1941

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia that anyone can edit

• An endless row of boats of all kinds, with refugees from Norway arrives Shetland.
• The Shetland Bus operation establishes a base of operations at Lunnaness.

January

• 15th
  A German 'Heinkel' bomber crashlanded on Fair Isle, shot down by fighters from Sumburgh Airport. Of the 5 crew on board 2 were killed in the crash.
• 20th.
  M/B Mars (M19HØ), skippered by August Nærø, arrived Baltasound with 4 refugees.
  M/B Nordnes (M48V), arrived Shetland with 15 refugees.

February

• Two men from Burra were killed while they were trying to disarm a mine. Three children were wounded too.
• Lerwick bombed by Nazis for first time. 2 men slightly injured.
• 11th.
  M/B Motig I (H51H), skippered by Leif A. Larsen, arrived Lerwick with 12 refugees. Larsen later became the most famous of The Shetland Bus skippers.
• 16th.
  M/B Frimann (SF85SV), skippered by Roald Tennebø, arrived Lerwick with 8 refugees.
• 19th.
  Lindesnes, skippered by Jacob Stendahl, arrived Lerwick with 7 refugees.
• 21th.
  M/B Kvikk (M21NA), skippered by Arne Grønningæter, arrives Lerwick with 4 refugees.
• 22nd
  A Saro London II Flying boat, L7040, or R.A.F. 240 Squadron was destroyed by fire at Sullom Voe.
• 25th.
  M/B Hugin (14B), arrived Lerwick with 12 refugees.
• 27th
  M/B Kantonella, 28 foot,with 9 refugees, was wrecked in a hurricane near Shetland. Later 6 bodies drifted ashore and were buried in Mid Yell Churchyard. 3 were never found.

March

• An unidentified vessel wrecked on Swarta Skerry (possibly also known as 'Black Skerry') at the entrance to Otters Wick, East Yell. There were no survivors. Wreckage was found on Hascosay. It is suspected that the vessel was probably the Joratne, a motor fishing vessel, registered in Arendal, Norway, and believed in passage with refugees from Norway.
• 1st
  A Hawker Hurricane I aircraft, V7069 of RAF 3 Squadron crashed in to the sea at an unspecified position off Sumburgh following being in a mid air collision with an unidentified aircraft, RAF P3255. It is not recorded whether this incident occured in the Atlantic or North Sea.
• 2nd
  A German 'Heinkel' bomber attacked Lerwick harbour in the morning without doing any damage. Past noon came 3 'Dornier' bombers, 6 bombs hit the harbour, but with little damage.

• 9th.
  M/B Havtor (M1H) arrives Lerwick with 28 refugees.
  M/B Volga (R275A), skippered by Peder Øyen, arrived Lerwick with 5 refugees.
• 11th.
  M/B Sjøblomsten (SF45B), arrived Lerwick with 12 refugees.
• An Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V aircraft, T4222, or R.A.F. 612 Squadron ditched in to the sea off 'Fore Holm'. It is open to debate whether this is a mis-spelling of Dore Holm, Eshaness or Forewick Holm, Papa Stour etc.
• 12th
  M/B Wiken (H176AM), skippered by Hjalmar Johnsen, arrived Lerwick with 5 refugees.
• 14th.
  M/B Heimfjell (SF8V), arrived Lerwick with 12 refugees.
• 16th.
  M/B Sigurd, arrives Lerwick with 7 refugees.
  M/B Olaf (ST67NF), skippered by Ingvald Johansen, arrived Lerwick with 5 refugees.
• 17th.
  M/B Blia (H197S),arrives Lerwick with 20 refugees.
• 18th.
  M/B Aron (H48AM), skippered by Olaf Langdal, arrived Lerwick with 14 refugees.
  M/G Kvikk (H11HJ), arrived Lerwick with 5 refugees.
• 19th.
  M/B Ulabrand (M38H), arrived Baltasound with 7 refugees.
• 26th.
  M/B Enos (SF83SV), skippered byRolf Petter Blaalid, arrived Lerwick with 7 refugees.
• 28th.
  The Fair Isle North Lighthouse was machine gunned by a German aircraft.

