The Shetland 'Bus' - Transporting Secret Agents Across the North Sea in WW2

As a youngster I loved the story of the Shetland Bus written by David Howarth, and tales of the fishing boat Arthur and Leif Larsen. The mix of small boats, rough seas, avoiding the enemy and undertaking dangerous secret missions is a heady brew that guarantees a cracking tale! The Shetland Bus provided not just a means of inserting agents into Norway but also a vital escape route for Norwegians who went on to fight the Nazis. The book tackles the story in a structured way rather than a tale of adventure. There is a good opening section on the German invasion and the abortive British attempts to halt the advance, and it includes a very clear explanation of the role of Quisling and his supporters. Norway was heavily fortified by the Germans with over 300,000 troops and the book states that some 80,000 Norwegians escaped the country during the war, many joining Norwegians forces based in UK. The Germans were unable to monitor all fishing boats movements and fishing boats began to arrive in the Shetlands with refugees in the aftermath of the German invasion. For SOE, this presented the opportunity to persuade skippers to take their boats back to Norway with SOE agents. The Shetland Bus started in early 1941 initially with 10 boats. By 1943, the small fishing boats had been replaced by ex-USN sub chasers, manned by Norwegians. The statistics are staggering; 198 trips across the North Sea delivering 192 agents and tonnes of supplies, 333 refugees and 73 agents brought back, but sadly 44 Norwegian crew died. The book is not just about the Shetland Bus, it also tells the story of Allied operations within Norway, and the individuals involved. The underlying theme is the incredible courage of men determined to help their country against a brutal invader. It is also a story of extraordinary seamanship in small boats in appalling weather. As the book says, the reason why many of the journeys took place without any German intervention was because the Germans simply didn’t believe that regular crossings would “take place across such treacherous waters”. There are numerous stories of heroism, but few can surpass Leif Larsen “one of the most remarkable personalities of WWII”. The British awarded him the CGM, DSO, DSC, DSM and bar; Norway awarded him the Norwegian War Cross with 2 swords amongst other awards and the US gave him the Medal of Freedom. The Shetland Bus is an inspirational tale and this new telling properly acknowledges the bravery of the Norwegians involved. It is fitting that Leif Larsen is remembered with a statue in Bergen where many of the fishing boats came from.