Local
History - Action
The
Shetland Bus
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Local
History - Action
|
The
Shetland Bus
|
 Crossing the rough seas  Agents set off |
One
of the most dramatic episodes that occurred in Scotland during the second
world war was the story of the Shetland Bus. It goes back to April 1940
when German forces occupied Norway, resulting in a stream of refugees who
fled to Shetland, using their boats so they could continue to fight the
invader. Relations between Shetland and Norway have always been strong as
they are only 180 miles apart. The Norwegians began training with units of the British armed forces, knowing full well that there were thousands of Norwegian servicemen, hiding in their country, who needed only arms and communications to become an effective underground movement. Many successful missions were carried out, using the small fishing cutters that had carried refugees to Shetland. They landed agents, radio sets, arms and ammunition and returned with more refugees. The conditions under which they operated, the difficulties of crossing the North Sea at night, with no lights and far from any possible help, can scarcely be imagined today. Always present in the minds of those on board would have been the threat of discovery and the risk of being shot at by German planes or boats, and possibly captured when they finally reached the Norwegian coast. The trips across to Norway were so regular the term 'Shetland Bus' was born. Not all trips were successful – many boats were sunk by the Germans, so by 1943 these trips were becoming increasingly dangerous. The fishing boats were replaced by small fast warships. |
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