大象传媒

In March 1945, my father (stationed on the destroyer HMS Zealous)left Russia and travelled in convoy with HMS Zest, Zambesi, and the Canadian destroyer Sioux.

Their destination was Soroy Island, where, for three months, the Norwegian islanders had been hiding from the Germans in snow-covered mountains.

In full daylight, the warships raced down an eight-mile long fjord, rushed 525 Norwegians on board, and brought them all back to Britain without a hitch.

The convoy took the enemy so much by surprise that a group of armed trawlers and patrol craft guarding a neighbouring fjord were not aware of their presence until it was too late.

Commander Jessel of HMS Zealous described the evacuation - "It was a beautiful day, and as we steamed up the fjord everything was very quiet. There was not a sign of life. All we could see was a small boat at the head of the fjord.
"Things looked very suspicious until a man jumped up in the boat and fired a Verey light. It was a pre-arranged signal, and then followed one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen.
Down the snowy slopes on skis came the Norwegians, men and women carrying babies and their few humble belongings, and even the youngsters were on miniature skis. They were obviously very glad to see us."

The youngest passenger of all was a ten-day old baby.

The refugees were given hot food, and the men cigarettes and the children chocolates.

Both men and women were issued with trousers from the ships' stores.

The Norwegians had been existing under almost unbelievable conditions. Their only food had been small quantities of fish and reindeer meat, their clothes were in tatters and they lived in snow-huts, caves and similar hideouts.

For three months they had been hunted by the Germans, who regularly put landing parties ashore, rounded up all the people they could find and took several hundreds away.

They blew up or burnt all buildings, slaughtered all animals and took away the food stocks.

The four destroyers, with so many civilians on board, did not want to risk a battle, so all through the long hours of Arctic darkness they steamed at full speed to avoid the enemy.

The crew had given up their bunks so the children could lie down.

Shortly after daybreak the destroyers reached a British port.

The destroyers had sailed at the special request of the Norwegian High Commission, which, after the successful mission made the following statement -" we desire to emphasise the aclarity and efficiency displayed by the Royal Navy during this operation, and to place on record the helpfulness and kindness shown to the evacuees by the officers and men of the ships."

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