Boats escaping from Norway WW II - H

Left Bestumkilen on Sept. 2-1940 with 2 people. After having been stopped for 3 days by German port authorities in Drøbak she continued along the coast to Kristiansand. Having departed the latter she was later stopped by a German destroyer and checked, then towed back towards port. However, near Møvik the Germans disembarked, having accepted the Norwegians' explanations for being at sea, whereupon Haabet again headed west as soon as they deemed it safe. En route they stopped at Mandal where a 3rd passenger was included, and on Sept. 14 she again headed out from Farsund for a British port. They encountered increasingly bad weather with heavy winds and seas for 4 days, and when the weather improved they found themselves off the coast of Scotland. Spotting a British aircraft they signalled for help, and were given a promise of a boat to pick them up, but that evening the weather worsened again and they were taken back across the North Sea, ending up near the coast of Denmark. During the night of Sept. 22/23 she was filled with water and almost went down, but they managed to keep afloat. This storm lasted for 8 days, then they headed west again. Finally, on Sept. 29 they were picked up by a British destroyer, 20 miles off the Thames Estuary. The boat was also taken along, but was later taken by the seas. (The name of the vessel appropriately translates to "The Hope". There was also a boat named Håpet, spelt differently, but pronounced the same and meaning the same thing - listed at the end of this page, because å is the last letter of the Norwegian alphabet). Left Ålesund with 10 people on March 31-1941 and arrived Burra Firth, Shetland after 6 days. From there they were sent to Lerwick. Departed Fiskarstrand, Borgund on June 8-1941 with 17 people and arrived Lerwick on June 10. Departed Volda on Oct. 24-1941 with 38 people and arrived Lerwick on the 27th. Built at Stord 1929.
82 gt, owned by Thomas Boge, Strandvik

Pre war history (from T. Eriksen, Norway - his sources: "Fjordabåten" by Dag Bakka Jr. 1994 and "Over Fjord og Fjell, HSD 1880-1980" by Bård Kolltveit 1980): Delivered in 1929 from Ottesens Skipsbyggeri, Sagvåg, Stord as Haugland I to Thomas Boge, Bogavik, Fusa. Wooden hull, 82 gt. The vessel was originally contracted by an unknown owner, and was taken over by Boge while being built. He subsequently made a secret deal with Hardanger Sunnhordlandske Dampskibsselskab, with the company taking the economical responsibility for the ship, which in turn was to compete with Lønningdal I, a bothersome competitor for HSD's routes in Midthordland and Hardanger. This meant that Haugland I more or less followed in Lønningdal I's wake, but offered somewhat lower prices than the latter at all times. The secret deal was not kept secret for long, and when a larger Lønningdal II (also listed on L-page) was delivered in 1932 Haugland I could not keep up with the competition. In 1935 she was placed in HSD's local traffic in Hardanger.

WW II: Placed in the local Bergen-Bømlo route in 1940, hence coming in contact with the illegal Shetland traffic quite early. With Tomas Boge as skipper she smuggled 40 people from Finnås, Norway to Shetland on Nov. 27-1941 (14 women and 4 children among them). Some of them had previously tried to get away with Blia, then with the vessel 7 Juni (the latter had to give it up due to bad weather). Like Blia, Haugland I encountered a horrendous storm on the crossing, and very nearly sank, but weathered the storm and arrived Lerwick safely on Nov. 29. There's a detailed description of how this all came about, and of the crossing itself in the book "Englandsfarten" by Ragnar Ulstein (this book tells the stories of the various fishing vessels and small boats that got away from Norway, and has included the names of those who were on board each one - text is in Norwegian). Captain Boge had his wife with him, she was expecting a baby (gave birth to her 4th child in London, 2 weeks later). Those who made the crossing were:

