Danish WW2 Pilots

Pvt Eigil Bernhardt Leontius Arenholdt Pedersen

(1914 - n.a. )

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Eigil B L Arenholdt Pedersen is in service in the Royal Norwegian Air Force during the Second World War.

Eigil B. L. Arnholdt Petersen is born on 6 September 1914 in Copenhagen. [1]

At Sea before the War

In his early twenties he goes to sea. On 16 April 1937 Eigil B L A Pedersen is engaged on MS MARCHEN MAERSK as waiter in Bremerhaven/Vegesack. He has been at sea for two years and he is to stay on this ship for the more than a year. On 2 May 1935 he arrives in New York from Hamburg on 2 May 1935. The vessel returns to New York from the Cristobal, Canal Zone, on 23 September 1937 most likely following a trip to South America or the North-Western coast of America. [2]

On 12 February 1938 Eigil B L A Pedersen returns to New York from San Pedro again on-board MS MARCHEN MAERSK. He is still signed on as waiter. My guess at this point is that this is a second journey to America and that the ship had returned to Denmark between September 1937 and February 1938. On July 1938 the vessel returns to New York from the Canal Zone. [3]

On 9 November 1938 Eigil B L A Pedersen arrives in New York from Cristobal, Canal Zone, on-board MS GRETE MAERSK. He has signed on this ship in Los Angeles on 24 October 1938 as pantryman. [4]

On 12 June 1939 he arrives in New York from Cristobal, Canal Zone, on-board MS ANNA MAERSK. He had been engaged as waiter on 24 January in Baltimore and is to stay on this ship for the next year. The ship returns once again from New York from Cristobal, Canal Zone, on 14 November 1939. On 13 June 1940 MS ANNA MAERSK arrives in New York from Cristobal, Canal Zone. Again my guess is that this is a second journey and that the ship had returned to Denmark between November 1939 and the German occupation of Denmark on 9 April 1940. [5]

MS ANNA MAERSK was taken over by the U.S. Maritime Commission after 6 June 1941 sailing under the name SS LOOKOUT. On 12 December 1944 it stuck a wreck and sunk in the North Atlantic. [6]

Volunteers for the Royal Norwegian Air Force

Eigil B. L. Arnholdt Petersen volunteers for the Royal Norwegian Air Force at some point – most likely in the beginning of 1941 in Toronto. He is mustered as messman with the rank of private. [7]

In November 1941 Eigil B L A Pedersen is one of two passengers arriving in Baltimore from Reykjavik, Iceland, on-board the SS TREVILLEY. The records indicate that the passenger is on their way to Toronto, Canada. The other passenger is Frithjof Glør Whist, who is killed in action on 25 April 1942, when the Northrop 3-NPB of No. 330 Squadron fails to return from operations. The crew of three is killed. [8]

This suggests that Eigil B L A Pedersen is posted to Iceland with No 330 Squadron in 1941. The squadron was established on 25 April 1941 and operated from Reykjavik, Iceland, during 1941, with detachments at Akureyri and Budareyri. [9]

Sources:

  1. Baltimore Passenger Lists, 1820-1948
  2. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
  3. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
  4. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
  5. New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
  6. www.usmm.org
  7. Ancker, 2001
  8. Baltimore Passenger Lists, 1820-1948, Knut Larsson
  9. Meyer, 1973