Spring 2008

ONFA NEWS 30 years of Friendship: 1978-2008 NEWSLETTER OF THE FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION

Chairman’s Letter to learn recently of the meet, there were by all ac- death of Alan Skene, from counts few, if any, failures, 17 May Plans for this year’s 17th . Although perhaps such was the enthusiasm that May Constitution Day are not too widely known within he generated. For many years Programme now well advanced and, at ONFA nowadays, Alan had afterwards he met with Nor- present, around a dozen nevertheless played a sig- wegian language enthusiasts Norwegians are currently nificant part in the teaching to speak, read books and expected. This number, how- of Norwegian in the early poetry and listen to music etc. ever, may yet increase. This days, at a time when there A married man with four of a year’s events falling on a was a growing demand from family, Alan was for 20 years Saturday, there is likely to “O” Grade students for a Stromness Church Session be less direct school partici- “Higher” qualification. Being Clerk and a keen member of pation and so, it being very Principal Teacher of Modern the Orkney Field Club. He much a day for children, we Languages at Stromness, died peacefully at Macmillan would encourage parents Alan was asked to take the House, at the age of 91, and and grandparents to come task on board and, despite will be missed by all who along to the Tog with their having to first learn the lan- knew him for his humour, pa- young people. guage himself, a daunting tience and humility. On a more sombre note, challenge which few would Hilsen have been prepared to many of us were saddened Tommy How old are the stave churches?

A range of events is being or- ONFA will join with the Scottish parison between the earlier dat- ganised to mark the 850th anni- Society of Antiquaries and Orkney ings of the stave churches based 10.30am versary of the death of the Heritage Society in presenting the on stylistic and historical criteria St. Olaf Cemetery founder of the cathedral, St. Lindsay-Fischer lecture on 11 June. and the latest dendrochronological Remembrance Service Rognvald. The Lindsay-Fischer lectures were results. Already underway is the major founded in 1980 in honour of Ian The lecture will be held in the St Magnus Centre at 7.30pm. 1.00pm exhibition, ‘Orkney in the 12th Gordon Lindsay (1906-66) and St. Magnus Cathedral Century: Earl Rognvald and his his friend Gerhard Fischer (1890- Earldom’ at the Orkney Museum, 1977), both for their work on the Concert House, . historic architecture of featuring This year’s St. Magnus Festival and Norway respectively and for their achievement in promoting Orkney Traditional will feature a number of events Music Project related to and inspired by the cordial relations between Scottish and Norwegian scholars. The life of Rognvald: in particular Lindsay-Fischer lecture is given in 2.30pm The main focus of events will be Edinburgh and Aberdeen by a centred around the visit in late Scandinavian scholar, with the ‘Tog’ August of two groups from Fischer-Lindsay lecture given in from the Pier Head Grimstad, the birthplace of Earl Oslo and elsewhere by a Scottish Rognvald. The groups will be to the Cathedral scholar (this year by Ian Fisher). followed by made up of members of the Recently the Strathmartine Trust Entertainment on Fjaere Kirk, which has existing agreed to help fund an extra links with St Magnus Cathedral, date on the Scottish tour, to Kirk- the Kirk Green and from the local History Soci- wall. ety. 7.30pm (for 8pm start) The lecturer is Dr Ola Storsletten, Watch local press for further Research Scientist in the Norwe- Constitution Day details of events or check on the gian Institute for Cultural Heritage ONFA website at Research, who will present a com- www.orkney.com/norway. Party Buffet and Dance at Stromness Hotel Song of Norway Tickets priced £15 from On 28th April a small but appre- goose bumps from the cold must Orcadian Bookshop or ciative audience braved the ele- have felt a few at their finale of Connie Grieve ments to hear Mannskor Ave Maria. Members of ONFA telephone Stromness perform in St. Magnus Cathedral. took the group on a tour the fol- Their renditions