Hundreds attend Sergeant Hågen Skattum’s funeral

Voss. Sergeant Hågen Skattum.Photo: Marit Hommedal / NTB scanpix

Hundreds of people attended the funeral of Hågen Skattum on Friday, in Vangskirken at Voss.

 

The church was decorated with white flowers when family, friends, colleagues, and representatives from the Army remembered the 21 year old Sergeant from the Engineering Battalion.

The family had requested in advance that everyone who wanted to be present, could be. The ceremony was also transferred to Park Hotell Vossevangen, and to the military camp, Skjold, where Sergeant Skattum had been based.
It is estimated that there were approximately 800 people present.

Explosives Course

Students from the music department at Voss High School, friends of Sergeant Skattum, and Voss Ten Sing Reflex contributed several musical elements during the funeral. Among others, the song ‘An Irish Blessing’, ‘Blå Salme’ by Erik Bye, and ‘Velsignelsen’ to Ragnar Tesdal’s melody.
Sergeant Skattum lost his life during an explosives course at Mauken shooting range, near Skjold in Inner Troms on Friday the 27th of October. He was serving his first year as Sergeant.
The family visited the site of the accident

The family has visited the site where the accident occurred.

‘The whole of Hågen’s closest family have been to Skjold. We saw the place where the accident happened, and met the whole troop number, and colleagues of Hågen. We followed the Hågen back to Voss. There were a lot of strong impressions on that trip’, it’s said in a statement from the family.

‘I would like to thank the Family Skattum for the outstanding support they have shown us, and our soldiers who were affected by this tragic accident,’ said the chief of the Army, Major General Odin Johannessen, who attended the funeral.

The family has asked for time to find peace. The memorial service after the funeral was private.

©  NTB Scanpix / Norway Today