April

• Hay and Companies Scalloway shop closes after 100 years.
• 1st.
  M/B Njål (M4V), arrives Lerwick with 15 refugees.
• 2nd.
  M/B Bøvåg (M164G), skippered by Bjarne Olsen, arrives Lerwick with 12 refugees.
• 6th.
  M/B Hallkjell (M310A) arrived Burra Firth , North Shetland, with 10 refugees after a 6 day voyage with motor failures.
• 7th.
  M/B Valder (M9V), arrives Baltasound with 9 refugees.
• 8th
  The Norwegian destroyer Mansfield (KKpt. Ulstrup) leaves Lerwick heading for Lopphavet (North Norway) and destroyed a fish factory in Öksfjord on 11th/12th .
• 9th.
  M/B Sigurd, arrives Lerwick with 3 refugees.
• 18th.
  Bombs dropped on Fair Isle North Lighthouse, some buildings damaged.
  M/B Dolsøy (M319A), skippered by Arvid Johnsen , arrives Lerwick with 18 refugees.
• 21th.
  M/B Fiskergutten (M88H), skippered by Ragnvald K. Fjørtoft, arrives Lerwick with 12 refugees.
• 23th.
  M/S Liv (H11B), arrived Lerwick with 4 refugees.

May

• 4th.
  M/B Notbas (SF5F), skippered by Dagfinn Ulkisen, arrived Lerwick with 8 refugees.
• 7th.
  M/B Aksel (M40G), skippered by Harald Rønneberg ,arrived Lerwick with 20 refugees.
• 8th
  Author and publisher Thomas Manson died.
• 9th.
  M/B Forsøk (SF32G), arrived Lerwick with 11 refugees.
• 19th.
  M/G Lur (28foot), arrived Lerwick with 5 refugees.
• 30th.
  M/B Nordhav (M202A), skippered by Simon Åkre, arrived Lerwick with 24 refugees.

June

• 1st.
  M/B Glimt (M303HØ) arrives Lerwick with 15 refugees after 4 days in extreme heavy weather.'Glimt'was only 29 foot.
• 6th.
  M/B Olaf II (18foot), skippered by Arne Baste, arrives Fair Isle with 2 refugees.
• 10th
  M/B Harald 2 (M54B), arrived Lerwick with 17 refugees.
  M/B Bøfjord (SF21H), skippered by Georg Viken, arrived Lerwick with 12 refugees.
• 14th
  Seregant John Knight of the 7th Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders, was hit and killed when a German airplane machine gunned the camp at Tingwall.
• 24th.
  M/B Ulstein (M27U), arrived North Shetland with 17 refugees.
  M/S Sjøblomsten (H247F), skippered by Ludvig O. Midttvedt, arrived Fetlar with 4 refugees.The boat was only 22 foot.

July

• 2nd.
  M/B Lill, arrived Shetland with 14 refugees
• 8th.
  M/B Herny, skippered by Helmik Wallem, arrived Lerwick with 3 refugees.
• 22nd.
  M/B Ingeborg (H6S), skippered by Arne Olsen Nipen, arrives Lerwick with 4 refugees.

August

• 4th.
  M/B Soløy (SF90A), skippered by Arthur Krossøy, arrived Baltasound with 27 refugees.
• 5th.
  M/S Nordsjøen (H42BO), skippered by Ånen Hovland, arrived Lerwick with 6 refugees.
• 8th.
  M/B Vest (R270A), arrived Shetland with 2 refugees.
• 10th.
  M/B Flink (SF248A), skippered by Alfred Strandenes, arrived Lerwick with 9 refugees.
• 12th.
  M/S Lindøy (H3S), skipperd by Olav Glesnes, arrived Lerwick with 15 refugees.
  M/S Viking (SF174A), skippered by Herman Johan Midtbø, arrived Lerwick with 5 refugees.
• 13th.
  M/B Fisken (H135F), skippered by Henrik Nikolai Sandtorv, arrived Lerwick with 5 refugees.
• 15th.
  M/B Svanen (H16M),arrived Lerwick with 31 refugees.
• 16th.
  M/B Notmann (SF255G), skippered by Trygve Birknes, arrived Lerwick with 10 refugees
  M/B Valder (SF57K),arrived Lerwick with 5 refugees.
• 17th.
  M/B Hugin (M54U), arrived Lerwick with 10 refugees.
  M/B Loyal (24 foot), skippered by Johan Risnes, arrived Shetland with 5 refugees after 5 days in heavy weather.
  M/B Olai, skippered by Samson Skipenes, arrived Fair Isle with 4 refugees.
• 18th.
  M/S Laugen (SF88B), skippered by Knut Ulriksen, arrived Lerwick with 16 refugees.
• An Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V aircraft, T4282, or R.A.F. 612 Squadron ditched in to the sea at aposition approx 10 miles north of Shetland.
• 19th.
  M/B Ingeborg (SF 224SU), skippered by Søren Strømmen, arrived Lerwick with 7 refugees.
• 21th.
  M/S Svalen III (H43S), skippered by Bjarne Drægebø, arrived Lerwick with 10 refugees.
• 24th.
  L/S Villa II (pilot vessel), skippered by Kåre Emil Iversen, arrived Lerwick with 4 refugees.
• 25th.
  M/B Solveig (SF170A), skippered by Ivar Brosvik, arrived Lerwick with 19 refugees.
• 26th.
  M/B Klippen, skippered by Mathias Øen, arrived Lerwick with 13 refugees.
• 27th.
  EVA,an open life boat, skippered by Knut Blom, arrived Lerwick with 11 refugees,all belonging to the 'MILORG' unit in Fana by Bergen.
  M/S Lilly (H16HJ), arrived Lerwick with 16 refugees.
• 28th.
  M/B Farmann (SF19D), skippered by Sverre Lofnes, arrived Lerwick with 10 refugees.
  M/S Lygrefjord (H31F), skipperd by Jens Lønøy, arrived Lerwick with 34 refugees.
• 29th.
  M/B Hitsøy (H15F), skippered by Nils Hitsøy, arrived Lerwick with 32 refugees.
  M/B Lyrnes (B78B), skippered by Bjarne Storås, arrived Lerwick with 6 refugees.
  M/B Streif (H261B), arrived Lerwick with 3 refugees
• 30th
  First of The Shetland Bus boats, M/B Aksel (M40G), skippered by August Nærøy, departs for Bergen, from Hamna Voe, on the west side of Lunnaness
• 31st.
  M/B Erling (SF50K), skippered by Arnfinn Skorpen, arrived Lerwick with 13 refugees.
  M/B Vikingen (SF10NV), arrived Baltasound with 6 refugees.

