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Sea Dog Bamse: World War II Canine Hero
This is the remarkable story of one of the Second World War's most unusual animal heroes - a 14-stone St. Bernard dog who became global mascot for the Royal Norwegian Forces and a symbol of freedom and inspiration for Allied troops throughout Europe. From a happy and carefree puppyhood spent as a family pet in the Norwegian fishing town of Honningsvag, the gentle giant Bamse followed his master at the outbreak of the war to become a registered crew member of the mine-sweeper Thorodd.Often donning his own steel helmet as he took his place in the Torodd's bow gun turret, Bamse cut an impressive figure and made a huge contribution to the morale of the crew, and he gallantly saved the lives of two of them. After Norway fell to the Germans in 1940, the Thorodd operated from Dundee and Montrose, where Bamse became a well-known and much-loved figure, shepherding the Thorodd's crew-members back to the boat at pub closing time, travelling on the local buses, breaking up fights and even taking part in football matches.Mourned both by locals and Norwegians when he died in 1944, Bamse's memory has been kept alive both in Norway, where he is still regarded as a national hero, and in Montrose, where a larger-than-life statue of him was unveiled in 2006 by HRH Prince Andrew. Written from extensive source material and eyewitness accounts, "Sea Dog Bamse" is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary life of an extraordinary dog.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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94 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 6, 2020
Bamse was a Saint Bernard that served on a Royal Norwegian mine-sweeper, the Thorodd, during WWII. The book has very little about the battles, it is more about Bamse's experiences. He was a such great morale booster, and actually saved the lives of two crew members. The book also gives us an insight as to how the Norwegians endured the five year German occupation.
A larger-than-life bronze statue of Bamse was unveiled by the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, on the 17 October 2006.
3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.
A larger-than-life bronze statue of Bamse was unveiled by the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, on the 17 October 2006.
3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.
March 6, 2014
Withdrawn from Llyfrgell Ceredigion Library
Dedication:
To Henry King
without whose vision and application
a statue would not have been created,
and this story may not have been told.
Opening Quote:
All knowledge, the totality of all questions
and answers, is contained in the dog Franz Kafka
Opening: The clatter of a handcart's iron-trimmed wheels on the uneven surface of the cobbled streets drew sympathetic glances from passers-by in the far-northern fishing towm.
The story of the heroic Norwegian St. Bernard dog, owned by Commander Erling Hafro, captain of KNM Thorodd.
#22 TBR Busting 2013
Prince Andrew unveils: http://www.bamsemontrose.co.uk/unveil...Want a book to interest a, say, ten or twelve year old in Northern Atlantic Atlantic WWII then this is it. The parts about Bamse are sentimental yet act as a calming effect on the facts - just like the effect the real Bamse had on his crew.
December 11, 2017
This was a very enjoyable book centering around the St. Bernard, Bamse, and his life during the Second World War. Not only does the book cover his story, but also the story of the men in the Free Norwegian Navy stationed in Scotland during the war and of the people on the Scottish home front. There is very little details of battle in the book and all stories are of Bamse's experiences and deeds during the war.
September 7, 2012
I bought this book when on holiday in Scotland last month. I started reading it when I was rather tired and only read nine pages however the next day I picked the book up and only put it down when I could not ignore the reason to stop reading. I have loved every word of this book it has warmed my heart, made me laugh and smile constantly and also cry. The story of Bamse should never be forgotten and should in my opinion be read by all. It is about a small contribution to the Second World War that a very big dog made, but he made such a difference to so many people's lives and his memory lives on in this book. A fantastic book about a true story that anybody especially dog owners would find amazing and heart warming. Please read and see for yourself what a wonderful dog Bamse was.
October 4, 2021
Well, I can't start my review with 'Well... that was dry' as someone already beat me to that. I can't remember before wanting to use that term dry on a book, but I did, and really was going to start my review off with something like that.
I love books on dogs. I really like books on dogs in the military, so thought I would like this book. Well, I guess I liked this book, somewhat...
A St. Bernard in Norway, and then Scotland was very unusual. So everyone notices the dog. And he really was a sweet and good dog. He encouraged his shipmates. He corralled them back from the pub. He helped one sailor who had someone try to rob him with a knife. He saved someone who fell overboard. I was thinking that all that I just typed was probably in the entry for him in Wikipedia. I looked, and yep, it was all there. Anything interesting was in the Wikipedia post on Bamse. I would recommend reading the Wikipedia entry but sorry, probably not the book.
The person who wrote the book really took their time writing EVERY fact they could on the dog, the actions taken with the ship, and about anyone in the crew. It seemed like they interviewed anyone still alive who had any recollection of the dog, and then put all the little stories they could find in the book. As far as the crew, you also got history on each of them. Too many details. In a good history book, you felt like what it was like to be in that time, it builds to reach some objective, you get excited leading up to an event and then feel like you are in the thick of it. I got very little of that. The best I can say is the book was short, so that made it easier to plod through it.
The most interesting details to me is the way people put shells and rocks to decorate his grave long afterward, and in the end when they collected funds to build statues in his honor. The statues are also discussed in Wikipedia.
There is a quote I like, "Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong.” — by W.R. Purche. The dog in the book was obviously a great dog. I am glad the details are down in print so that a great dog can be remembered. But this book was not interesting enough to put it ahead of most other books, real or fictional, about dogs.
