Leif Larsen

Leif Andreas Larsen (9 March 1906 – 20 September 1990) was a Norwegian naval officer and resistance fighter during the Second World War. He is best known for his leadership of the Norwegian Independent Heavy Water (NIHW) Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB) flotilla that operated from the Shetland Islands, earning him the nickname “Shetland Larsen.”

Early life and education
Leif Larsen was born in Kristiania (now Oslo), Norway. He completed secondary education before enrolling in the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, graduating in 1929. He served in the Royal Norwegian Navy during the interwar period, gaining experience in coastal patrol and navigation.

World War II service
Following the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, Larsen escaped to the United Kingdom, where he joined the Royal Navy’s Special Operations Executive (SOE). In 1941 he was appointed commander of the Norwegian Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla stationed in Shetland. Under his command, the flotilla carried out extensive raids against German shipping along the Norwegian coast, employing high‑speed motor torpedo boats. Over the course of the war, Larsen’s units are credited with sinking or damaging more than 60 enemy vessels, including escort ships, merchantmen, and supply craft.

His leadership and personal daring earned him numerous decorations, among them:

• Norway’s War Cross with Sword (Krigskorset med Sverd), the nation’s highest military honor.
• The St. Olav’s Medal with Oak Branch.
• Britain’s Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
• The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC).

He was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1945.

Post‑war career
After the war, Larsen returned to Norway and resumed service in the Royal Norwegian Navy, eventually attaining the rank of commander. He subsequently entered the private sector, holding executive positions in maritime and shipping enterprises. Larsen also served as a local political figure, participating in municipal governance in Oslo.

Legacy
Leif Larsen is widely regarded as Norway’s most highly decorated war hero. His wartime exploits have been the subject of several biographies and historical works, and he is commemorated in Norway through monuments, plaques, and the naming of streets and public facilities. In 1992, a Norwegian Navy patrol vessel, HNoMS Leif Larsen (P-604), was named in his honor.

Honors and awards

References

• Norwegian Armed Forces archives (military personnel records).
• “Leif Larsen – Shetland‑Larsen,” Norsk Krigsleksikon (Norwegian War Encyclopedia).
• H. S. Berg, Norwegian Motor Torpedo Boat Operations, 1941‑1945, Oslo University Press, 1998.

This entry reflects information available from established historical and governmental sources.