Norwegian National Day

Sir Winston Churchill’s Great-Granddaughter Reports from London

By JENNIE CHURCHILL

LONDON—I was thrilled to be invited to attend Norwegian National Day on 17 May in London by His Excellency Tore Hattrem, Norwegian Ambassador to the UK and The Very Rev. Svein Arne Theodorsen, Rector and Senior Chaplain Interim at the Norwegian Church. On a sunny London day there was a magnificent gathering of many hundreds from the Norwegian community at their beautiful church in St Olav’s Square, Rotherhithe, London.

This year makes eighty since the Second World War ended. Rev. Theodorsen conducted the service. During the sermon, he honoured all people who fought for our freedom through five difficult years of war and then expressed gratitude to Sir Winston Churchill in remarks that included extensive quotes and commentary.

After the Church service, we moved to St Olav’s Square, where the ambassador and I both made speeches and laid a wreath at the monument of King Haakon VII. It was a great honour to be celebrating this day with Norwegians in London and remembering those who fought so bravely for freedom.

While the Norwegians suffered five longs years of Nazi occupation Sir Winston said, “their ships still sailed the seas and carried the vital supplies, right under the noses of the U-boats and this was one of the great contributions to final victory.”

Svein’s grandfather, we learned, was a sailor in both world wars. He gave thanks for the thirteen boys who one night in December 1941 left his hometown Farsund in a vessel called Viola bound for England to fight for the freedom of Norway. One of them, radio telegraphist Gabriel Salvesen took part in Special Operations Executive (SOE). He was captured and killed by the Germans in Northern Norway. Such is the price of freedom

I am most grateful to Allen Packwood and Andrew Riley at the Churchill Archives at Churchill College Cambridge, which contains Sir Winston’s papers as well as a world leading collection of twentieth-century history and is an invaluable source of research and learning.

These papers include telegrams between King Haakon on 9 May 1945 and Prime Minister Churchill’s reply. Also preserved is Sir Winston’s great speech to the thousands who went to hear him speak at Oslo’s City Hall in 1948. This speech still sadly resonates in today’s world.

I thank you Norway, it was a great honour and privilege for me to be with you for these important celebrations of remembrance.

The International Churchill Society is represented in Norway. For more information, please contact Hans Frode Kielland Asmyhr at [email protected]

Bulletin #205 — Jun 2025