Chieef Engineer Harald Angeltvedt, Kari Berge, Rutt Berge, Galleyboy Johan Boge (son of captain), Kitty Boge, Kristiane Boge (captain's wife), Magnus Boge (boatswain), Tormod Boge, Harry Brekke, Johs. Hjertaker, Birger Hollund, Mate Lars Hopland, Katarina Larsen, Steward Gerhard Mikalsen (Malkenes?), Kåre Naustdal, Elisabeth Nesse, Lars Nesse, Sigfrid Nesse, Anna Netlandsnes, Erling Nilsen, Marta Nilsen, Alfred Pedersen, Tulla Pedersen, Mechanic Erling Rosvold, Anders Stavland, Helge Stavland, Magnus Stavland, Rakel Stavland, Asser Svendsen, Jenny Svendsen, Olaf Svendsen (baby), Leif Sælensminde, Elisabeth Særstein, Haakon Særstein, Marta Tangerås, Halvard Urang, Tina Urang, Gudrun Veddevik, John Westrheim, Johs. Økland, and of course Skipper Boge.

My Guestbook has a message from the great granddaughter of Tomas Boge, granddaughter of Johan Boge. See also this message, as well as this message (from a relative of Magnus and John Boge), and this Guestbook message.

The ship was subsequently taken over by allied authorities. Sank alongside the Lerwick quay on Dec. 7-1941 in heavy weather, but raised that same month and taken to Buckie, Scotland for repairs. Requisitioned by The Royal Navy in Jan.-1943.

POST WAR (T. Eriksen): Returned to owner in the spring of 1946 in a bad state of repair. Taken to Norway but not repaired. Sold that year to Ragnvald Øvrebø, Naustdal and converted to freighter. Sold in 1952 to Åsmund Hofsø, Tromsø, in service as freighter. Deleted from Norwegian register in 1980 as condemned.

Departed Løno in Fjell on Sept. 16-1941 with 19 people. Left Brandasund on Oct. 19-1940 with 4 people, arriving Lerwick the next day. The voyage had been organized by Bernhard Håvardsholm, who had escaped with Nordlys that summer. See also Blia. Departed Ålesund in the evening of March 7-1941 with 28 people, having embarked those who had attempted to get away with Blåegg earlier. Arrived Shetland on March 9. Left Måløy on May 8-1940 with 20 people, among whom 11 were British who had arrived from Åndalsnes, 2 Jews from Austria who had come from Oslo, and 7 Norwegians. They landed in Baltasund.

These were on board:
Skipper and owner Simon Holvik, Peder Ramnaberg, Thor Andal, Anton Berg, Odd Berg, and Alf Øverby (who later joined Jan Mayen. My Guestbook has a message from his grandson). The 7th Norwegian was in charge of the British passengers and went on his way without giving his name.

Departed Stolmen on March 7-1945 with 7 people and arrived Lerwick on the 9th. Skipper was Edv. Stangeland from Stolmen. A 27' vessel.

Left Florø on March 12-1941 with 12 people, arriving Lerwick on the 14th.

Departed Haugesund on Apr. 11-1945 with 4 people, arriving Kirkwall on the 13th. Skipper was Henry Kalve. According to the website that I've linked to below, Heland was built by Einar Helland, Vestnes in Møre og Romsdal in 1937 for Severin, Arne A. Roald and Olaf Røssvik. Used for fishing herring, cod and small whales in the North Sea, the Baltic, near Jan Mayen and Iceland.

Left Vigra on Febr. 25-1942 with 23 people, and arrived Lerwick on the 27th. On board was Trygve Rypdal, the head of the Milorg organization in the district, and his family. This vessel had previously made 2 voyages to Shetland for SOE and Milorg (the first one in Nov.-1941 - see M/B Per).

This particular voyage came about on very short notice due to the many arrests initiated by the Gestapo and Henry Rinnan in connection with all the escapes that had taken place (about 50 people were arrested, 21 executed).

