BAMSE
The heroic mascot of the Free Norwegian Forces during the Second World War
Bamse was the Heroic mascot of the Free Norwegian Forces during ww2, he was also the highest decorated dog of Norway. Bamse was born in 1937 in Oslo and was a short time after his birth bought by the Norwegian captain Erling Hafto, witch at the time was the captain of the Norwegian Whaler which went by the name Thorodd. Already from an early age he took Bamse with him on the sea while fishing and other duties. When the world war broke out in 1939, this whaler “Thorodd” was requisitioned but the navy, renamed to HNoMS Thorodd and armed with weapons/cannons for its service as an patrol vessel. Erling Hafto remained captain of Thorodd and they were stationed colse to Hammerfest. A while after this, Bamse had been enrolled as a part of the crew onboard Thorodd, officially with the title “Military Mascot”. When Germany attacked Norway the 9th of April 1940, and after small happenings/conflicts (more about this in the HNoMS Thorodd article) Thorodd had fled over to the united kingdom, where the vessel was shortly after rebuilt /rearmed as an minesweeper with additional cannons and other weapons/machineguns and were stationed in the small harbour town Montrose.
One of the many things Bamse did onboard HNoMS Thorodd was to boost the moral of the crew, and for this he became really popular amongst the local civilian population of the small town Montrose. The men onboard Thorodd had even made Bamse his own special helmet, which he would be wearing in combat, and usually stand on the front gun tower of HNoMS Thorodd, this image became very popular, and a patriotic symbol as well, but the image of Bamse wearing the traditional Navy cap with the inscription; “KGL. Norske marine” became an even more iconic and patriotic symbol, which was used on post cards (Christmas, Easter etc), sort of propaganda/morale booster. the head image of this post is where he was wearing the cap. below here is the special helmet that was made for him.
Bamse became well known for some of his deeds, which one of were to drag ashore and save the life of a sailor which had managed to fall overboard, and the other where a fight had broken out, and one man of the crew of HNoMS Thorodd was being attacked with a knife, Bamse had pushed the attacker overboard and into the sea. He was also said to have broken up fights among the crew, by jumping up and putting his paws on their shoulders, forcing them down on the ground until they had calmed down (let me point out he was a St. Bernard and his weight were around 100kg). he was also given other tasks such as to round up the crew and return them to the vessel in time for duties, something which he was good at. He also had been given his own buss pass/permit which they had attached to his collar, as he would by himself travel by the bus from Broughty Ferry Road down to Dundee to collect men from their favorite pub “The Bodega Bar” and return them to their vessel HNoMS Thorodd. And if he did not find any of the crew here, he would all by himself travel back to his base at the harbour.
On 22 July in 1944 Bamse met his fate, on the dock at Montrose he suffered an cardiac arrest and died, and he was buried with full military honors with hundreds of servicemen and civilians, both of the Norwegian navy and the Allied, From Dundee and Montrose that attended his funeral. He was in later years also given an statue, and every 10 years he is being honored by by the Royal Norwegian Navy with a commemorative ceremony.
He was for his deeds awarded the Norwegian “dog order” (Norges Hunderorden) and The PDSA - “People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals” gave him the “PDSA Gold Medal” and made him an official Allied Forces Mascot.
I believe that this could be a very nice candidate for a new profile picture in War Thunder, giving some variety in the available pictures and ad the same time, honoring this legendary ship’s dog Bamse
LIFETIME STATS
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Breed: St. Bernard
Born: 1937 in Oslo, Norway
Died: 22 July 1944 in Montrose, Scotland
Years active: 9 February 1940-22 July 1944
Occupation: Military mascot
Employer: Royal Norwegian Navy
Awards: Norges hundeorden & PDSA Gold Medal
ALBUM
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SOURCES
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Bamse (dog) - Wikipedia
Skipshunden Bamse – Wikipedia
Krigshelt på fire bein
Bamse er Norges mest legendariske hund - Historie
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Til_Dovre_Faller