Memorial details

Memorial type
Board / Plaque / Tablet
District
Copeland
Town
Whitehaven
County
Cumbria
Country
England
Commemoration
Second World War - civilians
Ceremony
  • Unveiled
    Date: 19 March 2010
    Attended by: Birger Riis-Jorgansen (Danish Ambassador) and Henry Wormstrup (Mayor of Copeland)
  • Dedicated
    Date: 19 March 2010
    Attended by: Revd John Bannister, Rector of the Parish of Whitehaven
  • Show More (1)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
68123

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Current location

44
"Marina View"- The former Danish Consulate
New Lowther Street
Whitehaven
Copeland
Cumbria
CA28 7JU
England

OS Grid Ref: NX 97242 18243
Denomination: Undefined

View location on Google Maps
Description
Bronze Plaque with the flags of the UK and Denmark, an inscribed representation of a Danish fishing boat and the arms of Copeland Borough Council. After the dedication are the 1st and last verses of the fishermen's hymn "For those in peril on the sea."; on mahogany backboard. The inspiration for this memorial came from the Mayor of Copeland, Henry Wormstrup- himself the son of one of the fishermen (Eskia Wormstrup) who stayed in Whitehaven after the war. At the peak there were over 30 Danish boats based at Whitehaven. They also used other ports including Grimsby, Buckie and Fleetwood. The references provide much information about many of the fishermen who came and their descendants in Whitehaven, and the names of the boats based in the town, having been meticuously researched by Henry Wormstrup. This building was the Danish consulate until it's closure in the 1960's and was also Oldfield's shipping agency. The following men died in Whitehaven- 1. Harold Hertz. Died 27 Dec 1943 at Eden Mount Nursing Home, Carlisle (born Esbjerg, Denmark 27 Dec 1901). Buried 30 Dec 1943 Grave 6E360 Whitehaven Cemetery, husband of Bertha l Hertz of 5 Lucknow Villas, Coach Road, Whitehaven. 2. Andreas Frederiksen, Died 19 to 20 Sep 1944 (born Grenaa, Denmark 19 Apr 1899). Buried grave 6E356 Whitehaven Cemetery 23 Sep. He was found drowned, lying in the mud, in the West Harbour, Whitehaven at 0630 on 20 Sep. He had arrived in the UK in July 1944 and had come here to visit friends. On that evening he had been in the Wheatsheaf Hotel with his cousin, Eric Christiansen and left there at 2110 to return to a boat in the harbour. He was last seen in the Albert Hotel at 2145, and it is believed he fell into the dock, a victim of the blackout 3. Severin Bolther Pedersen. He was found drowned off Parton, 40 yards south of the Tanyard arch, at the high water mark at 1135 on 10 Feb 1945 and buried in grave 6E356 of Whitehaven Cemetery on 14 Feb 1945. He had been born at Esbjerg, Denmark on 1 Jan 1910. He was lodging at Mount Pleasant, Whitehaven and was single. He was mate on a fishing boat skippered by Peter C A Andersen, and had last been seen at 1830 on 9 Feb 1945 at the Golden Lion Hotel by Inan Neillson (another Danish skipper). His stomach contained fluid smelling strongly of alcohol, and he was believed to have fallen in the docks. Following a request at the inquest by the Danish Vice-Consul, Mr J Singleton, the lighting on the docks was improved. The boat was lying off the quay, so to reach the dock he had to jump off his boat to another vessel moored alongside. When last seen he had £40 to £50 in his pocket, when recovered he had just 10 shillings. On February 17 he had planned to become engaged to a local girl. It was not resolved if he had been robbed before or after death. Also in November 1943 one of the Whitehaven based boats, the ASBOE (named ASBO on the memorial stone), sank with the loss of all hands. There is a memorial stone to this incident at the foot of gravestone 6E356 at Whitehaven Cemetery
Inscription
This plaque is to commemorate the contribution of the Danish/fishermen who came to Whitehaven when Denmark was occupied/during the Second World War/Through hard work and dedication/they trawled the seas and helped feed the nation and its allies/ Unveiled by the Ambassador of Denmark/Birger Riis-Jorgensen/and the Mayor of Copeland/Councillor Henry Wormstrup/19th March 2010/ Eternal Father, strong to save/Whose Arm hath bound the restless wave/Who bides to the mighty ocean deep/It’s own appointed limit to keep/Oh hear us when we cry to thee/For those in peril on the sea/ O Trinity of love and power/Our Brethren should in danger’s hour/From rock and tempest, fire and foe/Protect them whereso’er they go/Thus evermore shall rise to thee/Glad hymns of praise from land and sea
Inscription legible?
yes
Commemorations
  • Second World War - civilians
    Total names on memorial: 0
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 0
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Undefined
    Order of information: Undefined
Components
  • Plaque
    Measurements: depth 1.5mm, height 282mm, width 395mm
    Materials: Bronze
  • Backboard
    Measurements: depth 20mm, height 297mm, width 410mm
    Materials: Wood - Mahogany
Listing information
Condition
Costs

Site: NIL
Comments: Funded by the Nuclear Decommissiong Agency. The backboard cost £27.75, the plaque £183.75
Memorial: £211.50

Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Reference
  • Whitehaven News 18 February 2010 page 11
  • More information is also at the Esbjerg Fishing Museum- Fiskeri-og Sofartsmuseet, Saltvandsakvariet, Esbjerg
  • National Archives Documents FO 371/147333, MT59/1187 to 1191, 1219, 1757; MAF 41/1488; MAF 209/33; TS 13/3834; ADM 1/12658, 15025, 15971, 16874, 18143 & 18991
  • The 10 boats originally assigned to Whitehaven in April 1940 were: Lydia II, Johanne Margrethe, Brynhild I, Ami, N.E. Bergen, Karen Marin, Anny, Carl Wormstrup, Asboe & Vidar. Up to another 30 boats (of which the names of 14 are known) eventually arrived here, as fish landed at Whitehaven fetched higher prices, due to the remote location of the port. One of these vessels was the C Risgaer- which was later requisitioned for use in the Dunkirk landings.
  • Danish Book- Fiskeriforeningen af 1942- by Af Lulu Anne Hansen
  • Danish Book- Havet en vej til frihed… Nordjyske fiskere I frihedskampen, 1940-1945 by Alan Hjorth Rasmussen, 1985
  • Danish Book: Det er Nodvendigt at Sejle-Nordsofiskert under 2. verdenskrig, by Alan Hjorth Rasmussen, 1980
  • File reference YDX 539 at Whitehaven Record Office, which is Henry Wormstrup's research file
  • Whitehaven News 1 April 2010 page 24
  • Whitehaven News 25 March 2010 page 9
  • Whitehaven News 18 March 2010 pages 25-26
  • Whitehaven News 11 March 2010, page 9

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

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