Norwegian Naval disaster

"In the early morning of 1 November 1965, the two Norwegian destroyers, H.Nor.M.S. Bergen and H.Nor.M.S. Stravanger were on their way to an annual exercise in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, streaming down the Minch. The crossing of the North Sea had been very rough and hence they were behind the estimated arrival time. However, in the Minch the sea was much calmer and the officer in duty increased the speed to 26 knots. Entering the Sea of the Hebrides, the conditions worsened, but the speed was not decreased.

"Just south of Vatersay, at 8am, a wall of water developed. Bergen was in front and ran straight into it. The result was that four of the crew ended up overboard and were killed and the ship itself become wrecked. Stravanger, who was behind, got away with the after shock only. After the compulsory search, only one for the crew members was found. The sea kept the other three and gave them a wet grave.

"The exercise was abandoned and the ships returned to Norway where the damage to the Bergen was confirmed and it was scrapped in 1966 and dismantled in 1967. Although the story was in all the newspapers at the time, it seemed later that the Royal Norwegian Navy wanted to ‘forget’ the whole episode and it is not mentioned in the Naval history books."

As told by Kirsten Marie Klepmo and Fred Rolland from Egersund, Norway

Fred Rolland served onboard Bergen and Kirsten Marie’s husband served on Stravanger at the time of this tragic episode. They both lost their partners to cancer at the same time and finding each other helped comfort them in their grief. Talking together brought the memories back and they travelled to Vatersay to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the accident. To commemorate they threw flowers into the sea to remember the four that lost their lives.

Collected as part of the Barra Bunting, an island guestbook represented in flags.

More information on visiting the area can be found here.