Liberation Convoy plans for 80th Anniversary of VE Day

Details for the Liberation Convoy's Visit to the UK

Plans are unveiled for events to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two and the visit by the Liberation Convoy, a flotilla of five historic vessels crossing the North Sea from Norway.

Weather permitting, the convoy will set off from Bergen on 4th May and the convoy is expected to arrive into Lerwick Harbour on Tuesday 6th May.

Fishing vessel M/K Andholmen featured on the Shetland Bus memorial is one of the vessels in the Liberation Convoy | Credit SIC

From Wednesday 7th May, ships will be open to the public, including the largest ship in the convoy, the 60-metre cargo ship S/S Hestmanden known as the 'Norwegian War Sailor Museum'. S/S Hestmanden and the other visiting vessels will be open to the public each day from 11:00am until 5:00pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

At 6:15pm on Wednesday evening, crews from the vessels, veterans and guests will form a procession led by Lerwick Pipe Band walking from Lerwick harbour to the Town Hall, via Harbour Street and Fort Charlotte. Council Convener Andrea Manson will then host a civic reception at the Town Hall in the evening for invited guests.

On Thursday 8th May, the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE Day) will be marked with public commemorative events in Lerwick and Scalloway. The Lord Lieutenant and Convener will lead the laying of wreaths while national anthems will be played by Lerwick Brass Band and musicians from the Norwegian Naval Band.

A memorial service in Lerwick will take place on Thursday morning at the County War Memorial at 11:00am, with assembly from 10:40am. In Scalloway, a memorial service will also take place in the afternoon at the Shetland Bus Memorial at 3:00pm, with assembly from 2:40pm. There will be some road closures for traffic for a short period around the time of these events.

On the evening of Thursday 8th May, musicians from the Norwegian Naval Band will perform at a concert in St Columba’s Kirk in Lerwick. The concert will begin at 7:30pm and will be free of charge, although donations are welcome and will be donated to charity.

On Saturday 10th May, all visiting vessels are expected to depart Lerwick, with some returning to Norway, while others will make their way to other Shetland ports, including Scalloway and Baltasound.

Lindsay Tulloch, QPM, Lord Lieutenant of Shetland, said: “Plans are now coming together for the visit of the Liberation Convoy. This will be the first time that some of these vessels have crossed the North Sea since the end of World War Two and the convoy will be an impressive sight in the harbour. I hope that the public will enjoy visiting the vessels, welcoming their crews and be able to attend some of the commemorative events to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe in 1945.”

Historian Ragnhild Bie from D/S Hestmanden, The Norwegian War Sailors Museum said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming people on board D/S Hestmanden, the Norwegian War Sailors Museum, during our visit to Lerwick. We are eager to share stories of the heroism of everyone involved in the so-called Shetland Bus, which shipped resistance fighters to Norway and refugees back to Britain and of Norwegian war sailors, who helped maintain supplies of food, fuel and weapons to the UK throughout the war. Norway remains truly grateful to the people of Shetland and, more broadly, of Scotland and the rest of the UK, so we’re grateful for this opportunity to celebrate our strong relationship.”

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