Secret hero

Geoffrey Armstrong was just 19 years old when he led an expedition to Norway to deliver home two members of the royal family.

He swore an oath not to tell anyone about the voyage from the Moray Firth in Scotland to Bergen - not even his own family.

Geoffrey is 84 now and pleased after all this time that the truth has come out - his memoirs have been placed in the Royal Navy Museum in Portsmouth.

"I am happy about it - it is the full story as accepted by the Ministry of Defence.

"In 1943 I was a seaman in Coastal forces - a section of the Royal Navy which operated gun boats, torpedo boats and motor launches. I had just been made a trainer for men operating such craft and now I was at Fort William.

"One June evening I was summoned by our Base Senior Officer, Commander McEwen, to go at once to his office, where my Commanding Officer was also waiting. Our SBO had just received an order from the Admiralty to take two passengers to Norway from North East Scotland.

"Two Norwegian fishing boats were to be ready by 3pm on the following day.

"We must leave Scotland by mid-afternoon the following day - with the passengers. Food and bottled water was prepared in the Base kitchens and I spent hours studying charts - which could not be taken on the boats. We were also kitted out in Norwegian fisherman's clothing."

With no preparation or information about his passengers, Geoffrey set out for Norway leading the other boat which carried the mystery male and female. Disaster struck the second vessel which meant the passengers had to be rescued and brought safely on board until they reached their destination. The journey out took 14 days, and returning home one day less.

"The passengers proved to be Royals - he was to be the next King of Norway and she was his elder daughter. Sadly both are dead and I am the only survivor on the Coastal Force side."

Geoffrey had never before met any of the other crew taking part in the expedition and he is now the only person with any knowledge of the dramatic events that took place in 1943.

He commented: "The full story is now at the Royal Navy museum in Portsmouth. My two RN colleagues came from other bases, but they alas have died, and our Senior Base Office and my CO are also not forgotten.

"The seven pages of A4 typescript can be seen - with the MOD approval letters."

Geoffrey is now resident at Arden House in Cantelupe Road and will be celebrating his 84th birthday on May 8. He has two daughters.