September

• 1st.
  M/B Klegg (M230HØ) , skippered by Josef Leinevik, arrived Lerwick with 7 refugees.
• 2nd.
  M/B Straumøy (H52FJ), skippered by Nils Dalen, arrived Lerwick with 30 refugees.
• 4th.
  M/S Leda (H1MF), skippered by Monrad Kvinge, arrived Lerwick with 27 refugees.
• 5th.
  M/S Stål I (SF160SU), skippered by Kristoffer Furrevik, arrived Lerwick with 17 refugees.
• 6th.
  M/B Borghild (H82F), skippered by Magnus Landro, arrived Lerwick with 36 refugees.
  M/B Solrenning (M22U), arrived Shetland with 22 refugees.
• 9th.
  M/S Odin (H186H), skipperd by Ingvald Breivik, arrived Lerwick with 5 refugees.
• 10th.
  M/B Jakk (H120H), arrived Lerwick with 15 refugees.
• 12th.
  M/B Veten (SF26B), arrived Lerwick with 14 refugees.
• 15th.
  M/S Solhaug (H35A), skippered by Steffen Nilsen, arrived Lerwick with 22 refugees.
• 17th.
  M/B Havdur (H30F), skippered by Johan Solberg-Johansen, arrived Shetland with 19 refugeees.
  M/B Margot,skippered by Kåre Knutsen, arrived Lerwick with 3 refugees.
  M/S Njørd (H6MG), skippered by Karl Sigfred Edvardsen, arrived Lerwick with 21 refugees.
• 18th.
  M/B Alf ( H127AM), skippered by Ingvald O. Sulen, arrived Lerwick with 26 refugees.
• 19th.
  M/B Nils (H224H), skipperd by Rasmus Nilsen Rong, arrived Lerwick with 7 refugees.
• 23th.
  M/B Fernanda (H9S), arrived Lerwick with 36 refugees.
  M/B Gullborg (H170F), skippered by Martin Davanger, arrived Lerwick with 26 refugees.
  M/B Sjølivet (H79AV), skippered by Lars Drønen, arrived Lerwick with 17 refugees.
• 24th.
  M/S Steinborg (H89A), arrived Lerwick with 13 refugees.
• 25th.
  M/B Stanley (SF242B), skippered by Alf P. Torvanger, arrived Baltasound with 33 refugees.
• 29th.
  M/B Arnafjord, skippered by Herman Løland, arrived Lerwick with 20 refugees.
  M/B Feiøy (H10AM), skippered by Arthur Husa, arrived Shetland with 15 refugees.
  M/B Statt (SF38S), arrived Out Skerries with 8 refugees.
• 30th.
  M/B Utnøring (H76M), skippered by Magnus Stokka, arrived Lerwick with 22 refugees.

