We are grateful to Glynis Otter for this story and for permission to use these photographs
Einar Leofred Holm was born in Oslo on 29 Jan 1919. He was joined the Royal Norwegian Navy as a young man. He served on board D/S Heilhorn a ship which had been requisitioned by the Norwegian Navy late in 1939. In June of 1940, the boat and her crew managed to escape to Iceland and therefore came under the control of Nortraship, the government-in-exile's agency for the management of all free Norwegian shipping.
In August of 1940, the boat was sent to Buckie and on the 22 August, the Banffshire Advertiser noted that 'Einar Leofred Holm' had been fined for breach of the curfew.
Thereafter the Heilhorn was transferred to Norwegian Navy submarines. Early in 1941, whilst in Blyth, Einar meet Margaret Webber. He was 22 and she was 17. They fell in love and were married.
Margaret would travel across the country to meet up with Einar wherever he was posted. Often travelling to various places around the coast of Scotland, even at one point visiting Oban. It was there Einar smuggled her into the Guest House was staying at. Margaret later described him as being "one of the lads' and had a 'cheeky' side to him but that he was a really loving, caring person. Handsome too (and he knew it)". He spoke very little English but they got by.
He was a proficient skier and during his service had been sent out on espionage missions across to Sweden/Finland towards the Russian border.
Margaret and Einar had one son (Raymond) in December 1942. Einar had originally booked shore-leave during February/March 1943, which was when his son was due, but he had to bring his leave forward due to Margaret going into labour extremely early. Einar did manage to see his son once before he returned to sea.
Einar Leofred Holm was on the Norwegian submarine 'Uredd' when it was stuck by a German Mine in Feb 1943. Einar was killed. He was only 24 and left Margaret a widow at 19 with a yound son.
In 1986, Margaret attended a memorial service out at sea in the location of where the Uredd rests. She was presented with a medal posthumously by King Olav V of Norway. Although their time together was short, Margaret loved him dearly. She later remarried and this story comes from her daughter.
Margaret spoke of Einar right up until she passed away in 2008.