Time Line - May

Danish Naval Historical Time Line

Events marked with a indicates, that the day is also a Danish National or Military Flag Flying Day.

May

1st

1869

Søkadetakademiet (Naval Cadets Academy) is moved to Nyboder, the name is changed to Søofficersskolen (The Naval Academy) at the same time.

1st

1993

Marinestation HOLMEN (Naval Station Holmen) is established at Nyholm, Copenhagen. First commanding officer is Captain H. Fink-Jensen.
The Naval Station will support the Naval schools at Nyholm and Søværnets Materielkommando (Naval Material Command) at Arsenaløen.

2nd

1960

Naval Base KORSOER is inaugurated.

5th

1945

Liberation of Denmark
- The German forces in Holland, Belgium, Northern Germany and Denmark surrenders on May 4, and the occupation of Denmark is ended on May 5, 1945.

5th

1945

The patrol boat HAVKATTEN and the other ships from The Danish Flotilla takes part i the transfer of the Danish Brigade from Helsingborg, Sweden to Helsingør.

7th

1937

Following the new legislation for the Navy, the Coastal Command is separated from the Naval Base.
Commander s.g. Paul Ipsen becomes the commander of the Base Department of the Naval Base Copenhagen.

7th

1966

The cutter SKARVEN runs aground and is completely lost at Mjovanes, Suderoye, The Faeroe Islands.

8th

1625

King Christian IVth's War Articles issues the first known regulations for flying the Naval Ensign and Colors of Command.

44Read more on the Naval Ensign

8th

1848

Paddle Steamer HEKLA and 6 Gun Boats commanded by commander Steen Bille attacks German field artillery at Fredericia.

9th

1864

The Battle of Heligoland
Nordsøeskadren (The Danish North Sea Squadron), consisting of the frigates NIELS JUEL and JYLLAND, and the corvette HEIMDAL, commanded by Captain Edouard Suensson, beat an Austrian squadron of the frigates SCHWARZENBERG and RADETZKY, and the 3 Prussian paddle steamer gunboats PREUSSISCHER ADLER, BLITZ og BRASILISK, commanded by Linienschiffskapitän von Tegetthoff.

11th

1902

Cruiser VALKYRIEN, guard ship at the West Indies, Captain H. P. Holm, participates in the rescue work after the eruption of the volcano Mont Pelées at Martinique on May 8, and saves 567 people.

12th

1810

Squadron of 4 brigs, commanded by Commander Johannes Krieger, fights the British frigate TRIBUNE outside Mandal, Norway.
The British frigate is forced to flee the scene.

15th

1980

During a stay in London, the offshore patrol frigate HVIDBJØRNEN receives the first one of the new LYNX helicopters, ordered for the Royal Danish Navy.

23rd

1809

20 gunboats, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Ulrich A. Schønheyder, attack a large British convoy in the "Storebælt" (Great Belt). The escort is made of 5 ships-of-the-line and 2 frigates.
The frigate MELPOMÉNE has to be returned home for scrapping.

25th

1923

A demonstration of a phosphorus generator is held on board the cruiser GEJSER, Commander Godfred Hansen; more than 50, mostly officers are wounded, when an explosion occurred. - 1 officer later died from his wounds.
44You can read the complete story here

28th

1962

The first ALOUETTE III helicopter is delivered to the Naval Aviation Detachment. The helicopters are planned to serve on board the offshore patrol frigates of the HVIDBJØRNEN Class.

29th

1961

The frigate NIELS EBBESEN, commanded by E. T. Sølling, Commander s.g., arrests the British (Scottish) trawler RED CRUSADER on fishery patrols off the Faeroe Islands.
In the morning of the 30th, the trawler tries to escape the arrest, despite the Danish boarding team still on board the trawler.
NIELS EBBESEN starts firing blanks to stop the ship, as the ship continuous to flee, live ammunition are fired to stop the trawler. RED CRUSADER managed to escape back to Britain, releasing the Danish boarding team before getting ashore.

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

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This page was last updated: April 18, 2005

This page was first published: August 11, 2002