Daughter of ‘Shetland Bus' sailor embarks on trip from Norway to Scotland
Ahead of the VE Day 80th anniversary, Astrid Larsen, the daughter of Leif Anders 'Shetlands' Larsen, is travelling on a 'Shetland Bus' vessel between the two countries in a Liberation Convoy recreating the route.
The fishing boats and merchant ship were used to smuggle special forces soldiers and secret agents from Shetland to Nazi-occupied Norway.
They also carried weapons, explosives and radios for the resistance movement and on their return journeys brought refugees and soldiers escaping from the Nazis.
Vessels travelling the route, dubbed the 'Shetland Bus', were at constant risk of discovery by German submarines and planes.
Mr Larsen was one of the most famous men who operated the Shetland Bus, having barely escaped Norway in February 1941 in a fishing boat before joining the Norwegian Naval Independent Unit, a cover title that came to be known as the Shetland Bus.
He was the skipper of the fishing vessel Arthur during an attempt to sink the German battleship Tirpitz in the Trondheimsfjord in 1942, which failed.
Despite the failure, he received a Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, making him the first non-British person to gain one.
After the war ended, he returned to Norway where he was married and had three daughters, including Astrid.
Mr Larsen died after a stroke in 1990, aged 84.
Some of the boats used during the war are now being reunited to take part in a Liberation Convoy which is travelling from Norway to Lerwick in Shetland next month, arriving in time for events commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8.
Mr Larsen's daughter, Astrid Larsen, aged 73, is travelling on one of the boats, which is due to arrive in Lerwick in the Shetland isles on May 6.
Remembering her father, the retired healthcare professional said: 'We were a very normal family, the only special thing was that sometimes people wanted to speak with my father about the war, but he didn't like to speak about it.
'I think it was the same for many men and women who had experienced difficulty during the war.'
Ms Larsen, who has one grown-up son, was born in 1951, just a few years after the war ended.
She says her father learned to navigate Norwegian waters through the help of his own father, who owned a small fishing boat.
Asked about her father's achievements in the war, Ms Larsen, of Bergen, Norway, said: 'My father did a great job, but he always said there were many others just like him, and that together they did a great job.
'He made 52 trips from Norway to Shetland during the war, so I am proud of what he did.'
Ms Larsen is no stranger to the Shetland Isles, having travelled there some 30 times throughout her life.
However, this marks the first time she will have travelled there on the same boats used by the Shetland Bus.
She said: 'I'm not nervous at all, just excited. I really look forward to this trip and I think it's great we have the boats together.
'I think it will be a very good experience and I look forward to talking with the other people there.
'I have been to Shetland many times but never in one of these boats or in a convoy, so it'll be different.
'I started going to Shetland with my husband when my father was still alive. I really like Shetland, the nature, the people, and it's a very relaxing place.'
She added: 'I continue to go every summer and take friends and family, there are so many people in Norway who want to go to Shetland.
'I think I have been more than 30 times.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Geographic
an hour ago
- National Geographic
What Norway's midnight sun season is like—in pictures
Along Norway's coastline, the rhythm of life slows in summer — shaped by the good weather and long hours of daylight. In summer, sunlight lingers long into the night, softening the mountains in Norway and turning the water to liquid gold. Photograph by David De Vleeschauwer Story and photographs by David De Vleeschauwer This story was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Stretching from the ancient glaciers that rise in the east to the island-dotted fjords that spread out in the west, Sunnfjord in southwest Norway is a place where nature does the talking. The region attracts all types of adventurers, whether their particular passion is fulfilled with a kayak, a pair of hiking boots or a fishing rod. Set at the confluence of two rivers in the heart of Sunnfjord, the Åmot estate is surrounded by verdant fields and soaring peaks and feels cocooned by the forest around it. Dating back to the 19th century, the farm has been in Steinar Sørli's family for five generations, and is now run as a nature retreat with deep roots in local heritage and culture. Guests can spend their days in quiet solitude or head out with local guides, stopping to picnic where the forest meets the shore, sharing stories over smoked fish and soft bread. To the north of Sunnfjord, the port town of Ålesund stands out for its quiet elegance, its facades marked by art nouveau curves and carved stone details. Its centre was completely destroyed by fire in 1904 and rebuilt with great care over three years. Today, Ålesund seems to move at its own pace. Fishing boats dock early, and the morning's catch often ends up on a lunch plate just hours later. In nearby waters, scallops are still harvested by hand — a careful practice that reflects the slow rhythm of life played out across the region. To the south, Bergen blends old and new with quiet confidence. The wooden buildings in the historic wharf at Bryggen lean with age, but there's a creative energy rising — in design studios, small bakeries and a food scene that values provenance over polish. Some of the most unique places to stay along the coastline are former lighthouses. These include Flatflesa Fyr in the north west, set on its own rocky islet and accessible by boat or helicopter. It's a place built for peace and quiet. Inside, there are simple rooms with wood-burning stoves; outside, there's just the sound of gulls, the slow rhythm of the sea and the endless light of summer. There are special properties in the fjords, too, including Union Øye, a hotel in Norway's Sunnmøre Alps. Dating back to 1891, it has hosted a distinguished cast of characters, including German kaiser Wilhelm II and English author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Today, guests can enjoy a spell in the floating sauna while gazing out at the magnificent scenery of Norangsfjorden, before leaping into its cold waters. Published in the July/August 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Netflix's Adaptation of Emily Henry Bestseller ‘People We Meet on Vacation' to Release in January
