Bamse (St. Bernard)
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Bamse (Norwegian for "cuddly bear") (died 22 July 1944) was a St. Bernard that became the heroic mascot of the Free Norwegian Forces during the Second World War. He was the largest dog to serve on an Allied vessel, and became a symbol of Norwegian freedom during the war.
Bamse came from Honningsvåg in Norway. He belonged to Erling Hafto, the commander of the Norwegian-crewed KNM Thorudd (Whale Catcher), which was formerly a trawler but was converted to a minesweeper and stationed in Montrose and Dundee in Scotland. Bamse would wear a Norwegian sailor's cap, and he was pictured on patriotic Easter cards and Christmas cards. In battle, he would stand on the front gun tower of the boat, wearing a metal helmet. His acts of heroism included saving a young lieutenant who had been attacked by a man wielding a knife by pushing the assailant into the sea, and dragging back to shore a sailor who had fallen overboard. He had his own bus pass, so he could take the bus into Dundee, find his shipmates in local bars, and escort them home.
Bamse died suddenly in Montrose in 1944. Local schools were closed for his funeral, which was attended by several hundred children.
He was posthumously awarded the Norges Hundeorden on 30 September 1944 for his war service. In 2006, he was also awarded the PDSA Gold Medal (sometimes known as the "animals' George Cross") for gallantry and devotion to duty.
A bronze statue of Bamse by Scottish sculptor Alan Herriot was unveiled by Prince Andrew in Montrose on 17 October 2006, and his remains were transferred from their original burial site, now near a GlaxoSmithKline factory, to Wharf Street in Montrose.
[edit] Further reading
- Skipshunden Bamse og andre hunder ("The Ship's Dog Bamse and other Dogs") by Ottar Obstad (Norwegian)
