Norway

There will always be slightly strange people within the military. For some reason, the idea of getting your hands on global firepower than could destroy another country seems to attract some strange people. However, Norway is one of those countries that has not ended up with someone slightly odd high up in the command of a most powerful army in the world oh no. They invited him in. Or you could say they invited penguin. Because Sir Nils Olav, the Colonel in Chief of the Norwegian Royal Guard, is a penguin. A King Penguin, in fact, which is how it all started off. Back when Edinburgh Zoo was first opened in 1913, the country of Norway presented the zoo with its very first ever King Penguin by the Norwegian Royal Guard. Almost fifty years later, in 1961, when the Norwegian Royal Guard came back to visit, a member called Nils suggested that they adopt one of the penguins to be their mascot. King Olav V of Norway loved the idea, and the penguin was named Nils Olav in the two men s honour. The current penguin called Nils Olav is actually the third of that name, and was knighted in front of adoring crowds in 2008. The honour had the direct approval of the current king of Norway, Harald V, who gave a statement to be read out during the ceremony. It said that Nils Olav, the penguin, was