On board were:
Olaf Håhjem, Johan Hagbart Molnes, Nils Johan Molnes, Sverre Johan Molnes, Harald Peter Ratvik, Arne Ottar Roald, Arnfinn Sevrin Roald, Bjarne Jon Roald, Harald Gunnar Roald, Inga Emilie Roald, Jon Bernt Andersen Roald, Karl Johan Roald, Sevrin Olav Roald, Sverre Normann Roald, Arnfinn Oddmund Roaldsnes, Karl Sigvart Roaldsnes, Arild Rypdal (born 1934), Sylvi Rypdal, Trygve Rypdal (1938), Trygve Stein Rypdal, Jakob Peder Rørvik, Bernt Skodje, and Jakob Skodje.

Departed Bergen on July 5-1941 with 3 people, and arrived Lerwick on the 8th. Skipper and owner was Helmik Wallem from Bergen. Left Hitsøy on Aug. 27-1941 with 32 people and arrived Lerwick on the 29th. Departed Lepsøy in Os on Aug. 30-1944 with 5 people, arriving Lerwick on Sept. 2. Left Ulsteinvik on Aug. 26-1941 with about 20 people but never reached her destination. Possibly bombed and sunk by a patrolling aircraft. Some of the passengers were to have sailed with Hugin earlier that month (listed further down on this page), but did not arrive in time. I've marked them with *. They had instead left with M/B Luna, which had developed motor trouble and had to return to the coast, anchoring at Ulsteinfjord, where the group embarked Hod the same evening. Left Bø in Vesterålen on Aug. 18-1941. Skipper and owner was Martin Steffensen, Klakksfjord. Crew consisted of Gunnar Jakobsen, Arne Albrigsten and Svein Johansen. After having picked up 4 passengers, 1 of whom was Olav Sætran, they left Norway on Aug. 23, and arrived Reykjavik on the 31st. Those who had been on board were initially arrested and remained at a camp for 2 weeks, before being sent to Glasgow with Leopoldville, still as prisoners. After having been interrogated in Glasgow, they were taken by train to London under escort by Scotland Yard. Interned at a school in London for 7 weeks, then moved to another school. Following further, extensive interrogations they were eventually freed and moved to a hotel.

G. Jakobsen and A. Albrigsten subsequently trained to be gunners at Dumbarton in Scotland, both joining Kongshavn in Jan.-1942, while S. Johansen became an able seaman (ship not known). The skipper worked for the Norwegian Army in London for a while, but later served as a mate on Agnes, before taking over as skipper on Hornfjell again until the end of the war (the vessel appears to have remained at Reykjavik). G. Jakobsen later served on B. P. Newton, Carrier and Austvangen, and returned to Norway after the war with Thorshammer.

Hornfjell returned to Norway after the war, still with M. Steffensen as skipper, and was extensively repaired and modernized, also lengthened to 65' (from about 60'), and used for fishing for many years.

Left Ålesund on Febr. 24-1941 with 12 people.

On board were:
Hans Gabriel Dedichen, Ole Eidsvik, Bernt Hauge, Severin Jansen (Leutenant *), Torleif Emil Justad, Kaare Poulsson, Gabriel Smith (Naval Captain*), Kristen Smith, Alfred Sortehaug, Kåre Sørensen, Andreas Tenfjord, and Roald Thommesen.

Departed Ulsteinvik on Aug. 14-1941 with 10 people and arrived Lerwick on Aug. 17. Left Larsnes in Rovde on Oct. 25-1940 with 2 people and arrived Baltasund on Oct. 27 after a crossing with heavy weather and motor trouble. Left Egersund on Sept. 20-1941 with 7 people, arriving Aberdeen on the 22nd. Left Førde in Sunnhordland on July 29-1941 and stopped at Uransvåg, Bremnes where the final plans for the crossing were made by people from the so-called "Bremnes Group". They departed Uransvåg on July 31, arriving Fraserburgh, Scotland on Aug. 3 after a very difficult voyage.