Hands Across the Hills. A song about Shetland Bus operations during World War Two. In 1943 a whaling vessel called the Brattholm and its twelve man crew sailed 900 miles from Scalloway in Shetland to Troms in Norway with explosives aboard to blow up German supplies and organise a resistance network. On landing, the sailors made contact with a reputedly trustworthy local merchant who wasnât the man they thought he was and betrayed them to the Germans. A warship swooped, the Brattholmâs crew blew her up in an act of self defence, and all aboard ended up in the surrounding icy water. They swam ashore but only one man, 25-year-old Jan Baalsrud, evaded capture. With a bullet-wounded foot he set out on an 80-mile journey across icy mountains and water to reach freedom at the neutral Swedish border. He was helped by people in occupied Norway who put their lives at risk by giving Baalsrud shelter, food, clothing and transport. He was delivered into Sweden on a Lapp reindeer sled, having survived snow-blindness, gangrene, frostbite, being buried alive for five days in an avalanche, and losing most of his toes. After ten weeks of recuperation he recovered and a few months later flew back to England to report for duty. His achievement became legendary and King Olaf V of Norway sent an inscribed wreath of flowers to his funeral. His ashes were buried in the same grave as one of the men who helped him in Norway, and an 80-mile trek along his escape route takes place each July over nine days, a tribute to his helper. Order your signed CD of this song before 10th December at clairewhiteshetland.bandcamp.com . . . . #shetlandbus #janbaalsrud #norway #shetlandislands #scalloway #troms #shetlandfiddle #shetlandsong #clairewhite #robbieleask #inspiredbyshetland @promoteshetland @shetlandheritage #shetlandforwirds #lassestrustinprovidence #sweden #thetwelfthman #guitar https://www.instagram.com/p/BqzZKhPAt15/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=h8y17rejxqvu