[49] Although the regular Norwegian armed forces in mainland Norway laid down their arms in June 1940, there was a fairly prominent resistance movement, which proved increasingly efficient during the later years of occupation. The bombing raid destroyed the recently constructed improvised airstrip, the radio station and 420 of the town's 760 buildings, killing 15 people and leaving a further 5,000 homeless in the process. [39] By 18:30 the British ships were making their way out of the now cleared fjord. The first German air attacks on Harstad began on 16 April, but anti-aircraft defences prevented serious damage until a raid on 20 May destroyed oil tanks and civilian houses and another raid on 23 May hit Allied shipping in the harbour. [16][59][83] For the remaining weeks of the Norwegian Campaign Troms was the de facto capital of Norway, as the headquarters of the King and cabinet. While my friend visiting Oslo wept at the monument the young Norwegian lady tour guide put her hand on his shoulder and said, we have not forgotten. The Germans had launched Operation Juno to relieve pressure on the Narvik garrison and, after discovering the evacuation, shifted the mission to hunt and subsequently sunk two British destroyers and the aircraft carrier Glorious. The two met on 15 April to determine the best course of action. Planned as Operation Wilfred and Plan R 4, while the German attack was feared but had not yet happened, the battlecruiser HMSRenown set out from Scapa Flow for the Vestfjorden with twelve destroyers on 4 April. No damage was inflicted by the attack, but the German group's strength was reassessed as being one battlecruiser,[note 2] two cruisers and ten destroyers. The village of Veblungsnes and the area around ndalsnes train station suffered particularly heavy damage. 263 Squadron RAF with Gloster Gladiators and No. The signatories of this agreement, the last local capitulation of Norwegian troops during the campaign, were General Eduard Dietl for the Germans, and Lieutenant Colonel Harald Wrede Holm for the Norwegians. [17], Following this, the Germans sent strong protests to Norway. [86][87] The force consisted of the 24th Guards Brigade, led by Brigadier William Fraser, and French and Polish units led by Brigadier Antoine Bthouart. On 21 February, General Nikolaus von Falkenhorst was placed in charge of its planning and in command of the land-based forces. The Norwegian government rejected the German ultimatum regarding immediate capitulation. Additionally, Churchill cancelled Plan R 4 and ordered the four cruisers carrying the soldiers and their supplies to disembark their cargo and join the Home Fleet. Genocide of European Roma (Gypsies), 1939-1945 Its about the Shetland Bus and the efforts of an British trained agent and fisherman and the Resistance combating not only the Germans, but vicious actions of Norwegian Henry Oliver Rinnans Norways #2 war criminal. 10,262 Norwegians A total of 10,262 Norwegians lost their lives in the conflict or while imprisoned. When in Kirkenes last year, as I walked around a bit some of the members of the Hurtigruten we were on came up out of the safe cellar after a visit mentioning how interesting it was. 1,604 were listed as wounded. [81][82], By 28 April, with both groups checked by the Germans, the Allied leadership decided to withdraw all British and French forces from the southern and central regions of Norway. When they arrived at the harbour itself they found five German destroyers and opened fire, starting the First Battle of Narvik. When train was gone, my father was alone at night, in the freezing wind (with only light shirt on) in the middle of nowhere. Now I know Grandpa Fossum wasnt kidding. One of the most significant theatres in the early days of the war and in fact Germany's first defeat in the war came in Narvik. There was a lot of . How Many People Died In World War 2 | World War 2 Casualties [103] The 62-day campaign made Norway the country to withstand a German invasion for the longest period of time, aside from the Soviet Union. In response to this, they ordered the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla, mostly consisting of ships previously serving as escort destroyers for Operation Wilfred, to engage. My heroes unregognized and unappreciated by WW 2 scholars (?). He was involved in construction of the bunkers where the giant Nazi guns were located. Gruppe 5 continued into the Oslofjord and cleared the outer batteries without incident. The Danish county governor and the Faroese parliament Lgting governed the islands for the duration of the war. Shortly upon his arrival from Norway in 1995, he visited me for a day and showed me a huge article in the norwegian newspaper with his and his commander photos. For Gruppe 