of favourites such lowing day and they visited High- 850636. as Våren and Amazing Grace land Park before a Council recep- Bus from Kirkwall Travel were well received and even tion and heading south on Centre: 7.15pm (please book) those who did not already have Wednesday. Each year our 17 May celebration begins had survived while his shipmates had frozen to with a short service of remembrance for the death, he says he thinks it was due to the fact For Norge Norwegians for whom Orkney became the last that he had been wearing wool undergar- resting place. It is a moving event and much ments while his mates didn't. 1939-1945 appreciated by our Norwegian visitors. But “On March 20 1940 the 721 ton Tora Elise what is the story behind these graves? was en route to England in convoy when she The was a Norwegian cargo vessel was attacked by a group of Heinkel aircraft. managed by Westfal-Larsen & Co. A/S of Norway was still neutral. The captain and 2 Bergen. At 244 feet in length and 1599 tons deck crew were badly wounded. D/S Cygnus she had been built in Bergen in 1911. She left went to assist and 1st Mate S. J. Svendsen of Tananger on Jan 26 1940 in ballast for Leith. that ship took command of Tora Elise. The cap- The 844 ton Faro, built in Bremerhaven in tain was found on the aft hatch, bleeding 1918 was sailing in ballast from Sarpsborg to heavily from his injured legs, and on the deck Methil in Fife. amidships the bodies of the 2 mates were found, as well as the able seaman and the 2 Norway was still neutral at the time, but the injured deck crew. following night both ships, along with two Dan- ish vessels, were torpedoed by a German “The ship was examined, and in addition to submarine. U-20 had left Wilhelmshaven 21st other damage the aft hatch was found to be Jan 1940, under the command of Harro von destroyed and open, and as the seas were Klot-Heydenfeldt for operations around Ork- growing heavier in the increasing wind it was ney. decided to head for Orkney, for fear the open hold would fill with water and sink the The astonishing website, www.warsailor.com ship. The compass proved to be unreliable and records the story of Magnus Sandvik. “When at 01:25 the engines were stopped as they the torpedo hit at 23:00 on Jan. 27 he was estimated to be off light. With the just on his way up the ladder to the bridge to help of a trawler which came to assist, Tora relieve the helmsman. He ran to the port life- Elise was guided through the mine fields and boat but it was destroyed, starboard lifeboat into Kirkwall. In the morning a patrol boat with was stuck, all the lights had gone out. He had doctors came alongside, and after the injured to jump overboard and stayed under water had been given first aid they were trans- for a long time but the life vest they all had to ported to hospital. The casualties were also wear at all times helped him get back to the taken ashore that day; they were buried in surface, though as he came up again Hosanger Kirkwall on March 23. The crew set about re- sank and he was pulled under by the suction, pairing the damages, and on March 24 Tora “IN MEMORY OF but again he came up, then heard 2 of his Elise departed Kirkwall, and arrived Bergen 3 FOUR UNKNOWN shipmates call to him from a raft. According to days later.” this story another 2 men later joined them on NORWEGIAN the raft. He says they saw the lights from pass- There are four unknown crew members buried ing ships now and again, and as the day at St. Olaf’s but the following information was SEAMEN…” started dawning 2 trawlers came very near researched in 1987 and translated by Cap- but never saw them. tain Carl Johan Melsom of Jupiter together with Ms Olava Øverland of Aftenposten and “His shipmates simply quietly "went to sleep", translated into English by the late Mrs. Marga- 1 of the dead was washed away by the seas. ret P. Spence. The full text, which contains Magnus was about to give in to the freezing more genealogical information, is on the cold himself when he spotted the destroyer. It ONFA website at www.orkney.com/norway. went past him at first, but then came back. Lines were thrown down to him but upon seeng D/S HOSANGER that he was unable to fasten them around him- Sjøman - Adrian Bjaarstad self, one of the men from the destroyer jumped 2.2.1898 - 27.1.1940 from overboard and swam to the raft to assist. The Sjøman - Arthur M. Melkersen 21.9.1896 - 27.1.1940 from Hadsel 3 dead sailors were also taken on board. Sjøman - Søren Knutsen Nese Sandvik was later transferred to a tug which 22.7.1908 - 27-1.1940 from took him to Kirkwall where he was admitted to Sjøman - Carsten Larsen a hospital. For a while he was unable to walk, 28.10.1916 - 27.1.1940 from Bergen had no feeling below his hips, but little by Sjøman - Thorvald Rasmussen little, with the good care he received at the 6.12.1908 - 27.1.1940 from Bergen hospital he was able to move his legs again. He says the days spent there are among his fondest memories, but not so the memories of the day he had to help identify dead sailors, of whom there were many, as several ships had gone down near Orkney at the time. He was able to recognize 2 from Hosanger. The maritime declarations in Orkney and Norway also caused him great distress, leaving him feeling as if he himself was accused of sinking the ship. When asked his opinion on why he D/S HOSANGER D/S FARO How Orcadians helped Denmark as a compensation for the Sjøman - Trygve Lund - 13.8.1897 - loss of Finland after the war. Of 27.1.1940 from Vestnes Norway gain course that was if they won the war Sjøman - Storm Louis Jensen - 2.11.1900 - against Napoleon. 27.1.1940 from Berg. Independence At Leipzig Napoleon is defeated Sjøman - Harry Lier 27.1.1940 from Oslo. So what’s all this 17 May stuff about Sjøman - Martin Holmen - 24.2.1921 - and starts to withdraw to France then? Bjorn Kahrs of VNO explains followed, by among other allied 27.1.1940 from Skjeberg. Norway’s circuitous route to Independ- Sjøman - Johan Brandvik - 18.1.1917 - forces Carl Johan with his Swedish ence and the part played by Orcadians. forces. He does not trust his partners. 27.1 .1 940 from Kristiansund. Will they fulfil the earlier agree- We can celebrate Norway’s Con- D/S TORA ELISE stitution Day the seventeenth of May ment? He therefore decides to turns into Denmark with his forces (Maybe Sjøman - Stian Hansen thanks to some named and some un- he did not want to fight his old coun- 11.8.1918 - 20.3.1940 from Dypvag. named Orcadians. Sjøman - Anders Gulliksen trymen on French soil or maybe he How is it possible to allege this? had the hope of being the new 2.6.1887 - 20.3.1940 from Arendal. It is of course not due to only the Or- Sjøman - Berner Berntzen French king?) After a short fight Den- cadians, but among the unnamed mark waived Norway to Sweden in 15.11.1895 - 20.3.1940 from Hisøy. press ganged sailors in the Royal the peace agreement in Kiel on Soldat - Martin Sylte Navy during the Napoleonic wars January 14th 1814. 3.8.1907 - 6.5.1940 farmer, 0yer. Born 3rd were Orcadians and in the exhibition Norway was to belong to the king August 1907 in Ringebu. Sent to work on Set- in Stromness Museum just now you will of Sweden, not to Sweden. But Carl nesmoen to get it ready as an airfield. Was see a naval hat, epaulettes and dress Johan has to turn back to his allies wounded in the leg during a bomb attack and sword on display that belong to Cap- fighting Napoleon on the Continent. put into field hospital. During the evacuation tain John Baikie RN. He was just one This is the time span that Norway of Andalsnes he was in an English hospital ship, of the helpers in the process leading uses to declare itself an independent which brought him to Orkney where he died. up to Norway declaring themselves state. This is done by the Danish Sjøman - Ottar Vabø - independent of Denmark in 1814. Crown price Christian Fredrik who Some other names are George 17.2.1905 - 8.5.1940, fireman, . has been in Norway since 1813 as Gaudie from , and a vice-regent. On the 19th of February Born 17th February 1905 in Lindas, son of man by the name of Kent who lived in teacher Olav Olson Vabu and Erikka née 1814 he calls for an election for the island of and had been delegates to a legislative assembly Nordland. Married in 1930 in Bergen to Admiral Nelson’s cabin boy. Aslaug Bergljot Mjanger. 