Hello, 
the topic of a weekend history lesson.
I took this photo this year on 17 May from our window. before the start of the annual procession celebrating constitution day. the statue is of Petter Wassel Tordenskiol, the most famous military hero in norway. this group called the Tordenskiolds soldiers. were gathered at his statue is a fife and drum corps dressed up in the uniforms of the time of Tordenskiold. they give tribute to him as part of the local celebration of the holiday.
This statue was made by the most famous norwegian sculptor, Gustav Vigeland.
This statue facing towards to sea is located just 40 meters distance from our house on top of a small hill The great historical personality took the name Tordenskiold whuch means Thunder Shield, He was a Norwegian nobleman and an eminent naval flag officer in the service of the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy. in those days our town, then called Fredriksvern, was home to the main naval station.
He was born in Trondhjem Norway in 1690. He was a troubled child and didn't like the school system .he ran away from home and landed on a Danish ship and tried to become a naval cadet. but was not successful. But through some connections, he started his naval career and spend his life for
Norwegian-Dano navy and ranked vice admiral because of his service in the great northern war with Sweden. He destroyed the supply of the fleet of Charles XII of Sweden at the Battle of Dynekilen.
He died in a duel in 1720 with one Swedish navy serviceman at age of 30 but will always be fondly remembered, especially here in our town.
Thank you.
