Shetland bus
From Freepedia
The Shetland bus was the popular name of the escape route and supply route established between occupied Norway and the Shetland Islands (Scotland), operated initially by small fishing boats and later by three US made submarinechasers. The submarinechaser KNM Hitra is still floating as a museum ship.
The crossings were mostly made during the Winter to ensure the Norwegian Coast was reached under the cover of darkness. This meant that the crews and passengers had to endure very heavy North Sea conditions, with no lights, and under constant risk of being shot at by German planes or boats. There was also the possiblility of being captured whilst carrying out the mission on the Norwegian coast. The operation was under constant threat from German forces, including the organization resident in Norwegian, of which the Telavåg tragedy is the prime example.
Several fishing boats were lost during the initial operations, but after receiving the three submarinechasers no more losses occurred during the crossings.
Leif Larsen (popularily known as Shetland Larsen) was perhaps the most famous of the Shetland Bus men. In all he made 52 trips to Norway, and became the most highly decorated allied naval officer of the Second World War.
