Norwegian Corvette visits Shetland

 Norwegian Navy Corvette in Lerwick, Shetland the other week.

Skjold-class corvettes (skjold means "shield" in Norwegian) are a class of six light, superfast, stealth missile corvettes in service with the Royal Norwegian Navy.

The boats were formerly classed as MTBs (motor torpedo boats) but, from 2009, the Royal Norwegian Navy has described them as corvettes (korvett) because their seaworthiness is seen as comparable to corvettes, and because they do not carry torpedoes.

They were built at the Umoe Mandal yard. With a maximum speed of 60 knots (110 km/h), the Skjold-class corvettes were the fastest combat ships afloat at the time of their introduction.

Shetland & Norway link

 Happy Norway day

Strengthened by the Second World War and the Shetland Bus operation which operated from Scalloway.

Hitra- WW2 Shetland bus

The Hitra was down to come across with the Norwegian convoy to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE day

Unfortunately it didn't make the journey so these photos are from its last visit in 2018

This is one of 3 subchasers that operated out of Scalloway in Shetland

 

WW2 Norwegian Convoy - Drone photos

 

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.