A striking flotilla of historic vessels will cross the North Sea this May as part of powerful commemorations for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
The Liberation Convoy will set sail from Bergen, Norway on Sunday 4th May, arriving in Lerwick Harbour on Tuesday 6th May, weather permitting.
Five ships will take part in the commemorative crossing, including the 60-metre S/S Hestmanden, a floating museum known as the Norwegian War Sailor Museum.
From Wednesday 7th May, the ships will open their gangways to the public between 11.00am and 5.00pm, offering a rare chance to step aboard living history.
On Wednesday evening, a procession of sailors, veterans and guests led by the Lerwick Pipe Band will make its way from the harbour to Lerwick Town Hall.
A civic reception will then take place, hosted by Council Convener Andrea Manson, welcoming visiting crews and dignitaries.
VE Day itself, Thursday 8th May, will see two poignant ceremonies held to honour those who served and sacrificed.
At 11.00am, a wreath-laying ceremony will be held at Lerwick’s County War Memorial, preceded by an assembly at 10.40am.
Later that afternoon, a second memorial service will take place at the Shetland Bus Memorial in Scalloway, with assembly from 2.40pm and service at 3.00pm.
Both events will include musical tributes by Lerwick Brass Band and the Norwegian Naval Band, with short road closures expected during these periods.
In the evening, the Norwegian Naval Band will return to the spotlight for a commemorative concert at St Columba’s Kirk at 7.30pm.
Admission to the concert will be free, with donations invited in support of veterans’ charities in both nations.
From Saturday 11th May, some of the convoy will return to Norway, while others will continue on to Shetland ports including Scalloway and Baltasound.
Any vessels still in Lerwick will remain open to the public daily from 11.00am to 5.00pm.
Lindsay Tulloch QPM, Lord Lieutenant of Shetland, hailed the convoy as a powerful and moving tribute to wartime links between Shetland and Norway.
He noted that for some ships this will be their first crossing of the North Sea since World War Two and described their arrival as an unforgettable sight.
Ragnhild Bie, historian and project manager with S/S Hestmanden, expressed the crew’s excitement at sharing untold stories of bravery with Shetland visitors.
She paid tribute to the Shetland Bus operations and the close wartime cooperation between the UK and Norway, a bond that remains strong to this day.
Full details of the convoy and its schedule can be found at www.liberationconvoy.com
