大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Mairi Campbell of the 大象传媒 on behalf of Mrs Marjorie Watt and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

During the war when I was a little girl, my parents Jack and Madge Lyon owned the Imperial Hotel in Queen Street Peterhead, and it was there that we had Norwegian Naval Officers billeted with us. When Norway fell to the Germans in April 1940 many Norwegians fled in fishing boats across the North Sea to Scotland and formed themselves into the 鈥淔ree Armed Forces鈥� under King Haakon and his son Crown Prince Olav to fight against the enemy in their occupied homeland. A small group was selected and trained by the Secret Intelligence Service to form the Peterhead base 鈥� The Royal Norwegian Navy Boat Unit. Their remit was to secretly sail their converted diesel powered fishing boats, or motor cutters to the coast of Norway to drop of and pick up British Secret Service Agents. Apart from sabotage, one of the main task of these agents was to report back on the movements if the Germans and if their warships such as the Scharnhorst and the Tirpitz which sheltered in the fjords in between attacking allied convoys.

About 60 Norwegians served at the Peterhead base over the years. From July 1941 many successful trips were made 鈥� but some were not completed due to weather conditions, machinery failure or enemy action. At least one of the boats disappeared without trace of the crew, others were attacked by German aircraft and the crews were interned or executed. Absolute secrecy always surrounded their missions and the men were never allowed to discss any of their 鈥榟ush hush鈥� activities with us; most of their daring exploits were revealed only long after the war ended.

Even though they came and went regularly, the Norwegians soon established firm friendships with us, and we helped improve their English while they taught us some Norwegian. I even sang 鈥淪till the Night鈥� in Norwegian in out church aged 7. My mum acted as a substitute mother to the young Norwegians and she made a great effort in spite of rationing, to provide them with the best of food; to celebrate with them on their national day 17th May; to hold Christmas in the traditional Norwegian Manner by dancing round the Christmas tree and handing out presents on Christmas Eve; and to make them feel as at home as possible in this foreign land. Mum even acted as Matron of Honour at some Norwegian/Scottish weddings.

After the war, Mum was presented to King Olav at a reception in Edinburgh where he thanked her personally for all her kindness to our Norwegians. She later visited Norway on several occasions staying with war time friends and even being interviewed by the Norwegian Press. My parents continued to maintain contact by letter with many of their Norwegian friends until their deaths.

Last year a group of Norwegian war veterans came back to Peterhead and unveiled a plaque at the former base to commemorate their war-time exploits. Because of my parents association my husband and I were invited to have lunch and to be present at the unveiling. I have been studying Norwegian at an evening class so hopefully will be able to continue the Norwegian connection which began with my family over 60 years ago.

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