Anniversary for royal escape through Petsamo
Today we mark the 70 years anniversary for one of the many events that took place in the Northern areas of Norway, Russia and Finland during WWII. On August 16, 1940, the Norwegian Crown Princess Märtha, the Princesses Ragnhild and Astrid and Prince Harald, now King of Norway, left for the United States from Petsamo in Northern Finland on the US troop transport “American Legion” – the last neutral vessel allowed to leave Northern Europe.
 |
| USS American Legion |
Invitation from President Roosevelt
After the King and Crown Prince had to leave Norway on 7 June they felt Sweden might not be the best place for the rest of the family. They started planning for them to be relocated to the USA. US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the end of July directed that the troop transport "American Legion" should leave New York and proceed to Petsamo in northern Finland. There, she was to embark the Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, and her party, to bring them to the United States.
The transport would "likewise bring back to this country such Americans in Scandinavian countries as can be accommodated and as may not be able to return safely in any other way." Altogether 897 persons, mostly citizens of the United States, left from Petsamo on the vessel.
 |
| The Royal family taking a rest in the Pasvik valley |
The journey to Petsamo
Prince Harald, his mother and two sisters left Stockholm on August 7. They travelled north through Sweden, further to Ivalo and the Lake Inari in Finland and along the eastern side of the Pasvik valley.
In the Pasvik valley, the Crown Princess asked her driver to stop. She took the children outside and sat on the ground with them for a while, looking over to the Norwegian side of the valley. This was her farewell to Norway - for how long, nobody knew.
On August 15, the Royal Family arrived in the port of Petsamo, where "American Legion" was waiting. The next day, the vessel sailed for the United States - her neutrality shown clearly by the U.S. flags painted prominently on her sides.
"American Legion" also took on board an important cargo during her brief stay at Petsamo. The transport loaded a twin-mount 40-millimeter Bofors antiaircraft gun mounting which became the prototype for thousands of such guns built for the U.S. Navy during World War II.
 |
| Crown Princess Märtha in the port of Petsamo (NRK.no) |
Arrival in the United States
Princess Ragnhild remembers the journey across the Atlantic Ocean as terrible long and boring. The weather was bad, and the lightly loaded vessel bobbed up and down like a cork. Many people were seasick.
"American" Legion reached New York 12 days later, on August 28. The vessel was escorted the final leg of the voyage of several American destroyers. The Norwegian Royal family was taken off the vessel by a Coast Guard cutter while the rest of the passengers continued to New York Harbor.
Princess Märtha and the children stayed in the United States until the end of the war, while King Haakon and Crown Prince Olav spend the years in Great Britain. Crown Prince Olav made several trips to the United States during the war.
58 years passed before Harald visited the Kola Peninsula again, this time as King of Norway. In 1998 he and Queen Sonja visited Murmansk. The King left by boat this time as well, but now under more peaceful circumstances - on the Royal Yacht "Norge".
Post a comment
