Saturday 5 December 2009

The Heroes of Saxa - 1968

There was a tradition of celebrating the longest day - midsummer - at Saxa Vord. In 1968 a crisis occurred when the North of Scotland Shipping Companies ship the Earl of Zetland failed to deliver an expected consignment of beer just before the Airmen's Midsummer Dance. This was in the days before the RoRo Ferries and a round trip to Lerwick usually took 3 days. The Camp was out of beer!

Four heroes came to the rescue. Taking a small boat they set off to Lerwick on their mercy mission. They travelled through the night and most of the next day, arriving back at Baltasound just before the start of the Dance with a valuable cargo. The four crew were:

Cpl Aves
Cpl Hawker
Cpl Palmer &
Cpl Pope

They were not mentioned in the New Years Honours List - no justice in the world!

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