Norway's War Heroes of the Air
The struggle for Norwegian freedom was not only fought from Norway and Europe. When World War II broke out, thousands of Norwegians went to the other side of the Atlantic. From there, they established the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
When Norway was attacked by Nazi Germany in 1940, the Norwegian Armed Forces established a brand new air fleet from Canada. This was the start of Norway's present-day air force.
Over 3,300 Norwegians were trained as pilots, technicians and navigators in Little Norway Camp, Canada. After training, they went to Europe to fight the Nazis from the air.
But the air missions were highly dangerous. Nearly one out of ten were killed while fighting for Norway's freedom.
Dagfinn Magne Stai made it through the war. The 100-year-old is a living piece of Norwegian war history. This is his story.
It is winter 1942. The young man shivers as he steps out onto the train platform. At this exact moment, he has just finished his long and dangerous journey from occupied Norway and a war-torn Europe. The 22-year-old has finally reached his destination: the little community of Muskoka, deep into the Canadian forests.
He is struck by the similarity to his home village in the mountains of Norway: The scenery. The forests. The enormous amounts of snow. And the freezing 30 degrees below, obviously. The steam locomotive behind him starts howling, and the train slowly pulls out of the station. As the train leaves, the snow starts swirling around him.
He is ready now. Ready to embark on a new chapter in life – in service for Norway. But little does he know how much this will change the rest of his life.
The Air Force's cradle
When Dagfinn Magne Stai arrives in Muskoka this winter day, the Nazis have already controlled Norway for almost two years. The occupation has forced Norwegian key politicians and military personnel into exile abroad. From there, they will rebuild the Norwegian Armed Forces.
To Norway, it is vital that all-Norwegian units carry out the war efforts, rather than integrating Norwegian personnel into British and US units. This is a clear symbol that the free Kingdom of Norway continues its fight for freedom.
In 1940, Norway does not have its own air force, but instead air divisions in the Army and the Navy. Now the time has come to establish the Royal Norwegian Air Force. From the autumn of 1940, the educating and training of air personnel takes place at a training camp named Little Norway, in Toronto, Canada. In the winter of 1942, the camp is moved to Muskoka Airport, 150 kilometres further north.
Throughout the war, 3,323 Norwegian air personnel are trained in Canada. One of them is Dagfinn Magne Stai, now 100 years. The modest man from the mountains quickly thrives in the Canadian forests.
"The people here were fantastic, so friendly and nice. When you entered a store, they could not do enough for you. A lot of them had sons and husbands overseas", he recalls.
Deadly and demanding
Although Canada provided a pleasant environment for the Norwegians, it was a highly challenging to undergo training in Muskoka. Dagfinn Magne Stai was trained as aircrew and navigator. During his training, he visited airports and air bases all across Canada.
"Early in 1944, when I had gone through all the training, they shipped me overseas. And I was stationed in a place called Banff in Scotland, where we had a Norwegian squadron. And I flew with them", the 100-year-old says.
The rest of the war he served as navigator on various aircraft.
"We flew on the Norwegian coast and tried to do what they do in war", he tells, without wanting to elaborate.
"We flew on the Norwegian coast and tried to do what they do in war"
Dagfinn Magne Stai
Found love
Serving for the Norwegian Air Force during World War II could be fatal. Stai survived his many dangerous air operations, but not everyone was as lucky. During the war, 309 Norwegian air personnel were killed. That equals nearly 10 per cent of all Norwegians who were trained in Canada.
A far more pleasant statistic is that 213 of the Norwegians in Canada got married there. Dagfinn was among those who found love on the other side of the Atlantic.
"Well, I got married while I was over here, to a beautiful lady. And I loved it here, and I felt it was easier for me to come back instead of making her go all the way to Norway", he explains in English.
The marriage to Grace Patricia resulted in three daughters. And eventually he became a Canadian citizen and worked as an engineer for Ontario Hydro. He has lived in Ontario ever since.
Honoured with medal
The Chief of the Norwegian Air Force met the 100-year-old in Muskoka in October 2019, as part of the Air Force's 75th anniversary. As one of the few Norwegian soldiers still alive, Stai was honoured with a medal for his efforts during the war.
"It is an incredible experience to be back, of course. The buildings and facilities that we had here are gone, you know. But when you look around here, you almost have a feeling that you are coming back to it all", Dagfinn says.
He also appreciated being awarded the medal.
"I think it is wonderful to be honoured like this, of course. I was only one of so many, that I feel a little guilty about the whole thing. Many of my friends are gone, their names are written on the wall here. But apart from that, it is a great feeling to be back."
After nearly 80 years in Canada, his mother tongue is – unsurprisingly – a little rusty. The questions are asked in Norwegian, and Dagfinn answers them in English. When asked if he still considers himself to be a little Norwegian, the 100-year-old replies smilingly:
"You could say that."
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Note: This interview was done in October 2019. Dagfinn Magne Stai died on 12 February 2021. He was 101 years old. Read his obituary here.
The Royal Norwegian Air Force in Canada
• When Norway was attacked and occupied by Nazi Germany, it became important to re-establish the Norwegian Armed Forces from abroad.
• After considering Finland, France and the United Kingdom, the Norwegian authorities decided to establish a Norwegian training camp for its air personnel in Toronto, Canada. The city's location on Lake Ontario provided the opportunity for a combined land and seaplane station.
• On 21 July 1940, the Norwegian vessels DS "Lyra" and D S "Iris" departed from Glasgow en route to North America. On board were around 120 Norwegians: military pilots, mechanics and others who were to start the establishment of what would become Camp Little Norway in Toronto.
• At the same time, air personnel from the army and navy were sent to Toronto. The camp was opened on 10 November 1940, gathering all of Norway's air defence capabilities under a joint management.
• In April 1941, the Joint Command of the Air Force was established, and on 10 November 1944, the Royal Norwegian Air Force was established as an independent defence branch.
• The Toronto training camp was operational until the winter of 1942, when it was relocated to Muskoka Airport, 150 kilometres further north. Crown Prince Olav opened the new camp on 4 May 1942, and the new camp inherited the name "Little Norway".
• A holiday and recreational camp was also built a little east of Muskoka. The camp, nicknamed "Vesle Skaugum", allowed personnel to rest and relax in between the training.
• Towards the end of the war, Norwegian authorities decided to close the camp in Canada, and move all of Norway's aircraft, people and equipment to the UK.
• Today, the remains of Norwegian military presence in Canada has more or less disappeared, and Little Skaugum and the two Little Norway camps have been sold.
• 3,323 Norwegians were trained at Little Norway in Toronto and Muskoka. Around 300 of them died during active service during the war.
• 213 of the Norwegians married while in Canada, and there are close to a hundred direct descendants of Norwegian soldiers in the country.