Bamse was a St. Bernard dog who became the heroic mascot of the Norwegian Free Forces during World War II. His owner, Captain Erling Hafto, took him to sea from an early age. When the ship was drafted into the Norwegian Navy for coastal patrol, Bamse officially became a member of the crew. The ship was involved in the naval resistance against the Nazis, and when Norway surrendered, the ship was one of 13 ships that managed to escape to Britain. Bamse became famous for his kindness to children and his ability to raise crew morale. In battle, he positioned himself on the ship’s turret and wore a special custom-made helmet. He was featured in several acts of heroism, including rescuing a young commander-lieutenant attacked by a man armed with a knife, pushing the attacker overboard, and rescuing a sailor who had fallen into the water. He was also known to extinguish fights among crew members by putting his paws on their shoulders and calming them down before bringing them back to the ship. His main skill in Scotland was to retrieve crew members and escort them back to the ship in time for duty or curfew. To do this, he would take the local buses alone, and the men bought him a season ticket that they attached to his collar. Bamse would go to the bus stop at Broughty Ferry Road and take the bus to Dundee. He would get off at the bus stop near their favorite place, the Bodega Bar, and go inside to look for his friends. If she couldn’t find them, she would take the bus back to the ship. He became the mascot of the Royal Norwegian Navy and all the Norwegian Free Forces, a symbol of the Norwegian freedom struggle during the war. Bamse died of heart failure on the Montrose dock on July 22, 1944. He was buried with full military honors and his grave is located in the eastern part of Montrose Harbor. The site is maintained by local citizens. Bamse was posthumously awarded the PDSA Gold Medal, the animal equivalent of the George Cross. Also, in 2006, the Duke of York unveiled a larger bronze statue of Bamse’s life in Montrose, Scotland.
