Norwegian wartime escape to Holy Island is recalled

Sep 2 2010 The Journal

At the time, Peggy lived with her father George Alison, who was in the Home Guard, in the Crown and Anchor, which overlooks the beach where the boat landed.

She recalled yesterday how there was excitement as people came out to see the arrivals, not sure if the young men were Germans.

The men were taken to the Lindisfarne Hotel, which was then owned by Peggy’s aunt, before being taken away, possibly to Berwick.

Peggy was delighted to meet the latest Norwegian visitors and said: “I think it is very nice that they have come over.”

The group of 31 Norwegians are connected to a local history society which runs a museum at Flekkeroy, where the men sailed from.

Nils Ingvar Nilsen, a member of the society, was thrilled by the location of the seat.

He said: “It was just here where they came ashore, it could not be better.

“We have got a welcome here that was much more than we expected.”

The Norwegians arrived at Holy Island on Monday night, and were given a reception by around 100 villagers at St Cuthbert’s Hall on Tuesday night.

They had visited Amble on Monday for a reception with town residents David Gray and Tom Crozier.

Mr Gray read a story in The Journal last year about Ingrid Juell Moe, the niece of one of the five men, retracing her uncle Sven Moe’s journey.

He contacted us saying he had bought the boat which brought the men across, and given its engine to Mr Crozier.

The Journal put the men in touch with Ms Juell Moe and they arranged for the engine to be shipped to Norway, where it is now on display in the society’s museum.