I am writing this review rather late, since originaly, I wasn't suppose to write it. It was my best friend Tor Pettersen, who after reading 'Neutral Shores' spoke to the author, telling him how thrilled he was to read it. Sadly, Tor passed away shortly after, so I am writing it for him.
Tor's father, Captain Odd Pettersen was in command of the Norwegian tanker 'Stigstad' torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic in 1943. It is described accurately in the chapter 'Beginning of the End'. I've heard the story of 'Stigstad' sinking before this book was published, from Tor and his two brothers, who live in Trondheim. Every detail described in the book is a true story verified by Tor, who was told about it by his father. The 34 survivors left to drift in the Atlantic in one lifeboat, originally fit for 12, their ordeal, how they had to stand in the boat since there wasn't enough space for all of them to sit, the gales, the salt water and the damage it did. They were 725 miles from the shore. After 16 days of drifting they were picked up by the Irish trawler 'Thomas Booth' and brought to Valentia Island.
Tor, who was born in 1940, did not see his father since he was born, until the end of the war. He told me that, when his father came back home, Tor run around the streets shouting to his friends 'I have a father, too!' 'Stigstad' Captain, Odd Pettersen became the Harbour Master of Trondheim after the war.
Tor and his brother decided to visit Valentia Island, to see where their father was rescued and perhaps, try to find some traces of him. I remember getting of the ferry, driving to the town where we knew the hospital was. We asked a passer by for directions. After a small pause, he pointed down the road, 'There will be a man standing there, with a stick, light clothes, you can't miss him, he knows everything'. A few minutes later, we indeed found the man, who knew everything. He went with us to one of the houses, knocked on the door, and an older lady appeared who proceeded to warmly invite us for a cup of tee. Tor told his war story. She suddenly disappeared from the room and emerged few minutes later with a small notebook, a diary. 'You are right, there it is, his name, Captain Odd Pettersen, he was badly damaged, we were worried about his legs'. She was a nurse in the hospital where the survivors were treated and she kept her nurse's notebook since the war.
There is also another small detail important to me. Captain Odd Pettersen told his son Tor, that the first ship that sent the distress signal about the sinking 'Stigstad' was the Polish war ship ORP 'Burza'. He attributed their survival to that fact, as apparently the Irish trawlers knew that there might be some lifeboats adrift.
The book reads like an exciting, fast moving story and considering the amount of historical detail, and research involved, it is quite an achievement. I can highly recommend it. It is by the way, the lady nurse from Valentia who phoned Tor, after our trip and told him about the book.
It went to Norway, too. Thank you, Mark McShane, excellent book.
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 July 2018
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- Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 December 2012
Top reviews from other countries
- liam planteReviewed in the United States on 9 July 2023
interesting book worth the money
