ARRIVAL OF S/S HESTMANDEN INTO THE TYNE WILL COMPLETE A PERSONAL STORY FOR ONE WALLSEND MAN WITH A NORWEGIAN WARTIME LINK 00:10, 30 May 2025 A historic Norwegian warship will be sailing into

the Tyne this weekend and bringing a rare opportunity for the public to step on board - for free. The S/S Hestmanden is coming to Newcastle as part of a month-long voyage across the North

Sea to mark the 80-year anniversary of VE Day and for one local man its arrival will have a very personal significance. The ship is the only surviving cargo vessel from the wartime convoys

of both the First and Second World War, helping secure the Allied victory, and Chris Flanighan from Wallsend has a family history with connections to that time with his late grandfather,

to the city. The vessel then will be open to visitors from Sunday and during the rest of its stay which lasts until Wednesday, with times yet to be confirmed. Chris said: “When I heard the

ship was coming to Newcastle - the last stop on her UK tour - I was over the moon. It’s not just a ship visit. "For me and my family, it’s like she’s coming home.” Chris never got to

meet his granddad but has spent years learning about his story, discovering that he fled occupied Norway in his late teens and served throughout the war in the merchant navy. “He left Norway

around the age of 17 or 18 and didn’t return home until he was 22," says Chris. "Germany had occupied Norway and he was part of the convoys supplying the Allied effort from

Britain - this ship symbolises the life he lived and the risks he took.” The family are now in possession of Karluf Thorsen’s medals thanks to a 'twist of fate' in recent years and

Facebook post which revived his story. Chris says: “A medal had gone missing, one that my grandfather should have received. “With the help of a contact in Norway, we eventually found out he

was entitled to not just one but three medals - the Convoy Cup, the Gunners Medal and, finally, King Harald’s Freedom Medal, which had been missing for over 40 years.” These medals were

finally presented, with a ceremony taking place at the Trafalgar Memorial in London. Now Chris feels the visit by the S/S Hestmanden completes a journey. It is also set to tighten maritime

bonds between the region and Norway. JOIN OUR WHATSAPP COMMUNITIES ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities. We have a number of communities to join, so you

can choose which one you want to be part of and we'll send you the latest news direct to your phone. You could even join them all! To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All

you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press 'join community'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages

except the ChronicleLive team. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check

out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice. Join the

ChronicleLive Breaking News and Top Stories community Join our Court & Crime community Join the Things to do in Newcastle and the North East community Join our Northumberland community

Join our County Durham community Join our Sunderland community Join our NUFC community Join our SAFC community Join our Great North Run community Join our shopping deals and bargains

community On Sunday a special service is to take place at the chapel inside Trinity House on Newcastle Quayside, which will be attended by the head of the Norwegian Seaman's Church from

London and the Dean of Newcastle. All members of the Scandinavian community and descendants of those who served in the Navy are welcome along at 1pm for a 1.30pm start. Captain Stephen C

Healy of Trinity House is proud that Newcastle is to host the ship, saying: “This historic visit reaffirms the deep maritime bonds between Norway and the North East of England. It is a

tremendous privilege to help honour the legacy of the war sailors.” The near 200ft-long S/S Hestmanden, dubbed 'the lucky ship', is considered a national treasure in Norway, being

the last survivor of the Nortraship fleet; the country's largest contribution to keeping supply lines open during the perilous wartime voyages. During the Second World War, it played a

vital role in transporting medicine, food, fuel, ammunition and weapons to support the resistance. Article continues below It also formed part of a covert flotilla of fishing boats used to

smuggle soldiers, agents and freedom fighters between Nazi-occupied Norway and Shetland and on the return trips would help evacuate refugees and Allied soldiers. It now serves as a floating

war sailors museum and during its Newcastle stay it is encouraging local schools, veterans’ groups and cadets, as well as the wider public, to visit free of charge While docked on the Tyne,

it will open between June 1 and June 4 and those who go along will be able to learn more about the merchant ship's remarkable story which included a role in daring operations along a

treacherous route famously known as the 'Shetland Bus'. They can also explore interactive exhibitions inside its hull and see the working of the 114-year-old steam engine. Among

commemorative events planned to accompany its stay will be a wreath-laying at Norwegian war graves in Jesmond on June 3 at 1pm. Small boat owners interested in being involved in the Maritime

Volunteer Service's ceremonial escort upriver of the S/S Hestmanden on Saturday can Keith Newman [email protected] for details.