WW2 Shetland Bus boats

This is a very special occasion, it will never happen again.

The VE Norwegian convoy included 4 Shetland Bus boats and these stayed in Lerwick for a few days.

On Friday three headed north to Lunna and Whaslay while the Erkna headed back to Norway

This visit again strengthened the bond between Shetland and Norway as the Shetland Bus operated out of Shetland during WW2 bringing in refugees and taking over saboteurs and weapons

These boats didn't travel back and forth during summer but during the dark winter nights and stormy seas, under the threat of being attacked by German aircraft

These Lewis guns offered some protection and were hidden in oil drums and could be quickly brought out.

I can highly recommend the film  the 12th man which follows the last mission of a Shetland bus boat the Brattholme.

 

VE day Lerwick Norwegian D/S Hestmanden

 For a change it was a warm day in Lerwick to greet all the Norwegians and other visitors. This blog is about the D/S Hestmanden.

This boat built in 1911 is the only surviving Norwegian boat to participate in both World Wars, 1000 vessels sailed in WW2

From 2017 it has been operating as a museum ship