- Leif Larsen
Infobox Military Person
name= Leif Andreas Larsen
caption=
allegiance=Norway
rank=Kapteinløytnant
(Lieutenant Commander)
commands=MV "Arthur"
MV "Bergholm"
SC "Vigra"
Other small vessels
unit=Shetland Bus
family=
nickname=Shetlands-Larsen
lived=9 January 1906 -12 October 1990
placeofbirth=Norway
currentlyresides=
serviceyears=
laterwork=
battles=
awards="Incomplete list."flagicon|Norway War Cross with two Swords flagicon|Norway St. Olav Medal with oak branch flagicon|Norway Norwegian War Medal with tree stars flagicon|Norway Participation (in WWII) Medal flagicon|Norway King Haakon VII's 70th anniversary Medal flagicon|United Kingdom Conspicuous Gallantry Medal flagicon|United Kingdom Distinguished Service Medal and Bar flagicon|United Kingdom Distinguished Service Cross flagicon|United Kingdom Distinguished Service Order flagicon|Finland Participation in the Winter War Medal
portrayedby=himself in the 1954 movie Shetlandsgjengen (No.)Leif Andreas Larsen DSO, DSC, CGM, DSM and Bar (
9 January 1906 –12 October 1990 ), popularly known as Shetlands-Larsen, was probably the most famous of the men who operated theShetland bus escape route duringWorld War II .He participated as a volunteer on the Finnish side during the
Winter War and was a soldier in the defence of Norway following the German invasion atKongsvinger Fortress . He had excellent leadership skills; one of the British officers at the Shetland base, David Howarth, described him as "one of the most remarkable personalities of the entire Second World War". Larsen preferred to downplay his own role and instead named his crew as the reason for his achievements.hetland bus
He dramatically escaped
Norway in February 1941 in thefishing boat "MOTIG 1", a voyage he recounted in an autobiographic book. He then joined theNorwegian Naval Independent Unit , an unwieldy cover title far better known as theShetland Bus . The unit for theSpecial Operations Executive (SOE) and, despite its name, was initially independent of the regular Royal Norwegian Navy. He trained with theLinge Company , and was elected the first skipper operating theShetland route.He was the skipper of the fishing vessel "Arthur" during an attempt to sink the German battleship "Tirpitz" in the
Trondheimsfjord in the fall of 1942 (Operation Title ). Despite its failure, Larsen received aConspicuous Gallantry Medal , the first non-Briton to do so. TheAdmiralty records the operation as "the achievement of penetrating to within convert|10|mi|km of the berth occupied by the Tirpitz represents, on the part of the personnel and particularly that of the Norwegians, a fine example of cold-blooded courage."Boat skippers were initially given the nominal rank of Petty Officer ('Quartermaster'), but Larsen was later, without a great deal of enthusiasm, given a formal commission as a Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Norwegian Navy, hence the extremely unusual array of his British decorations.
Operations became increasingly dangerous as the war progressed and the German forces improved their air and sea defences. They began to understand the true role of fishing-boats operating far from the coast and the fishing boats were phased out in favour of three American 'sub-chasers', which were much larger, faster and better-armed, altogether better suited to the changed circumstances. The commanders of these three vessels were required to be commissioned officers and Larsen became the captain of the HNoMS "Vigra". In all he made 52 trips to Norway.
With eleven distinctions he became the most highly decorated naval officer of the Second World War -- no other man, British or foreign, received the same British military honours. In addition to the unique array of British decorations, he was awarded Norways's highest decoration for military gallantry, the "Krigskorset med Sverd" or
War Cross with sword . He was awarded this decoration twice, in 1942 and 1943: the War Cross with two swords.Post-war
After the war Larsen had a large role in organising the naval branch of the Norwegian Home Guard.
In 1954 he played himself in the movie Shetlandsgjengen [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049808/ Shetlandsgjengen (1954)] en icon] (aka. "Suicide Mission" in the
USA ).In 2000 Bergen newspaper
Bergens Tidende named LarsenVestlandet 's man of the century. There is a statue of him by theUNESCO site ofBryggen inBergen .References
External links
* [http://www.shetland-heritage.co.uk/shetlandbus/pages/the_crewmen.htm Shetland's Larsen] en icon
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049808/ Movie database] en icon
* [http://web.ukonline.co.uk/chalcraft/sm/chariots.html A page on mini subs during WWII] en icon
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