1914–1918

Aircraft, shipbuilding and war lectures

In 1913, Roald Amundsen gets to experience his first aeroplane ride, when he sits alongside pilot Silas Christofferson for a flight over San Francisco Bay. After landing he is very excited, and the following year he completes pilot training under the leadership of Norwegian military pilot Einar Sem-Jacobsen. Amundsen is the first in Norway to obtain a civil pilot’s licence in summer 1914.

Roald Amundsen (left) during his first flight with the American aviator Silas Christofferson. Amundsen is wearing a flotation aid. Photo: Private collection.
Roald Amundsen (rear) and Einar Sem-Jacobsen in the Norwegian Army’s aeroplane no. 3. Photo: Private collection.

For his upcoming expedition across the Arctic Ocean, Amundsen realizes that the Fram cannot be used, so construction begins on a new polar ship that will be launched in June 1917. Amundsen names the ship with a lump of ice and not the usual champagne: “It is not my intention to mock the noble grape. But already now you should feel a little of your rightful element. Because for the ice you are built, and in the ice you will spend your best time, and there you will achieve your mission. With our queen’s permission, I will baptize you MAUD.”

Maud is launched in Vollen, 7 June 1917. Photo: Follo museum, MiA.

In October 1917, however, Amundsen appears in the newspapers for another reason, when he returns all his German decorations in protest against German attacks on Norwegian sailors.

To His Excellency

the German minister in Kristiania.

As a Norwegian sailor, allow me to return my German decorations – the Prussian Order of the Crown, first class, the Bavarian Luitpold medal, and His Majesty Emperor Wilhelm’s gold medal for art and science – as a personal protest against the German murders of peaceful sailors, most recently in the North Sea on the 17th of October, 1917.

Most respectfully,

Roald Amundsen

In January 1918, Amundsen travels to the front lines in Western Europe. In the spring, he will give several lectures in the United States to encourage support for the Western powers’ efforts in the war.

Photo: Follo museum, MiA

Related resources

1872
Roald Amundsen born July 16
1880
Starts at Otto Andersen’s School
1886
Jens Engebreth Amundsen dies
1887 – 1889
Polar interest aroused
1890
Starting university
1893
Gustava Amundsen (née. Sahlqvist) dies
1893
Mountain ski tour with Urdahl and Holst
1894
Hunting in Arctic waters with the Magdalena
1895
Ship’s Officer’s exam
1896
Hardangervidda with Leon
1897 – 1899
Belgica expedition
1899
Cycling from Christiania to Paris
1900
Studying geomagnetism in Hamburg
1903 – 1906
Gjøa expedition
1907
Polar bears as draft animals
1908
Amundsen buys Uranienborg
1909
The North Pole reached?
1910 – 1912
Fram expedition
1914
Amundsen becomes a pilot
1914 – 1917
1914–1918 Aircraft, shipbuilding and war lectures
1916 – 1917
The polar ship Maud is being built
1918
Maud expedition
1922
Nita and Camilla move in
1923
Uranienborg for sale
1924
Amundsen goes bankrupt
1925
To 88 degrees north
1926
Norge expedition
1927
Lecture tour in Japan
1928
Latham flight
1934 – 1935
Uranienborg becomes a museum
1938
Betty’s house burns down
2015
A chest full of photographs is discovered
2020
Roald Amundsen’s home goes digital