The act of remembrance often begins with small gestures. For the North Fylde Group Armed Forces Covenant community, those gestures have grown into a sustained commitment to honour every serviceman laid to rest in Fleetwood Cemetery.
Several years ago, Martin Poole, North Fylde Group Armed Forces Covenant Officer and WM of Royal Oak Lodge No. 5919, began a tradition with a group of former service colleagues: each year, close to Remembrance Sunday, they placed a small wooden cross and poppy on every war grave in the cemetery.
In the early years this was painstaking work. Many graves were difficult to locate, some unmarked, others fallen into disrepair. Yet the determination of the volunteers never wavered. Their dedication ensured that no fallen serviceman, regardless of nationality or circumstance, was forgotten.
It was during this ongoing work that a request arrived from Norway. Mrs Maureen Blair, local historian, councillor, and curator of an online archive dedicated to Fleetwood Cemetery, had been contacted by a Norwegian gentleman seeking information about a wartime casualty; Bjarne Juel Egedius Hansen. Working together, Martin and Maureen combined their knowledge and research skills. They located Bjarne Hansen’s resting place in Section H, Grave 85, a grave purchased in 1941 by the Norwegian Vice Consul.
To their surprise, it remained unmarked, save for a small ground level marker. The discovery highlighted once again the importance of the Armed Forces Covenant volunteers and the Masonic community, whose ongoing work ensures that such stories are brought back into the light.
Born on 1 April 1902 in Horten, Norway, Bjarne Hansen served as First Engineer aboard the Norwegian tanker MV Beduin. In March 1941, Beduin sailed from Bermuda to Clydeside to join Convoy HX112, a vital but perilous crossing during the Battle of the Atlantic. As the convoy entered the Western Approaches, it came under attack from a wolfpack of five German U boats.
On 17 March 1941, Beduin was torpedoed by U 99, commanded by Otto Kretschmer, one of Germany’s most successful U boat commanders. The ship sank 215 miles southeast of Iceland, with the loss of four crew. 30 men escaped in two lifeboats. One lifeboat, carrying the captain and 19 crew, was rescued by the Aberdeen trawler River Ayr and landed safely at Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, on 19 March 1941.
The second lifeboat endured 15 days adrift in brutal conditions: storm seas, snow blizzards and freezing winds. On 1 April 1941, the Icelandic trawler Hilmir, returning from Fleetwood, sighted the survivors and brought them back to Fleetwood. Among those rescued was First Engineer Bjarne Hansen, gravely injured. Despite medical care, he succumbed to his injuries on 16 April 1941, aged 39. He was laid to rest one month later, on 16 May 1941, in Fleetwood Cemetery. Though his grave had been purchased by the Norwegian Vice Consul, it remained unmarked for 85 years.
Thanks to the persistence of the Armed Forces Covenant volunteers and the support of Fylde Masonic lodges, Bjarne Hansen’s story is no longer lost. Their work ensured that his service, his sacrifice and the extraordinary endurance of his shipmates are now firmly woven into Fleetwood’s wartime heritage. As a mark of respect to the brave Norwegian sailor, a memorial service was arranged and a dedicated bench, funded through donations from Fylde Masonic lodges, was placed at the cemetery overlooking Bjarne Hansen’s resting place. This gesture stands as a clear example of the Masonic commitment to community, remembrance and service.
The service was held, and several weeks later, once the ground had been prepared, a formal dedication took place. The ceremony was led by Rev Chris Lamb, lodge chaplain of Pro Patria Lodge No 9952 and chaplain of the Submariner Association. A reflection was read by Martin Poole, whose work through the Armed Forces Covenant had been central to rediscovering Bjarne Hansen’s story. The unveiling of the new bench, draped with the Norwegian flag, was performed by the Mayor of Wyre, Councillor Steve Nicholls.
Following the dedication, the congregation gathered at Fleetwood Masonic Hall for refreshments. Maureen Blair then delivered a fascinating lecture on Fleetwood’s long gone military barracks and surrounding areas. This occasion stands as a testament to the partnership between the North Fylde Group Armed Forces Covenant community and the local Masonic lodges. Their shared commitment ensured that a long-forgotten story of courage and endurance is remembered with dignity, and that Fleetwood continues to honour those who served, no matter how far from home they came.