The Flight of the Vikings (Daring Escapes in Small Boats from Nazi-Occupied Norway 1940-45) by Andrew Orr (Th 60) reveals the little-known history of the brave journeys of people who risked everything to escape Hitler’s invasion. Norwegian used boats of all shapes and sizes to escape after Germany invaded their country. They also celebrated liberation in 1945 in Oslo harbour. The Nazi invasion followed an invitation to Adolf Hitler from the fascist Vidkun Quisling.
This, his second book, is published by Pen & Sword and is available from their website here https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/The-Flight-of-the-Vikings-Hardback/p/51480
At Haileybury Andrew Orr was a Prefect and CSM. He studied medicine at Bartholomew’s Hospital, London where playing in a rock group helped to support him during the long years before qualification. He became an Army doctor and was stationed in Berlin and later he served with the Scots Guards in Münster, Germany. He was then a family doctor in Montrose, Scotland for nearly 30 years, teaching, writing academic papers and journal articles. Involvement with heritage and history bodies led to the researching and writing (with his friend Angus Whitson) of the bestselling book Sea Dog Bamse, WW2 Canine Hero (2008). The success of the book was followed by appearances at the Edinburgh and Dundee book Festivals and numerous other events. From his first book lay the seeds of curiosity about the multiple small boat escapes from Nazi-occupied Norway and with the encouragement of Norwegian friends he decided to tell this story.
‘The Flight of the Vikings is beautifully written. It is also a detective story. Andrew Orr has tracked down hundreds of forgotten stories of escape from occupied Norway, and tells them with brio and an empathy born of his own experience of the North Sea.’
Professor Sir Hew Strachan CVO, FRSE, FRHistS, FBA, military historian, author, University of St Andrews
‘In this meticulous and fascinating book Andrew Orr has captured such an important slice of both Scottish and Norwegian history. These aren’t just stories of Nordic bravery and incredible survival; they are stories of the importance of a Scottish welcome on a pebbly beach or in a chilly harbour.’
Fi Glover, award-winning radio presenter, writer & journalist