6 at Egersund and the paratroops at Stavanger, there was no significant opposition and they quickly captured their objectives. We all saw it in the whole family, the Nazis were brutal, and made them all suffer trauma they were never the same. First was the importance of the iron ore from Sweden upon which Germany depended that was exported through the Norwegian port of Narvik. Not all was lost for the Allies though, as the repulsion of the German Gruppe 5 in the Oslofjord gave a few additional hours of time which the Norwegians used to evacuate the Royal family and the Norwegian Government to Hamar. For the Allies, in particular the French, this was based on a desire to avoid repeating the trench warfare of the First World War, which had occurred on the Franco-German border. The last year of the war saw an increase in sabotage actions by the exile government-aligned Norwegian resistance organization Milorg, although the organization's main goal was to retain intact guerilla forces to aid an Allied invasion of Norway. Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin hosts girl, 8, at Kremlin in publicity Among the warships sunk in action during the campaign were two coastal defence ships and two destroyers. The Soviet Union suffered the highest number of fatalities of. However, with the exception of a small number of special forces, it saw little action for the rest of the war. Our children and grand children need to hear these stories. About 900 Jews were able to escape to Sweden with the help of the Norwegian underground. [37], Soon after this, the German landings at Trondheim, Bergen, and Stavanger, as well as the skirmishes in the Oslofjord became known. 24 of those were torpedoed twice, 5 were torpedoed 3 times. In the Battle for Kvam on 25 and 26 April, the British managed to delay the German advance for two days of heavy fighting. Setnesmoen was bombed and knocked out by the Luftwaffe on 29 April. In order to secure the Skagerrak strait between Norway and Denmark, the air bases in Denmark had to be seized. Poland's dead at between 5.6 and 5.8 million. Can anyone help me please? The Germans only broke through the Norwegian lines at Haugsbygd the next day after employing panzers for the first time in Norway. After the fall of Norway, Scotland (especially the fleet bases at Scapa Flow and Rosyth) were seen as much more vulnerable to a diversionary assault by air- and sea-borne troops. The cruiser Ltzow, also damaged in the attack and believing Blcher had entered a minefield, withdrew with Gruppe 5, 19km (12mi) south to Sonsbukten where she unloaded her troops. There was the informal transport system between Scotland and the west cost known as the Shetland Bus. The German invasions for the most part achieved their goal of simultaneous assault and caught the Norwegian forces off guard, a situation not aided by the Norwegian government's order for only a partial mobilization. My dad was one of a few survivors after 3 and half years in pow camp while his mom and sister had to put up with the German occupation of our farmthe stories of how they survived is a legacy to my amazing Bestemor and Tante Ellen! Norwegian Civil Resistance of the Nazi Occupation: 1940-1945 The Occupation of Norway - History Learning Site Weeks after the end of the Norwegian Campaign the Germans pressured the presidency of the Norwegian parliament to issue a request that Haakon VII abdicate. By the standards of World War Two, the fighting in Norway during the invasion was far from extreme. The Norwegian forces' almost complete lack of anti-aircraft weapons allowed the German aircraft to operate with near impunity. And its no joke, so I really want the history to be fresh again with as much of the suffering explained since the USA, only veterans know the dangers firsthand. The attack on the city was in part carried out to mask from the Germans the Allies' intention of leaving Norway. The capture of Aalborg Airport was considered particularly important in this respect.[34]. [1], Having evacuated from Molde during German air attacks on 29 April, King Haakon VII and his government arrived in Troms in northern Norway by 1 May. On 21 and 22 April Steinkjer was bombed by the Luftwaffe, leaving four-fifths of the town in ruins and more than 2,000 people homeless. In addition to the German landings in south and central Norway, the Admiralty was also informed via press reports that a single German destroyer was in Narvik. The Norwegian government's concern for the country's supply lines played an important role in persuading them to accept the agreement. [1][21][49][91] Shortly after the 28 May Allied recapture of Narvik, the city was bombed and heavily damaged by the Luftwaffe. Although they ambushed the leading German units south