Hello Billy!

My name is Jostein Jakobsen and I live in Trondheim, Norway. For 14 months in 1969 - 1970 I sailed on the norwegian OBOtanker Vardefjell ( Olsen & Ugelstad,Oslo ). One of the two captains we had in that period was Magnar M. Andreassen. He sailed as boatswain on SS Ravnefjell during the whole WW2. He is mentioned in Peder Kr. Nilsens excellant book about the ship.
For about ten years ago I found Nilsens book in a second-hand bookstore here in Trondheim. I read the book and recognised the name of the boatswain. With help from a friend in the local police, I found that mr. Andreassen was still alive and that he lived in a home for retired seamen in Stavern, Norway. I also found his phonenumber and the same evening I had a long and interesting talk with the old captain.
During my time at sea in the 60's I sailed with many "war-sailors". They were between 40 and 50 years old at that time, but many of them still had very bad memories from the war. I often woke up at night by someone screeming in the cabin next to mine. But it was not untill I read Nilsens book about SS Ravnefjell, that I understood what theese men had been through.
I guess that the book is only in norwegian and that is a shame, because it is the best book that I have ever read about the life at sea during WW2.

Jostein Jakobsen