarded for an unsuccessful attempt on the Tirpitz by Chariots in Trondheimsfjord, supported by the fishing vessel Arthur, in October 1942.

    The reconmmedation no longer survives as it was destroyed following approval for the award.

    Details not published in the London Gazette; Award approved by H.M. King George VI 28.1.43 and was presented 8.6.1943.

    Larsen was also awarded the DSO, DSC and the DSM and Bar. A unique combination in naval gallantry awards.

    Source: For Conspicuous Gallantry 1855-1992
     
  18. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Please Delete-Posted in Error.
     
  19. Stormbird

    Stormbird Restless

    Deleted at this post was badly off-topic
     
  20. LesCM19

    LesCM19 "...lets rock!"

    If you like that book you may enjoy 'We Die Alone' by David Howarth also which concerns itself with a mission mentioned in 'The Shetland Bus' which was rumbled immediately the party attempted to land. It is as readable and at least as exciting as 'The Shetland Bus'.
    Yet another of his books is 'The Sledge Patrol' concerning "the invasion of Greenland", again totally rivetting: Sledge Patrol Menu (8.2.2003)
     

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