3 children. Was in to meet at Eidsvoll. They meet for S.S. ELNA E which sailed from Bergen on 4th Let us look at some simplified Norwe- about 6 weeks write the new Nor- May 1940. Was ill when the ship came to gian history. We are back in 1801 wegian constitution and signs it on Kirkwall, was put in hospital and died there on and Denmark-Norway wants to stay the 17th of May. The same day they 8th May the same year. neutral during the Napoleonic Wars unanimously elect Christian Fredrik together with Russia as the Norwegian king. By this the But this is all ancient history isn’t it? Well no. and Sweden. Did the British like this? Danish Norwegian kingdom ceased Last year members of the choir visited to exist after nearly 450 years (434 and they knew the family of Magnus Sandvik, The answer is no and Admiral Hyde Parker with Lord Nelson as his second to be exact) and in this strange year who survived the War and served as a ship’s Norway had their second king. captain. Unsurprisingly he never forgot the in command had their naval fight out- events of that winter’s night in 1940. The story side Copenhagen and stopped any But it was short lived. When Carl still resonates and they were pleased to hear plans for a league of neutrality in the Johan was safely back in Sweden fight against Napoleon. Of course the of our simple act of remembrance. after helping to defeat Napoleon he Danish-Norwegian king was not very could concentrate on fulfilling the Just a few months ago we received an e-mail pleased. He is less pleased in 1807 long Swedish wish of obtaining Nor- from Leonard Chester who had come across when the British Navy with Orcadian way and as I said earlier for the our website. He wrote, “On the 20th March, sailors on board capture nearly all Swedish king. The major powers of 1940, I was the Royal Marines Bugler (aged the ships from his navy and as a Europe with Britain as the leader 14 years 8 months) who attended the burial of result the king enters an alliance with told little newly independent Nor- Stian Hansen, Anders Gullisen and Berner Napoleon. Two more years pass and way, to accept the terms of the Kiel Berntzen who were killed on D/S Tora Elise. I Sweden loses Finland to Russia in agreement. have since had their photographs from the 1809. Vare Falne, the Norwegian National Roll of They would not give any help in Honour, together with a lot of information on Sweden had for years wanted Nor- trying to stay independent. Well we their homes and families and the fact that way as part of their kingdom and had a short and not very heroic war Berner Bentzen was the first Norwegian Free- after a coup in that same year as with Sweden ending with an armi- mason to die in WW II. they lost Finland the nobility de- stice in August 1814. Our political I have been back sev- throned the Swedish king. But in a leaders managed to get into the eral times to visit their way kept him on grass. After an in- peace agreement that the terms had graves, it was an occa- terim period of another year or two a to be accepted by our Parliament, sion that I cannot for- very rich French general Jean Baptiste the Storting, and that the new king get.” Bernadotte was installed/adopted as had to be elected by the same the Crown Prince under the name of Storting after the necessary changes Neither should we. The Carl Johan and was in fact the Swed- had been incorporated in our consti- service takes place at ish ruler. In an agreement in St. Pe- tution of 17th of May. St. Olaf’s Cemetery at tersburg, Sweden joins the allies with 10.30am on 17th May. Why such favourable terms? Karl the promise of getting Norway from cont on next page Name Committee 2008 Cont Norway on the Net Johan wanted a population Hon President: Ian Macleod which was friendly to him, not The internet opens up a Address Hon Vice President: a Norwegian population in whole new window on Nor- Consul Bill Spence opposition, by being occupied way and you can explore Chairman by Sweden. So he gave us and get to know the country Tommy Tullock quite a few concessions which 15a Royal Oak Rd, Kirkwall from the comfort of your Vice Chair also saved him a lot of money. home. In this series we high- Sheila Campbell It is costly to run a war and a light some useful sites. St Magnus House, following occupation. Maybe Treasurer