October

• 1st.
  M/B Feie (H145AM), skippered by Emil Hansen, arrived Lerwick with 24 refugees.
• 3rd.
  M/B Fiskaren (M25U), skippered by Gunnar Gauslå, arrives Lerwick with 25 refugees.
  M/B Kvalen (H23V), skippered by Finn Bjelland, arrived Lerwick with 6 refugees.
• 4th.
  M/B Fred (H136H), skippered by Fredrik Båtvik, arrived Lerwick with 11 refugees.
• 5th.
  M/B Stølsgutt (SF81SU), skipperd by Olai Hillersøy, arrived Lerwick with 21 refugees.
• 6th.
  M/B Fremad II (SF94SU), skippered by Sverre Pollen, arrived North Shetland with 10 refugees.
  M/B Skjærgård (H74H), skippered by Jakob Nilsen, arrived Lerwick with 11 refugees.
• 7th.
  M/B Jan (H135S), skippered by Kristian Winther Ellingsen, arrived Lerwick with 19 refugees.
• 8th.
  M/B Nor (H37BO), skippered by Lars Lykling, arrives Lerwick with 12 refugees.
  M/B Veslemøy (H53B), skippered by Gjert Oppsahl, arrived Lerwick with 19 refugees.
• 10th.
  M/B Midtøy (H33H), skippered by Severin Oksnes, arrived Lerwick with 6 refugees.
  M/B Norseman (H128BO), skippered by Sigvald Eide, arrived Lerwick with 17 refugees.
• 11th.
  M/S Von (B12B),skippered by Thor Iversen, arrived Lerwick with 4 refugees.
• 12th.
  M/B Fiks (SF334SU), skippered by Karl M. Lambrechts, arrived Shetland with 17 refugees.
• 15th
  M/B Nora I (H77H), arrived Lerwick with 18 refugees.
  M/B Silden (H10V), skippered by Gregorius Økland, arrived Lerwick with 3 refugees.
• 19th.
  M/B Sleipner (M114B), arrived Lerwick with 14 refugees.
• 21th.
  L/S Rundø av Runde, a pilot vessel, arrived Shetland with 26 refugees.
• 25th.
  M/B Duen (H73T), skippered by Petter Drægebø, arrived Lerwick with 38 refugees.
• 26th
  M/B Fri (M21G), skippered by Johan Godø, arrives Lerwick with 10 refugees.
• 27th.
  M/B Haugen (M107B), arrives Lerwick with 38 refugees.
• 31st.
  M/B Sjøglimt (H3F), skippered by Jakob M. Syltøy, arrived Shetland with 26 refugees.

November

• The wooden hulled coal storage hulk Girdleness sank at her moorings in Bressay Sound after springing a leak.
• 1st.
  The two British 'Blenheim' planes T1946 and 6339 of the 404 Squadron at Sumburgh, collided in the air while performing an airshow during the "War Weapon Week". 6339, piloted by P/O Ingells made an emergency landing on Bressay, while the crew of three on T1946 died in a crashlanding at the Knab. The Dead crewmembers were : F/S Leighton (Pilot), T A Gray and T Clapperton.
• M/B Sjølyst (H139F), arrived Lerwick with 16 refugees.
• 2nd.
  M/B Diamant (H245H), skippered by Anton Misje, arrived Lerwick with 9 refugees.
• 7th.
  M/B Heland (M5V), skippered by Sevrin Roald, arrived Lerwick with the two 'Kompany Linge' agents Karl Johan Aarsæter and Åsmund Wisløff and 2 refugees.They escaped safely through the hurricane where The Shetland Bus boat, M/B Blia disappeared with many refugees.On this tour the false name M/B Per was used.
• 19th.
  M/S Erkna (M144HØ), skippered by Petrus Giørtz ,arrived Lerwick with 60 people. This is the largest group of refugees that crossed the North Sea in one vessel.
• 22nd.
  M/B Buestein (SF52A), skippered by Konrad Kjempenes, arrived Lerwick with 8 refugees and two men from The Shetland Bus group who had lost their boat
• 29th.
  M/K Haugland I, skippered by Thomas Boge, arrived Lerwick with 41 refugees.

December

• Fair Isle South Lighthouse bombed resulting in the death of the assistant lightkeepers wife.
• 1st
  German aircraft attack and sank the trawler St. Leonard (210 BRT, no details available) north of Shetland.
• 2nd.
  M/S Medina, arrived Fair Isle with 4 refugees.
• 26th
  A fleet, consisted of the cruiser 'Kenya', the 4 destroyers 'Offa', 'Onslow','Oribi' and 'Chidwell',the 2 troop ships 'Prince Charles' and 'Prince Leopold', and the submarine 'Tuna',set out from Sullom Voe at four in the afternoon, destinated to Måløy, Norway.
• 27th
  Captain Martin Linge, leader of Nor.I.C.1,(Norwegian Independent Company nr.1), and 17 others were killed in the raid at Måløy.

1940 < - > 1942