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| www.norway.org.uk |
Bamse, which stands for “teddy bear” in
Norwegian, was a St. Bernard who served aboard the minesweeper Thorodd of the Norwegian Navy during World War II. His bravery turned him into a hero and a symbol of freedom during this dark period of our history.
Before participating in the
war, Bamse lived with his parents and four siblings, in the town of Honningsvag, Norway. Since he was a puppy, Bamse's dad, Captain Hafto, would take the pooch to the sea on the massive Thorodd.
He was an incrediblycaring and protective dog of those he loved. For instance, on one episode, the family's youngest daughter, Vigdis, fell ill. Therefore, Bamse stayed by her bedside for twelve days allowing
only the doctor and her mother near her, until she recovered.
However, this St. Bernard was not only a
beloved member of the Hafto family, but also a model crew member and sailor during the World War II.
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| news.bbc.co.uk |
It was in that period of
time that Captain Hafto and registered-crew member, Bamse boarded Thorodd. He was deeply appreciated by the
crew which made him a steel helmet to wear while he stood
guard on the main gun tower.
Many individuals owe their lives to Bamse. One of them was Lt. Commander Olav August Johan Nilsen
from the Royal Norwegian Navy, who was attacked by a man with a knife as he was
walking by the quayside. The dog, seeing this, approached them rose up onto his
hind legs and pushed the attacker away and ultimately into the water. Another
rescue was that of a man who fell overboard and nobody noticed, except for Bamse.
He jumped in the water after the man and with great difficulty kept both the man and himself afloat
until the crew was able to pull them back onboard.
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| www.bamsemontrose.co.uk |
Bamse’s adventures didn't end just there for he was a pooch of many talents. When the crew got him a bus pass to hang around his neck, he would travel by bus by himself and go to every pub to gather all members of the crew when curfew was near its
end. Sometimes, he would also visit local bakeries.
Bamse was a peacemaker as
well. If any of the crew members was about to be involved in a fight, he would
stand on his hind legs and put his paws on the other man’s shoulders and thus
prevent the fight from taking place.
This incredible hero was
also good in sports and every time the crew played soccer, he was assigned the position of goalkeeper, where he excelled.
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| www.wikipedia.com |
He was also quite a comical
character. There was one time when he returned covered in coal powder from head to paw. He was so unbelievably filthy that the crew refused to let him on board and so he sat next to a bucket of water awaiting a bath.
It is understandable why, when
Captain Hafto was leaving his post for another and was about to take Bamse with
him, the crew announced they would not return to the ship without their furry
crew member. This forced the Captain to leave him with the crew and his successor
until after the war.
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| www.bamsemontrose.co.uk |
On July 22nd of 1944, the day he passed away of heart failure, local schools were closed and several hundreds of children attended his funeral. He was buried with his head facing his homeland of Norway and received a burial with full military honors. Every ten years the Royal Norwegian Navy
holds a commemorative ceremony in his honor.
After his death, he was awarded the Norges Hundeorden in 1984 for his
war service as well as the PDSA Gold Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty, which
makes him the only World War II animal to have received this. For his 60th anniversary, crew members from the Norwegian force and about 100 invited guests, including the daughter of Captain Hafto, Vigdis, went with her family to pay their respects.
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| www.thecourier.co.uk |
Several
statues of him have been installed in different places in Norway and a £50,000 bronze memorial stands in Wharf Street, Montrose, Scotland, where the Thorodd was based and where Bamse passed away. It was unveiled by Prince Andrew in 2006 and created by Scottish sculptor Allan Herriot with the money raised by the Montrose Bamse Project, an organization founded to keep the story of this amazing dog always alive.
Bamse (1937-1944)
To learn more about Bamse and his story, click here.
To watch a video of and listen to stories from those who knew Bamse, click here.
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Labels: Breeds, Pawprints In Time, Working Like A Dog