A release date has been announced for Netflix's adaptation of Emily Henry's bestselling novel, People We Meet on Vacation. On Tuesday the streamer released a teaser of the film in which voiceovers of stars Emily Bader and Tom Blyth are overheard with a beach backdrop. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Maxton Hall' Author on German Trilogy Becoming a Hit Series, Books Being Published in English for First Time Netflix's New Releases Coming in July 2025 Netflix to Add NASA+ as It Launches Into Live Streaming Feeds 'Where does Alex Nilsen stand on travel? Love or hate?' Bader's Poppy says. 'I mean, I've never really traveled anywhere. But this morning I saw this beautiful sunrise over this place that i'd never been before and I wouldn't have if everything had gone according to plan. So love. I'm thinking love,' Blyth's Alex says. The film will premiere on Netflix Jan. 9, 2026. The story centers on longtime best friends Alex and Poppy who for the past decade have taken one week of summer vacation together. That is until they stopped speaking. When Poppy reaches out and convinces Alex to take one more vacation together, she sees it as her time to fix their broken relationship. However, there's just one unspoken truth they have yet to confront. In the 2021 novel, Henry chronicles a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance with lots of fun travels. Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) stars as Alex while Bader (My Lady Jane) plays Poppy. Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil, Lucien Laviscount, and Lukas Gage also star. Miles Heizer, Tommy Do, Alice Lee, Alan Ruck and Molly Shannon round out the cast. Brett Haley directs with a screenplay from Yulin Kuang. Temple Hill's Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey and Isaac Klausner produce. Temple Hill's Laura Quicksilver and Erin Siminoff are overseeing the project for 3000 Pictures. Henry's People We Meet on Vacation was published in 2021 by Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House, debuting No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list and having sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S. People We Meet on Vacation is just one of the novels from the Henry book universe getting the adaptation treatment. Four of her novels are in development to become films — Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation, Book Lovers and Funny Story — while her novel, Happy Place is going to be a series on Netflix. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
Skift
2 days ago
- Skift
Europe Heat Wave: Tourist Death and Wildfires Spark Travel Warnings
It's too early to say how much extreme heat will disrupt early summer travel in the region, but the season has kicked off with a stark reminder: It is now part of the holiday landscape in southern Europe. Authorities in the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Austria have issued heat-related travel advisories for popular tourist destinations in southern Europe. A dangerous heat wave is sweeping across many Mediterranean countries, with some areas already experiencing temperatures of 42°C (107.6°F). In Majorca, a tourist has died, and wildfires have prompted evacuations in France. The extreme heat is the latest example of how Europe, the fastest-warming continent, is experiencing the intensifying effects of the climate crisis. While it is difficult to directly attribute individual extreme weather events to climate change, heat waves are becoming more frequent and more intense as the planet warms. Scientists at World Weather Attribution, a group that analyzes the impact of climate change on extreme weather, say that June heat waves with three consecutive days above 28°C (82.4°F) are now about 10 times more likely compared to pre-industrial times. Skift has been reporting how extreme heat is upending local tourism, from the Greek islands to southern Spain. Warnings from the North Germany has issued warnings for travelers heading to Croatia, Spain, and Portugal, urging serious precautions. 'Extremely high temperatures are expected. Protect yourself, children, and senior citizens. Follow advice provided by relevant authorities. Infrastructure failures are possible,' the German government's weather said in its advisory for Croatia. Sweden warned about Spain's high temperatures and the potential for wildfires. 'A severe heat wave is expected to hit large parts of the country. In some places, temperatures will exceed 40 degrees,' the Swedish foreign ministry said. 'Consider how you would describe your location if you need to raise the alarm due to a forest fire,' the ministry said, in a message to tourists traveling to Spain and staying close to forests and woodlands. Fatal Heat and Wildfires In Spain, local media reported that a 34-year-old Dutch tourist died from heatstroke on Friday while hiking the Camí de Son Sales trail near Sóller in Majorca. Emergency services were called at around 2:50 p.m., but despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at the scene. In France, wildfires forced the evacuation of a campsite in the Corbières area of Aude, in the southwest of the country, during a heat spike that reached 40°C, according to reports. Meteo France, the national weather service, said it was unclear what happened to the campers after the evacuation. Health Alerts and Safety Advice Governments across Europe have issued health alerts, particularly targeting vulnerable groups such as older adults, pregnant women, and people with pre-existing health conditions. Madrid's health ministry urged residents and visitors to stay in the shade, remain hydrated, and avoid outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day. Spain's state meteorological agency, Aemet, emphasized the severity of the ongoing heat wave. 'We are expecting abnormally high and persistent temperatures, both day and night, which could pose risks to vulnerable or exposed individuals,' Aemet said. Heat-related deaths have sharply increased across Europe in recent years, driven by rising baseline temperatures and more frequent extreme heat events. The World Health Organization estimates that 175,000 people die from heat-related causes in Europe each year, a figure expected to rise as global temperatures continue to climb. 'In the European region, heat stress is the leading cause of climate-related death,' said Dr. Hans Kluge, the WHO's regional director. Skift's in-depth reporting on climate issues is made possible through the financial support of Intrepid Travel. This backing allows Skift to bring you high-quality journalism on one of the most important topics facing our planet today. Intrepid is not involved in any decisions made by Skift's editorial team.
