Margit Johnsen
Bust in bronze remembering Margit Johnsen, the most decorated female war sailor during WW II in Norway.
Margit was born in Ålesund on March 21st, 1913. She was used to the sea, so it was natural for her to pick this as her workplace.
She signed on to M/S Tudor from the shipping company Wilhelm Wilhelmsen as a parlour maid, and when the war broke out in Norway, the ship was in the Mediterranean. During a few hours, the existence was turned upside down for all onboard, and in only a few weeks, they were in the middle of the inferno that was the war at sea.
Tudor was torpedoed on the port side, and sunk by the German submarine (U48) on June 19th, 1940. The crew managed to board the four lifeboats lowered, and the survivors were later picked up by the British escort ships HMS Arabis and HMS Calendula, and put to shore in Plymouth.
Margit was not frightened by this dramatic experience, and she signed on as a parlour maid on M/S Talabot soon after.
In May 1941, she was in a convoy to Malta, but in March 1942 the situation was extremely precarious on Malta. It was necessary to bring in new supplies for the population and military equipment to the military.
Captain Albert Toft on M/S Talabot was fully aware that the ship would experience an extremely risky voyage to Valetta on Malta from Alexandria (also called the suicide convoy), and due to this offered Margit to sign off in the harbour of Alexandria before departure. He promised her two months’ pay and hospitalization, and that she would be able to board again as soon as the ship returned from the raid.
But the persistent woman from Ålesund chose to stay on board, and answered the captain: ”If my boys are going to die, I want to be there with them. It should not be more difficult for me to die than it is for them.” Both the captain and the Norwegian consul who had advised her against joining the voyage admired Margit for her stand. And with her courage and composure, she was a glittering example for everyone else. This was a great and important strength for the moral on board.
Margit’s story is told in the seafaring and war literature as an example of women’s contribution during WW II. She has been given the honorary name ”Malta-Margit”, and sailed during the entire war. She returned to Ålesund in December, 1945, and continued sailing abroad until 1960. Margit died on July 20th, 1987.
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