of Mosjen they were outmatched by the German main body and were withdrawn to Bod, which was to be defended by the 24th Guards Brigade. Let's take a look at this important time in the history of Norway. Many people know the outline of what happened in Norway during World War Two. History of Europe - WWII, Atomic Bombs, Nrnberg Trials, and Iron [1] Significant damage was done to Admiral Hipper's starboard side, and Glowworm sank. Warburton-Lee's ships made three passes on the enemy ships, being joined after the first by Hotspur and Hostile, and sank two of the destroyers, disabled one more, and sank six tankers and supply ships. [66] After the Luftwaffe bombed and severely damaged Voss and the surrounding countryside on 2325 April, inflicting civilian casualties, the Germans captured the town on 26 April. It was to be presented as an armed protection of Norway's neutrality. On 15 May the troop ship MSChrobry carrying the 1st Irish Guards was bombed, with heavy casualties to the troops, and two days later the cruiser HMSEffingham went aground while carrying much of the equipment of the 2nd South Wales Borderers. [115] Two German battleships and two cruisers were damaged during the campaign. [43] The Norwegian authorities were only informed of the decision on 1 June. Though ten German destroyers had originally taken Narvik, only five remained in the harbour, with three others moving North and the remaining two going west. When he was told, German, Grandpas comment was, Hrumph! However, neither country mounted significant offensive operations and for several months there were no major engagements, and this period became known as the Phoney War or "Twilight War". Norway caught between two monsters: Stalin of Soviet Socialist Russia, and Hitler of National Socialist Germany. [111], Aside from the regular Norwegian forces, the main armed resistance movement in Norway, the exile government-controlled Milorg, fielded some 40,000 combatants at the end of the war. My grandfathers 6 years at sea too, would be nice to have the full story of each allied mission, his capt logs, and to honor all we lost and who survived, but paid fully. Norwegens has very Good defence against to German s invasion during World war history ll.Now l wish to added something.For my opinion Every country must have its own plan against to any attact from many anamys country. While Norway remained neutral in World War I, the Second World War was a different story. Today is May 08. Is it possible that someone knows what RAF Squadron did the drops and is there a picture somewhere of the canister that was used? It had 1000 ships and was the worlds largest shipowner. Several of the units facing the German advance were led by officers especially selected by Ruge to replace commanders who had failed to show sufficient initiative and aggression in the early days of the campaign. With both sides unaware of the magnitude of the situation, they proceeded as planned. It is heart-warming to know this part of history and the brave souls who endured such times. The force landed on 14 April and managed to block the rail and road network in Central Norway for five days before being forced to surrender to the Norwegian Army on 19 April. This decision was approved by the Admiralty in a telegram that night. On learning of the German movement, the Admiralty came to the conclusion that the Germans were attempting to break the blockade that the Allies had placed on Germany and use their fleet to disrupt Atlantic trade routes. Finnmark and the northern parts of Troms county had been forcibly evacuated by the Germans in a scorched earth operation following the PetsamoKirkenes Offensive by the Red Army against occupied Finnmark in October 1944. While there were also several naval task groups organized for this invasion, none of them had any large ships. The number of civilian deaths in China alone might well be more than 50,000,000. The Nazis were surprised when their guns would fall into the water. [1][114] Two torpedo boats and 15 light naval units were also lost during the campaign. Means of pursuit [ edit] The pursuit took many forms, both individual and organised. Thousands of people were displaced which caused them to flee to the cities and stressing the already shaky rationing and housing systems. Several of the smaller German ships then broke off in order to capture the bypassed fortifications along with Horten. In Norway, the German plan called for the capture of six primary targets by amphibious landings: Oslo, Kristiansand, Egersund, Bergen, Trondheim and Narvik. As HMS Cossack entered the fjord at 22:20 local time, the Norwegian vessels did not intervene when the British boarded Altmark in the late hours of 16 February. [117], The Norwegian and Allied