he regretted that later, but at James Watson the time it was very conven- Balay Cottage, Inganess Rd, Secretary ient to him. In 1905 when we Jean Crichton broke the union with Sweden I would like to: 26 Alfred St, Stromness these terms were very conven- Minutes Secretary ient to us. That is another story Become a member John Mowat and cause for the Centenary Stavanger is the nearest Lambaborg, Berstane Rd, Kirkwall Norwegian city to Orkney, Membership Secretary celebrations in 2005. Renew my subscription Louise Budge being more or less due east In October the newly formed of us. It is also European Upper Settir, Storting elected after the Social Convener Capital of Culture for 2008 th Arthur Budge terms of the 17 of May con- (alongside Liverpool). I enclose a cheque for: Upper Settir, Lyness stitution meet. First on October Publicity/Archive the 10th to receive the wish of Details of the programme of Individual £4 DM Anderson Kristian Fredrik to abdicate as events can be found on Raebar, Hillside Rd, Stromness newly elected king. Second to www.stavanger2008.no Family £8 Schools Liaison: change the constitution, a work (couple + children under 18) Ishbel Borland The ONFA website provides which was finished on the 4th Bea House, Back Rd, Stromness links to many Norwegian Newsletter / Posters: of November. Then they could Corporate £10 sites and can be found at Clare & Leslie Burgher accept Kristian Fredrik’s wish Roebank, High St, Kirkwall Please send me a stand- Committee Members to abdicate. Thirdly on the www.orkney.com/norway th ing order mandate Violet Flett same day the 4 of Novem- 69 Quoybanks Cres, Kirkwall ber elect the new Norwegian Note change of details Sarah Jane Gibbon king Carl the 13th with Carl 24 High St, Kirkwall Johan as his adopted crown Comments / Suggestions Patricia Harvey prince. Newhaven, Dalespot, St. Ola Loganair has launched di- Agnes Watson So what started in 1801 and rect flights to Bergen from Balay Cottage, Inganess Rd, St Ola 1807 with some Orcadian Sumburgh. The flights, which navy hands finished in 1814. are twice weekly provide That strange year when Nor- an alternative to travelling way had 3 different kings, Memberships via Airports in the South first a Danish-Norwegian, than for 2008 were due at the (especially for those wish- our own independent Norwe- ing to keep the maximum AGM. gian king and finally the distance from Heathrow To renew your membership Swedish-Norwegian king who Terminal 5!) or to combine please use the form on the was elected and had to rule a visit to our northern left. according to our own Norwe- neighbours. The flights will If you would like to set up a gian constitution. run from 7th June until 30th Standing Order, please let us Well I hope this clarifies the Aug. know. history behind our 17 May Times advised are: If you require clarification of celebrations. Friendship be- Saturday: your membership status tween Orkney and Norway BA 8663 please contact the Member- has existed for over 1100 1440 Shetland Bergen 1700 BA 8664 ship Secretary. years and it still exists be- tween our two organisations 1740 Bergen Shetland 1800 If you would like to suggest an manifested once again in the Tuesday: event or a speaker for an celebration of our Norwegian ONFA talk or if you have vis- BA 8663 constitution day in Orkney. 1110 Shetland Bergen 1330 ited and would like to con- We got our constitution with tribute words or pictures to BA 8664 the help of, among others, 1410 Bergen Shetland 1430 the newsletter or to an ONFA some Orcadian sailors. We meeting we will be delighted have all the personal friend- The fares start at £59 one to hear from you. ships, which have developed way including all taxes and flights can be booked on the Finally, when you have fin- between Orcadians and Nor- Please hand to a committee ished with this magazine, wegians. Friendship is some- British Airways website. member or post to please recycle it: pass it on to thing we as individuals have The Membership Secretary, ONFA, Upper Settir anyone who you think may to look after and we will con- Lyness, Orkney find it interesting. tinue to do so for years to come. " Design and Photography by Leslie Burgher. Printed at the Herald Printshop