Sjøleik leaves nazi occupied Norway

Tonight it's exactly 70 years since the fishing vessel Sjøleik left the nazi occupied Norway. Early in the morning they went out to the fishing-grounds and acted like ordinary fishermen, until the sun went down. The rule was that every fishing vessel had to be in the harbour one hour after sunset. Going slowly eastbound until the dark came, the captain of Sjøleik turned her around and let all the 30 horses loose. 54 hours later they entered Aberdeen harbour.
I claim this to be the most special trip across the North Sea during the war, when it comes to the refugees' adventures after they arrived in the UK. Prove me wrong!
Among others:
- Ingolf Johannesen joined the Shetland gang and had 40 trips to Norway onboard Hidra, which gave him Krigskorset - one of only 147 norwegians during the war.
- Daniel Rommetvedt became a troopleader of No. 5 Norwegian Troop of No. 10 (1A) commando. He participated in a few raids to Norway and was wounded during the hard fighting at Walcheren.
- Arne Værum became a Linge/Soe agent, and was sent to Norway via Telavåg. It ended in a shootout with the Gestapo where Arne was killed, but he and his friend Emil finished of two higher Gestapo officers first.
- Kaare Knudsen was sent to Svalbard to lead a weather observing team. Later he was a troop leader in 2. bergkompani, who assisted the russians in Finnmark, together with Marthon Løwendal, also he from Sjøleik.
- Norvald Frafjord became liason officer and troop leader with 6th Battallion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. He took part in the invasion and was killed close to Caen on the 16th of July 1944.
- Aadne Underhaug also became a liason officer and troop leader, but with the 52nd (Lowland) Division. He saw action at Walcheren and was wounded during a heroic attack on a german position. He was leading his troop during an attack on a machinegun nest. Running foreward bent he was first shot through his back. The bullet entered his shoulder an exited further down his back. After refusing the medics, he was then shot through his thigh. Only after the position was taken did he let the medics have a look at his wounds. He almost died.
- Aslaug Giil continued as a nurse at a norwegian hospital inn the UK.
- Einar Aartun was a medical student and became the medic onboard KNM Sleipner, before he became the norwegian sailors doctor in Liverpool and Newcastle.
- Adrew Leidland joined the airforce and went to Litle Norway in Canada, as a "flysoldat" - helping keeping the aircrafts flying.
- Most of the guys entered the merchant navy, and some experienced beeing torpedoed, a few of them even more than once.
An amazing collection of bravery gathered in one boat. Next year I will have a book finished about their adventures.
Anyone with information about any of these guys? Would love to hear from you.
See a complete list of participants here. Only in norwegian I'm sorry.
http://s-kulturformidling.no/mine-skrevne-ord/boker-jeg-har-skrevet-eller-bidratt-til/med-sjoleik-til-skottland-i-1941

Tonight, at the same hour they turned west, i toasted these heroes. May they never be forgotten!
Smooth sailing!
Atle

Cutstone - what a superb story, but also moving and poignant. Looking forward to the book!

Bob

Thank's Bob
There is a lot of work between this litle story and a completed book. A lot of writing, but that's also fun. Always intersting to see where the story takes you. Starting to see the end of the research and after four days at Kew in November and some more work in Oslo, and then it's strictly writing. Well, that's the plan. Will allways be need for more research
Atle

I can't give any answers to your question. But there is one thing I am curious about. Did the Germans really send any of their own agents (Norwegians) to the Shetlands, camouflaged as refugees? I have read something about this somewhere, but don't know any details

As far as I know there are quite a few examples of german agents travelling with both ordinary refugees and also by them self. But, I think every agent was was arrested, and many of them turned and used as double agents.
One of the most famous attempt from Norway is this one:
http://forums.canadiancontent.net/history/44142-nazi-bid-poison-shetland-islands.html

It is often reported on documentaries that not one single imported German agent was actually successful in the UK and that those that actually made it to the UK, were all turned. Anything prior to the war I have no knowledge of, but it would seem highly likely that there agents here of some description.

Message for Tom - no reply yet from the Swedish archives concerning Tikken Manus

Cheers

Bob

Sjøleik is now back in Tananger, and will be here until after new years.
http://s-kulturformidling.no/bilder-skjult/Sjoleik%20og%20venner.jpg/image_view_fullscreen
On the picture we now have a nice collection of old ladies. From the left we see Vildrosa from 1939, Tordenskjold from 1938 and finally the darkes of them all Sjøleik fra 1938.
I just visited with the owner and had coffe and apfel strudel. Excellent!
A small article written about the trip can be found here:
http://s-kulturformidling.no/bilder-skjult/Sjoleik1.pdf

Message to Bob:

I think I gave you the wrong adress to the Swedish Riksarkivet.
It should be: riksarkivet@riksarkivet.se

I would be very surprised if they haven't got a personal file on Ida Nikoline Lie Lindebrække Manus, born on 28. juni 1914
And what was her last name when she was married to the Brit George, Something?

Hi Tom,

Many thanks. I will fire off another mail to them.

I can't recall the married name, but I have it amongst my papers so will hunt it out.

Cheers & thanks again,

Bob

Bob,

I think she was still married to George during her time in Stockholm. So probably she had his last name.
I think she got a divorce and married Max Manus after the war.
If you don't find the name I can check in her biography, when I get home.

Bob

Now we are completely out of the subject of this thread, but I suppose you know that Tikken was called "Tante" (or aunt, before her it was Ann Waring) and Tom Nielsen at the British legation was "Onkel" (or Uncle)
They were both working for SOE I think, dealing with Norway..

Even if this is way of topic, I can't help but join in.
Tikkens british husband Georg would not let her divorce him, before after the war, I think in 1946.
Her name while married was Ida Nikoline Bernardes.

Yes, I suppose we are a bit off topic, but then that's all part of the fun. Well, at least I hope the administrator sees it that way!

There's not a lot on Ann Waring in the Nat Archives at Kew save the following:

HS 9/1556/2 Anne Elizabeth Tindal WARING, née FAITHFUL - born 26.11.1907 (note the very unusual middle name).

Might be worth taking a peek at some time, but I would hazard a guess to say that the file has been well and truly weeded.

Bob

Is that file open?
If you find it or even copy it, we are interested, because we are studying SOE (and Section D) in Sweden. Hopefully a book one day

Not a problem. The next time I am there I will copy it for you.

I am fairly sure this file was unavailable until recently as I have looked in the past and found nothing on her. Anyway, will copy when next at the TNA.

Bob

Well, someone's related to her. Might get some information there:
http://www.johnrogers.com.au/pocklington/familytree1/gp742.html

Tikkens file is HS 9/136/2 and it is open.
Should be fascinating stuff, if not too weeded

Read the file September 20. Curtesy of Bob Pearson

Man thats a small boat. Good story material. The Shetland bacteria story rather spooky as well, thanks for that Cutstone. Germans did poison a river in Yugoslavia in 44, but always a puzzle why they did it in WW 1, but less of it in WW 2.