NORSK VACUUM OIL COMPANY A/S
KIRKEGT. 14-16-18
TLGR. ADR: ֦VACUUM″
TLF. 29965

OSLO, May 28th 1945.
POSTBOKS 24

Mrs. L.I. Gill,
1807 Oak Bay Ave.,
Victoria B.C.
Canada.

Dear Mrs. Gill,
On the 13th of May, on the very same day our Crownprince returned to Norway, I met your husband Less together with two Canadian friends in one of the main streets of Oslo. That day I think will be one of the greatest in the history of Norway. All the streets were crowded with shouting and singing people. And, really, it is hard to believe, after five years Norway was free again. Exactly 6 days after the deliverance our crownprince was able to stand on Norwegian earth once again. I too felt very lucky that day when I had seen the crownprince safe ashore, and was on my way home to have something to eat. On my way I met the Canadian officers and when I passed them I said in my best school-English something like: "Welcome to Norway". "Oh, you speak English" your husband shouted. The I replied: "Yes, I do" and in that way we started talking to each other. The two other guys seemed to have other plans for the afternoon, and left us.

As the food situation in Norway after five long years of German pressure was pretty bad, it was quite impossible f.i. to go to a restaurant for dinner. Besides on that day all that sort of places were taken over by the home guards or by the allied military authorities. So I invited him home to have dinner with my family. Less agreed to that and we then spent some pleasant hours at home eating our chickens and smoking his cigarettes. We were all very glad that he accepted my invitation, because we all wanted to talk with one of these men we have to thank for our freedom, – no matter whether he is an American, a Canadian, an Englishman, whether he serves in the air, on land or on see. However, I am very sorry to say that we could not give champagne and a more festival meal, which he really deserves. Don’t let me forget to tell you that he showed us some beautiful pictures of you and your little baby. Less himself seemed to be in the very best condition and he hoped to see you both soon. He asked med to write you this letter just to tell you that I have met him and that all is well with him. He is on a destroyer. He has not told me her name and she has left Oslo about a week ago. The crew on the destroyer in which your husband serves has up to the end of the European war sunk 26 German merchant vessels or U-boats with out having been hit by any sort of enemy fire. He celebrated the V-day – the day of the victory over Germany – on the sea. They all had an extra drink on that occasion and the bells of the ship were ringing for some minutes. – He thinks that the war against Japan will last one year at least, but I did not agree to that, because I think it will take less.

Let me finally mention one thing which made a deep impression on my family. On the following day when I unfortunate­ly happened not to be at home your husband returned bringing with him 2 pieces of soap, some chocolates and some cigarettes for me. It was very nice of him and we will always remember that.

Well, I now think I must close down simply because of lack of stuff. Cheerioh and good luck I do hope you will have your sympathetic husband back quite safe very soon.

Yours faithfully,
[signature]
Terje Sættem.