A last call has been made for local input for a soon-to-be published book which is to document a fascinating part of East Renfrewshire’s wartime history.
“From Open Door to Open Arms, The Neilston-Norwegian WW2 Saga” is a pictorial history written and compiled by local historian and secretary of Neilston War Memorial Association Matt Drennan.
The book shares the story of the rescue of more than 500 homeless Norwegians from the German-occupied island of Soroya in February 1945 and follows their delivery to the refugee camp in the Kingston/Double Hedges Road area of Neilston via Murmansk in Russia.
Veterans from England, the USA and refugee families from Norway have all shared their stories for the new publication.
Matt is calling on anyone locally who has any memories or family stories of the Neilston camp to also get in touch.
He told the Barrhead News: “The book is the first time the entire story has been written in full, documenting the rescue in its entirety.
“It documents the rescue from Norway and the delivery to Murmansk Russia for the refugees to be placed on the Arctic Convoy RA64 bound for Scotland.
“It also documents the convoy’s route home attacked by German submarines and Luftwaffe, through the foulest weather ever seen in WW2, that Winston Churchill called the ‘worst journey in the world’."
“The convoy reached Gourock on February 28, 1945 with the Norwegian refugees all safe, but at a great loss of live to their rescuers," he added.
“The book lists the rescued, what huts they lived in at the camp, where they were sent to do war work by the authorities and the day-to-day lives for the rescued Norwegians in Scotland until they returned home to Norway in September 1945 to restart rebuilding their destroyed communities.”
Among those who have contributed to the book is American sailor Dick Burbine, who spent nearly three hours in the sea after the sinking of the American liberty ship, the SS Henry Bacon, which was carrying 19 Norwegian refugees.
The last allied ship sunk by the Luftwaffe in WW2, 27 of its crew members died, many giving up their places in the ship’s lifeboats to save the refugees they had only met days before and, at least in the case of chief engineer Donald Haviland, for a younger crew member.
“I am in contact with the family of one of the American crewmen lost, Donald Haviland, and his story is so humbling,” explained Matt. “Donald scanned the deck of the sinking ship from the safety of the lifeboat and shouted to a younger crew member.
“Hae you, you're a young fellow, I have lived my life, it won't matter so much if I don't get back.
“He then bravely left the lifeboat and climbed back onto the stricken ship giving his place of safety in the lifeboat to a 17-year-old mess-boy Robert Tatotsky from New York.”
The book also features the memories of Norwegian Tormod Nystad who together with his parents and six brothers and sisters made it to Neilston after being evacuated from Soroya where residents had spent months living in caves and under upturned boats as the Nazi’s destroyed their village and homes.
Recalling his arrival in Scotland and his time in Neilston, he said: “At the quay, we were met by double-decker buses. This was truly quite an attraction for us. We barely had seen cars in our lives.
“Later during our time in Neilston, several of us Norwegian children often rode local buses. The friendly drivers would let us ride for free.
“The Scottish climate was pleasant to us northerners. On one occasion, several of us children took a swim in a local pond not too far from the camp we stayed at. I clearly remember that.
“This must have caused some astonishment among the locals since this was in March. However, the weather was pleasant and resembled a summer day in Northern Norway.”
Tormod and his wife Anita visited Neilston in 1998 together with several other evacuees.
They took a look at the remaining barracks and learned more at the local library about the camp which was visited by British Foreign secretary and future prime minister Anthony Eden in March 1945.
Soroya mayor Eva Danielsen Husby is to write a greeting for the book.
Did your family live in the camp after the war? What were the conditions like? Do you remember the Norwegians in Neilston? Get in touch with Matt by emailing matthew.drennan@sky.com.
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