Boy Rist

Boy Roald Rist (1 January 1912 – 16 November 1972) was a member of the Norwegian resistance movement during the German occupation of Norway in World War II. He was a naval officer, and a member Norwegian Independent Company 1 a part of Special Operations Executive (SOE). He was awarded the War Cross with sword, Norway's highest award.

Background

Rist hailed from Gravdal in Hol Municipality (now Vestvågøy Municipality) in the Lofoten Islands. After primary school, he completed (in 1929) the seaman's course on Statsraad Lehmkuhl and started serving on vessels in international trade. In 1935 he took the exams for the coastal skipper certificate, and from 1936 to 1939 he worked as a fishmonger and a farmer.

From October 1939, Rist served on , which had been mobilised to safeguard Norwegian neutrality.

Second World War When the Germans attacked Norway on 9 April 1940, Rist was still in service on Heimdal. He took part in the fighting in northern Norway. Left Tromsø 6 June, escape to England via Shetland - Scotland, Rosyth Naval Station, Edinburgh before he came over to the UK. During World War II served Rist in the Navy, where he sailed in convoy and served on Corvette and Motor Torpedo Boat (MTB). In June 1940, Rist underwent a Gunner course in Helenslee. Then he was a gunner on the merchant ship SS Marita, which went in convoy traffic between Canada and the United Kingdom. 3 trips UK - Canada - UK, convoy escort each end out to 300nmil of the coast, then unprotected except his own gun. The convoys had 50% loss on these trips. In December 1940, Rist went with SS Marita to Freetown in Sierra Leone.

Postwar Rist was working for the establishment of naval force of the Home Guard (Norway). In 1951 Rist led the nation's first Naval Home Guard courses in Reine, Lofoten. He was since then often called the Naval Home Guard father. He was head of the Naval Coast Guard in northern Norway. the Defence Medal 1940–1945 with Rosette, and the Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal from Norway as well as the 1939-1945 Star, the Atlantic Star with clasp, and the Defence Medal from Britain. He was also "Mentioned in Dispatches for bravery" by Dwight Eisenhower in conjunction with effort on D-Day and the liberation of Europe.

Krigsmedaljen stripe Medaljen for edel dåd stripe Deltagermedaljen med rosett stripe

1939-45 Star Atlantic Star w clasp BAR.svg