Born: 1895, Kristiansand, Norway Died: 1927, between Cape Cod, USA, and Newfoundland, Canada
Omdal started at the Navy’s flight mechanic school in 1916 and was accepted two years later as a conscript pilot trainee at its flying school in Horten. He received his pilot’s licence in 1919, and in 1921 was hired by Roald Amundsen for a planned flight across the Arctic Ocean as part of the Maud expedition.
The first leg of Amundsen’s plan was to fly a newly-purchased Junkers-Larsen aircraft from New York to Seattle, but this ended on the ground all too soon and the aircraft was destroyed. Omdal, Amundsen, and the others on board emerged unscathed, but when a new aircraft was delivered it was transported to Seattle by train.
In autumn 1922, Omdal and Amundsen left the Maud in Wainwright, Alaska, in preparation for an attempt to fly to the Pole from there in the Junkers. They established winter quarters and named the hut Maudheim, but Amundsen left for Nome in November and Omdal would spend the winter alone. Several newspapers later printed Omdal’s accounts of his solitary experience: “Christmas Eve in the black loneliness,” read one headline (click on the image to read the newspaper online at the National Library of Norway📜).
Although Amundsen returned in spring 1923, the Junkers aircraft was damaged during flight-testing in May 1923 and no further attempts were made.
Omdal with local people in Wainwright. Photo: Follo museum, MiA / National Library of Norway.
In 1925, Omdal was again with Amundsen on an expedition, this time as mechanic on board N 24, one of two Dornier Wal aircraft that headed north from Svalbard on May 21. They didn’t make it to the North Pole this time either, but the following year Omdal joined the flight of the airship Norge, from Svalbard over the Arctic Ocean via the North Pole to Alaska.
Omdal ready to depart with N 24 from Ny-Ålesund in 1925. Photo: Norwegian Polar Institute / National Library of Norway.
Omdal was given a job at the Navy’s flying boat factory after the Norge expedition, but was soon granted two years leave to assist in the planning of the American Antarctic expedition of Richard Byrd, for which he would be a reserve pilot. While in the United States, he met Frances Wilson Grayson, who wanted to become the first woman to fly over the Atlantic Ocean. But her first two attempts, in the Sikorsky S-36 Amphibian she had acquired for the purpose and named Dawn, failed. When her pilot declined to make a third attempt, Omdal stepped in. So on 23 December 1927, Omdal, Grayson and two others took off from Long Island, New York, heading for Newfoundland, where they would refuel before crossing to London. The departure was captured on film.
Last seen off Cape Cod around two hours out, the Dawn never reached Newfoundland. Fragmented radio messages suggested they had come down at sea, perhaps off Nova Scotia, but an extensive search found no trace of aircraft or crew.
While the search operation was going on and hope faded, Roald Amundsen was interviewed. To the Danish newspaper Politiken, he said of Omdal, “He is one of the few absolutely beautiful characters I have met in my life, and he is an excellent aviator, who was fully up to the task he was assigned. If it really has gone wrong, it is not because Omdal was not up to the task, but because things must have happened that were unpredictable.» 📜
After Omdal’s death at the age of only 32, a short biography about his life was published: Marineflyveren som blev polarflyver (The Navy pilot who became a polar flyer).
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage, 1903-06. A tinted photograph of him hangs in Amundsen’s home.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog together with Amundsen in 1922 where they lived until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Betty was one of the key women in Amundsen’s life. She was the nanny when he grew up, and when Amundsen moved to Svartskog, she joined him and moved into the gatehouse, which became “Betty’s house”.
Eivind Astrup became one of the world’s most experienced polar explorers of his time and a great role model for Roald Amundsen. He chose to end his life when only 24 years old.
Roald Amundsen had strong feelings for Kristine Elisabeth “Kiss” Bennett. She visited Uranienborg several times, but even though Amundsen transferred ownership of it to her, she never moved in.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog with Amundsen in 1922 and lived there until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Sigrid Flood Castberg, often called “Sigg”, was one of the women Amundsen had a relationship with. But when Amundsen proposed, she was already married and wanted to wait, and when she was ready he wanted…
Håkon Hammer met Roald Amundsen in Seattle in 1921. He quickly became a collaborator and supporter, but was later named by Amundsen as one of the reasons for his personal bankruptcy.
Participated in the Maud expedition, but left the expedition in 1919, together with Peter Tessem. Both perished. What really happened to them is still unknown.
The Alaska Inupiaq called Elizabeth Magids “Queen of the Arctic”, Amundsen’s crew referred to her as “the mysterious lady”. Amundsen called her “Bess”. She went to live with Amundsen in Norway in 1928….
Participated as a research assistant on the Maud expedition, and as a meteorologist on the Norge expedition. Died on Umberto Nobile’s airship expedition in 1928.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a window in Amundsen’s home.
Nobile was the airship engineer whom Amundsen criticized after the expedition in 1926. During the search for his wrecked expedition in 1928, Roald Amundsen disappeared.
Joined the Maud expedition after visiting the ship in Khabarovsk. Also participated in the Norge expedition, but was left out from the actual voyage across the Arctic Ocean.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of her hangs in Amundsen’s home.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a door in Amundsen’s home.