Shape and inscription

The stone, which has a prism form and a rectangular base, tapers off at the top, which is rounded. The sides at the base are 75 by 32 centimetres and the height is 310 centimetres. It is erected on a square, concrete foundation, with one/two steps. Around the foundation, the ground is prepared for flowers.

Inscription and names

At the top of the memorials the years 1940-1945 are engraved, then the names in alphabetical order, with the year of birth and death (the ten from Husøy parish are here in bold type), and at the lower end: REIST I TAKKSEMD * AV BYGDEFOLKET (erected in gratitude by the people of the community)

EVENSEN SCHRØDER 1906 - 1944 * GEITERØY ANDREAS 1919 -1943 * GÅSVÆR PEDER 1921 - 1942 * HJØNNEVÅG BIRGER 1920 - 1942 * HOP JON 1922 - 1940 * INDREVÆR OLAV 1920 - 1943 * KVALVIK EINAR VALTER 1914 -1943 * KVERHELLEN SVERRE 1906 - 1943 * NOTØY HARALD 1922 - 1943 * SANDVIK LEIV 1910 - 1941 * STEINSUND LEIV 1919 - 1942 * STRØMMEN SØREN 1906 - 1943 * TROVÅG SJUR 1906 - 1943 * UTVÆR OLA 1911 - 1944 * YTRØY JAKOB 1912 - 1942 * ØDEJORD PETTER 1918 - 1943

Met death in different ways

Three of them died in one and the same incident: Sverre Kverhellen, Sjur Trovåg, and Magnus Kvalvik. In 1943, they were onboard the "Brattholm" sailing into the Toftefjord in Troms to land a Linge Company unit. They were betrayed, and taken prisoner on 24 March. They were sentenced to death and executed by shooting some days later, at the shooting range near Tromsø. After the war they were buried in Solund.

Somewhere in the sea-lane of Ytre Steinsund, the tortured prisoner Schrøder Evensen jumped out of the wheelhouse and overboard from the Gestapo vessel at speed in the evening darkness, and thus he took his own life. 18-year-old Jon Hop was the first war victim from Solund. He was shot to death when the Solund fishing vessel "Fremad II" came under fire in the Sørfjord. The others were sailors in the North Sea and in other foreign shipping trade.

"Their names shall be engraved in stone!"

The vicar of Solund during the war, Hjalmar Storeide from Hjørundfjord, took the initiative to have a visible memorial erected over the fallen. In collaboration with the bailiff Johannes Mathiesen and a few others from Solund, Storeide had in deep secrecy taken part in the resistance work during the war years. As early as in the autumn of 1945, Storeide wrote a letter of invitation, describing the purpose and asking people to give generously, for a memorial. In the letter was written that Their names shall be engraved in Norwegian stone, and stand there as a testimony of what they sacrificed, and what hundreds of others in our community were willing to sacrifice.

Overwhelming response

16 trusted men set out across land and sea, visiting every household in the municipality with collection lists in their bags. The response was overwhelming.

Some communities thought they had been harder hit by the war than others, and for this reason no agreement was reached as to the location of a memorial. But since the collection raised so much, it was possible to have memorial stones erected on each of the three churchyards. This solution was met with satisfaction by all. The company Herm. Eikner A/S Bergen supplied the stones and erected the stone as well.

There were actually twenty war victims in Solund, but the deeply tragic mine incident at Indrevær was regarded as more of an accident. Four young boys lost their lives there on 25 November 1940.

Unveiling ceremony at Straumen

On 20 June 1948, a day with a clear sky and a light northerly wind, all the flags in Solund were hoisted. The beautiful memorial stones were pretty in their places, one in each churchyard.

The unveiling ceremony took place in Husøy church at Straumen. Major Danielsen came from the navy base of Marineholmen in Bergen, which added to the importance of the day. People from the community contributed to the program. The next of kin of the fallen, invited guests, and representatives of the municipality were treated to a meal in the schoolhouse at Straumen.

On every 17 May, there is a dignified remembrance ceremony, and wreaths are laid at all the three memorial stones. They are also central elements on various memorial occasions, and often form the backgrounds in pictures taken at different church functions.

The ten from Husøy parish - biographies in the series Våre falne (our fallen)

GEITERØY, ANDREAS, fisherman, Solund. Born 13 March 1919 in Solund, son of Johannes E. Strømmen, born 1885 in Solund, and Oline née Wåge, born 1885. Went to England 1941 on fishing vessel. Joined Navy into special service in traffic between Norway and Shetland. Perished en route to Norway with weapons when the MK Feirøy was wrecked in storm, probably in June 1943.

