A Wartime Incident in Stonehaven

By Dawn Black on 16/09/2020

(By Gordon Ritchie, first published in Stanehyve, the magazine of the Stonehaven Heritage Society, Issue 83, Summer 2012)

"The attached photograph has been in the Heritage Society’s collection for some years and although I had asked for further information, I never have been given the full story. Dr Andrew Orr from St. Cyrus spoke last season on the Sea Dog Barnse from Norway, who died in Montrose and to whom there is now a statue. He was also involved last year in the return of a fishing boat to Norway which had come here during World War II.

He obtained the following information on the Sea Plane which was a Type MF11, register number 346, used by the Norwegian Navy Air Branch. Between 9th April and 7th June, 1940, Norway was at war with Germany and this plane was on operations when it became separated from its squadron at Eidford Voss and ended up in Stonehaven. The pilot was Stein Gustavvson Abildso and the plane touched down in Stonehaven Bay on or about 25th April 1940. This was witnessed by local boy Sam Jolly, who saw it taxi-ing up on to the beach, before it was towed back to the harbour. It stayed only very briefly in Stonehaven before flying on to Helensburgh. In June 1940, a Lieutenant Torstein Diesen, who wanted to continue to fight against the Germans, flew the plane to Finland where it later fell into German hands."

Some further details have come to light courtesy of Alan Stewart of the British Resistance Archive:

"F346, the number of the plane actually arrived on the 25th of April 1940 at Peterhead Harbour a few weeks earlier. It flew from Norway and is detailed in the Press and Journal on 27th of April 1940. The crew members that arrived were Olav Johansen, Stein Abildso and Johannas Storlid. Their photo is in the Press and Journal on the 27th April 1940

The event is also captured in the Peterhead War Diary for the Naval Commander at Peterhead Harbour.

The aircraft never actually fell into German hands, it was flown to Norway and suffered enemy damage before being repaired and flown to Finland since Norway surrendered on 10th of June 1940, where the aircraft flew to Finland. With the intention of having a flight training school there, it didn’t work out so the planes were used by Finland in the war with Russia. The aircraft remained in service until 1948, but chopped up in 1950 as nobody wanted them."

Alan has a book available all about North East Scotland at war http://www.cabroaviation.co.uk/book.html

The sea plane has now been immortalised by the “Stoney Banksie” as a sculpture along the Boardwalk, alongside his Lighthouse and many boats and he has christened it “Ella”