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Larsen, Leif Andreas

    Date of birth:
    January 9th, 1906 (Bergen, Norway)
    Date of death:
    October 12th, 1990 (Bergen, Norway)
    Nationality:
    Norwegian (1905-present, Kingdom)

    Biography

    Leif Andreas Larsen joined the Shetland Bus, the popular name for the clandestine naval operation in World War II between the Shetland Islands (Scotland) and Nazi-occupied Norway, in the Finnish Winter war.
    In total he made 52 tours to Norway and back with fishing vessels and submarine chasers, transporting secret agents, weapons, radios and other supplies.
    Larsen, known as 'Shetlands Larsen', became the highest decorated Norwegian in WW II
    After the war Larsen had a major role in organising the naval branch of the Norwegian Home Guard.
    In 1954 Leif Larsen played himself in the movie Shetlandsgjengen
    There is a statue of him by the UNESCO site of Bryggen in Bergen.

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    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)

    Awarded as a bar for on the ribbon of the first DSM.
    Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    1942

    First Swoard (1942)
    Second Swoard (1943)
    Krigskorset

    Sources

    Photo