I love books on dogs. I really like books on dogs in the military, so thought I would like this book. Well, I guess I liked this book, somewhat...
A St. Bernard in Norway, and then Scotland was very unusual. So everyone notices the dog. And he really was a sweet and good dog. He encouraged his shipmates. He corralled them back from the pub. He helped one sailor who had someone try to rob him with a knife. He saved someone who fell overboard. I was thinking that all that I just typed was probably in the entry for him in Wikipedia. I looked, and yep, it was all there. Anything interesting was in the Wikipedia post on Bamse. I would recommend reading the Wikipedia entry but sorry, probably not the book.
The person who wrote the book really took their time writing EVERY fact they could on the dog, the actions taken with the ship, and about anyone in the crew. It seemed like they interviewed anyone still alive who had any recollection of the dog, and then put all the little stories they could find in the book. As far as the crew, you also got history on each of them. Too many details. In a good history book, you felt like what it was like to be in that time, it builds to reach some objective, you get excited leading up to an event and then feel like you are in the thick of it. I got very little of that. The best I can say is the book was short, so that made it easier to plod through it.
The most interesting details to me is the way people put shells and rocks to decorate his grave long afterward, and in the end when they collected funds to build statues in his honor. The statues are also discussed in Wikipedia.
There is a quote I like, "Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong.” — by W.R. Purche. The dog in the book was obviously a great dog. I am glad the details are down in print so that a great dog can be remembered. But this book was not interesting enough to put it ahead of most other books, real or fictional, about dogs.
February 18, 2018
Well.... that was dry! I did learn a lot about Norway's role/contribution to WWII, & I appreciated that....& I do really like dogs, so there is that..... The writing is really monotonous/dry, I thought.....but I did learn quite a bit.
October 15, 2016
The writing wasn't world class literature but the story briefly outlined how Norwegians endured the five year occupation by the Germans during World War II. The book was a bit easier to read then many other fiction and non-fiction books about the war because it focused on a dog hero.
September 6, 2013
This story would make an interesting footnote. As a book it is tedious and I like St Bernards.
August 7, 2016
Great story for dog lovers, with a lot of interesting Norwegian history.
November 20, 2022
Not sure how to review this book. This story has been much hyped in Scotland over the years and heavily publicised, particularly in Angus.
The subject matter didn’t hugely interest me but I approached it with an open mind. The resulting book is an odd middle ground between a local folklore story you would find self published by a museum, and a lost opportunity to tie the story of Norway’s war from Scotland via the vehicle of Bamse.
This is how the story begins. The early chapters talk of the little told story of the fall of Norway as seen through the view of Bamse’s owners and the fishing communities. But the chapters which focus on Dundee and Montrose read as a series of un-corroborated and repetitive stories from those to whom the author was able to discuss the dog during the war. There isn’t enough exploration of how and when the dog became a symbol of Norwegian resistance.
The story is admirable. I believe it. But this book is a little lost. Perhaps a step too far for something that could be better told, perhaps by an exhibition or oral history project. There isn’t enough in the story alone. It would work as a vehicle or metaphor for the story of Norwegian sailors in World War Two, but this is not what it is.
On the plus side, it is interesting and eminently readable. I learned much from the discussion of how Norways war unfolded.
The subject matter didn’t hugely interest me but I approached it with an open mind. The resulting book is an odd middle ground between a local folklore story you would find self published by a museum, and a lost opportunity to tie the story of Norway’s war from Scotland via the vehicle of Bamse.
This is how the story begins. The early chapters talk of the little told story of the fall of Norway as seen through the view of Bamse’s owners and the fishing communities. But the chapters which focus on Dundee and Montrose read as a series of un-corroborated and repetitive stories from those to whom the author was able to discuss the dog during the war. There isn’t enough exploration of how and when the dog became a symbol of Norwegian resistance.
The story is admirable. I believe it. But this book is a little lost. Perhaps a step too far for something that could be better told, perhaps by an exhibition or oral history project. There isn’t enough in the story alone. It would work as a vehicle or metaphor for the story of Norwegian sailors in World War Two, but this is not what it is.
On the plus side, it is interesting and eminently readable. I learned much from the discussion of how Norways war unfolded.
September 15, 2025
This true story touches many bases: World War II history; Saint Bernard and animal companionship in wartime; Scotland and Norway historic relations; and great human interest. As a Saint Bernard owner for over 30 years this tale reinforced everything I had come to know about the breed and, as a 2nd generation Norwegian-American it was an outstanding look into my family's heritage. Not great writing but a great story indeed.
October 28, 2025
Great story of a St. Bernard that was a ship's mascot during WWII. There is a lot of geography and war history in this one, but there are also many interesting tales of the people who encountered Bamse.
If you like WWII books and/or dog books, you will enjoy this one!
If you like WWII books and/or dog books, you will enjoy this one!
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December 10, 2020War hero dog, local North East landmarks and war history - three niche areas which made it enjoyable for me but might not appeal to every reader.
May 13, 2022
Highly recommended
A must for anyone with an interest in miltary/local history. A moving account of the life of a gentle giant
A must for anyone with an interest in miltary/local history. A moving account of the life of a gentle giant
January 11, 2023
This story is one of the many reasons I love dogs. :)
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews