The Shetland Bus Memorial

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Memorial Details
Location: Main Street, Scalloway.
Structure: Stone cairn with plaques
and sculpture.
Date Unveiled: Unveiled, 21st June 2003
War: World War 2
Names on Memorial: 44
OS Map Reference: HU400390
UKNIWM No.: Not listed
The Shetland Bus memorial on Main Street, Scalloway, erected by the "Shetland Bus Friendship Society", unveiled by Barbara Melkevik on June 21st. 2003, in memory of the brave crewmen who lost their lives.
The Shetland Bus Memorial is located at the waterfront on Main Street, Scalloway.

The bonds between Scalloway and Norway have been very strong since wartime, and in 2001, the Scalloway Community Council decided that a permanent Shetland Bus Memorial had to be made.
After a public meeting, the Shetland Bus Friendship Society was set up, with Jack Burgess as Chairman, Sandra Reynolds as secretary and William Smith as treasurer. The names and dates of the dead Shetland Bus crewmen were collected, and a photo archive was made.
Andholmen by Alan Hart.
Andholmen by Alan Hart.

After a public ballot, David Cooper's design of the memorial was choosed. Alan Hart was commissioned to make the top sculpture of "Andholmen", one of the"Bus - boats", and Alan Smiles got the contract to do the stonework.
The memorial is made of stones from bothShetland and Norway. The Shetland stones comes from Scalloway, Lunna, Kergord, Lerwick and Catfirth - all places that had a part of the Shetland Bus history. The Norwegian stones were collected from the home areas of all the 44 dead crewmen, and brought to Shetland with "Heland", another of the "Bus boats".
The Norwegian stones came from the following communes : Askvoll, Aukra, Austevoll, Bergen, Bremanger, Bømlo, Flakstad, Flekkefjord, Florø, Godøy, Gulen, Herøy, Kongsberg, Kragerø, Kvam, Kvinnherad, Radøy, Samnanger, Solund, Stord, Sund, Trondheim, Vågan and Ålesund.

The memorial was unveiled by Barbara Melkevik on June 21 2003.
The memorial bears four plaques with the names, age, year of death and name of ship of the dead crewmen.

Contents

The four memorial plaques :

Memorial Plaque 1
Memorial Plaque 2
Memorial Plaque 3
Memorial Plaque 4

The dead crewmen :

Name AgeYear Boat Name
Nils Nesse231941Siglaos
Karsten Sangolt281941Arthur
Ingvald Lerøy211941Blia
Arne Lerøy241941Blia
Even Fagerlid271941Blia
Olav Kvalheim251941Blia
Ole Økland251941Blia
Odd M. Svinøy181941Blia
Birger O. Bjørnsen211941Blia
Per Blystad311942Sjø
Mindor Berge251942Sjø
Bård Grotle251942Aksel
Schander Berg261942Aksel
Ivar L. Brekke211942Aksel
Tore Frøysa261942Aksel
John L. Odden261942Aksel
Ove Ålen211942Aksel
Harald Dyb251942Sandøy
Arthur Byrknes251942Sandøy
Nils Horgen271942Sandøy
Olav L. Kinn271942Sandøy
Olav Melkevik281942Sandøy
Ole Strandekleiv191942Sandøy
Kåre Støbakvik211942Sandøy
Ola Grotle271943Feiøy
Roald Strand251943Feiøy
Anders Geiterøy231943Feiøy
Ulf T. V. Johansen251943Feiøy
Johan Klungreset271943Feiøy
Harald Notøy201943Feiøy
Walter Olsen231943Feiøy
Hans H. Øvertveit231943Feiøy
Nils Vika201943Bergholm
Sverre Kverhellen361943Brattholm
Bjørn N. Bolstad211943Brattholm
Eric Reichelt251943Brattholm
Magnus Johan Kvalvik291943Brattholm
Harald Petter Ratvik251943Brattholm
Fritjof M. Skaugland261943Brattholm
Sjur Olai L. Trovaag361943Brattholm
Alfred A. Vik231943Brattholm
Olaf Skarpenes491943Bodø
Peder K. Nonås181943Boating accident
Ragnar E. Sandøy321943Boating accident


Below the four plaques, there are one, which bears the incription :

WE REMEMBER WITH DEEP RESPECT AND GRATTITUDE ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE WORK OF THE SHETLAND BUS IN SHETLAND; NORWAY AND ON THE STORMY SEAS BETWEEN
THEY GAVE THEIR ALL FOR FREEDOM.

In addition to the Shetland Bus Memorial, the Shetland Bus Friendship Society has put up information boards on the waterfront wall. There you can read and see pictures of the Shetland Bus story.

The information boards :


In a nearby window, you can also see four murals, made by the pupils of Scalloway School, that is dedicated to the memory of the Shetland Bus.

The murals :

Personal tools
Shetlopedia Projects