HJØNNEVÅG, BIRGER, seaman, Solund. Born 17 May 1920 in Solund, son of Anton Hjønnevåg, born 1892 in Solund, and Hansine, born 1890 in same place. Course on training ship. Went to sea 1939 and worked as sailor in the merchant fleet during the war. Died 3 June 1942 when the SS Nidarnes was torpedoed in the Gulf of Mexico, en route from New Orleans to Cristobal.

INDREVÆR, OLAV KRISTOFFER, cook, Solund. Born 29 January 1920 in Solund, son of Ole Jensen, born 1883 in Solund, and Kristine née Nilsen, born 1882 in Herdla. Was onboard the SS Norhauk, and perished 21 December 1943 when ship hit a mine at the mouth of the Thames, on way to London.

KVALVIK, EINAR VALTER, fisherman, Solund. Born 7 March 1914 in Solund, son of Johannes O. Kvalvik, born 1879 in Solund, and Matilde née Unneland, born 1883 in Gulen. One year secondary school. Was during war conscripted deckhand in Norwegian Navy. During special mission on Norwegian coast he was taken prisoner 27 March 1943 near Tromsø and was executed by shooting in Tromsø a short time later (same mission as Sjur Trovåg, see below).

KVERHELLEN, SVERRE ODD JOFRED, fisherman, Solund. Born 25 April 1906 in Solund, son of Bernt Kverhellen, born 1870 in Solund, and Karina née Sørensen, born 1870 same place. Marriage 1930 in Solund with Agnes Johanne Johannessen, born 1906 in Bergen. Five children. Fishery school, school for sea mate. Went to England 8 April 1942 on his own fishing vessel, reported for service in Norwegian Navy. Was on special mission off Norwegian coast, was taken prisoner 27 March 1943 in Tromsø and executed by shooting about one week later. Buried in Solund (same misson as Sjur Trovåg, see below)

NOTØY, HARALD HÅKON, fisherman, Solund. Born 27 July 1922 in Solund, son of Martinus S. Notøy, born 1893, and Oline née Birknes, born 1896, both in Solund. Went with six others to England in fishing vessel 8 April 1942, and joined Norwegian Navy as conscripted deckhand. Perished on special mission off Norwegian coast in June 1943.

STRØMMEN, SØREN JOHAN, machinist, Solund. born 3 March 1906 in Solund, son of Ole Johan A. Strømmen, born 1878, and Serine née Ytreøy, born 1878, both in Solund. One year secondary school, school in woodwork. Took part in war in Norway in spring 1940 and went to England in open boat August 1941, with one brother and two sisters. Served in Navy on minesweeper Harstad, and lost his life when boat was torpedoed in the English Channel 27 February 1943. Buried in London. Referred to in Norsk Tidend (newspaper) in London 10 March 1943, and in Morgenavisen (newspaper) 24 August 1945.

TROVÅG, SJUR OLAI, fisherman, Solund. Born 26 December 1906 in Solund, son of Ludvig Bertelsen Trovåg, born 1867 same place, and Anna Sofie, née Leirvåg, born 1872, died 1938, same place. Took part in the war in Norway in April/May 1940. Went in spring 1942 to England on MK Laila, and joined Navy as deckhand. In 1943, he was onboard MK Bratholm, which entered Toftefjorden to land a unit of Linge Company. They were informed on, taken by surprise by Germans and taken prisoner 29 March at Ribbenesøy. Was sentenced to death and executed by shooting some days later at the shooting range near Tromsø. Buried in Solund (Jan Bålsrud managed to escape).

UTVÆR, OLA MARTHIN, fisherman, Solund. Born 3 February 1912 in Solund, son of Peder Johannessen Utvær and Bertha née Kvalvik. Went with ten others to England 4 April 1942 on MK Laila. He reported for service in Norwegian forces, and was assigned to fishing vessel to provide fish supplies. Contracted tuberculosis and died 12 August 1944 at hospital in England.

ØDEJORD, PETTER BERNTIN, rifleman, Solund. Born 23 May 1918 in Solund, son of Gabriel B. Ødejord, born 1887 in Solund, and Bertha née Olsen, born 1892 at Fitjar. Courses by correspondence. Went to England on fishing vessel Stenborg autumn 1941 with 12 friends. Joined the Navy and was trained as rifleman. Was on SS Novasli until he was taken ill. Died 9 December 1942 in Norwegian hospital in Edinburgh. Buried in Solund.