casualties of the Norwegian Campaign totalled around 6,602. [1][114], The greatest cost of the campaign on land came in the need to keep most of the invasion troops in Norway for occupation duties away from the fronts. [40], The Royal Norwegian Navy and Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) were re-established in Britain based on the remnants of forces saved from the Norwegian Campaign. Norge entered into the fray shortly after and began to fire on the destroyers, but her marksmen were inexperienced and she did not hit the Germans ships before being sunk by a salvo of torpedoes from the German destroyers. Narvik in 1940: The Battle for Northern Norway - Life in Norway And, abandoned by allies. In the Ofotfjord leading to Narvik, the ten German destroyers of Gruppe 1 made their approach. I am really enjoying the broadcast in the United States of The Atlantic Crossing when Crown Princess Margaret escaped through an Arctic port in Finland to America. Hatledal had approached Ljungberg on 5, 6 and 8 April, asking the defence minister to request the cabinet issue orders for mobilization. [28][29][30], At about this time, further north, Renown was heading back to Vestfjord after reaching Glowworm's last known location and not finding anything. At least 6 million Jewish men, women, and children, and millions of others, died in Hitler's extermination camps. By 12 April, they were in range of Narvik and an aerial attack on Narvik from Furious was attempted, but the results were disappointing. How many Norwegians died in ww2? This was one of those times! Blcher, leading the group, approached the forts assuming that they would be taken by surprise and not respond in time, as had been the case with those in the outer fjord. They had been members of the Norwegian national socialist party, Nasjonal Samling, who sympathized and collaborated with the Nazis. [117], The combined total loss of merchants ships and transports for the Allies and Norwegians was around 70 ships. Have you considered after writing to submit your book to Movie producers? Per Norwegian neutrality regulations, government ships operated by the warring countries were forbidden from such strategically important Norwegian ports. The principal belligerents were the Axis powers Germany, Italy, and Japan and the Allies France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China. By 1945, in a . British 700,000 military casualitits and 60,000 civilian deaths. Toby. To the south of the city Polish troops advanced eastwards along the Beisfjord. On 3 July Haakon VII turned down the request, and on 8 July gave a speech on BBC Radio proclaiming his answer. I am studying nutrition. Hnefoss was the first town to fall to the advancing German forces. Battle of Stalingrad | History, Summary, Location, Deaths, & Facts In the course of this operation, there were some minor skirmishes with German rear guards and patrols. On 2 May, four of these companies were formed into "Scissorsforce", under Gubbins, and dispatched to forestall the Germans at Bod, Mo i Rana and Mosjen. Learning Objective Assess the losses and damages of World War II Key Points World War II was the deadliest military conflict in history in terms of total dead, with some 75 million people casualties including military and civilians, or around 3% of the world's population at the time. The German offensive aimed at linking up their forces in Oslo and Trondheim began on 14 April, with an advance north from Oslo towards the Gudbrandsdalen and sterdalen valleys. How many Norwegians died in World War 2? This plan was quickly changed though, as it was felt that a direct assault on Trondheim would be far too risky and therefore only the northern and southern forces would be used. Thousand of men and women were eventually involved with some form of underground activity. The Germans had destroyed much of the port facilities there before their loss of the city on 28 May. [101] By 8 June, after destroying rail lines and port facilities, all Allied troops had been evacuated. Already in low-priority planning for months, Operation Weserbung[note 1] found a new sense of urgency after the Altmark incident. The German forces used in the campaign were some 120,000 troops in seven divisions and one Fallschirmjger battalion, as well as panzer and artillery units. The offensive had captured the north-eastern town of Kirkenes from the occupying German forces. World War II - Invasion of Norway, 1940 | Britannica A reinforced company from the Scotland-based Norwegian Army participated in the liberation of Finnmark during the winter of 194445. I would also like a picture of the radio as well, or am I asking too much? Despite the Gestapo infiltrating and destroying many of the early organizations, the resistance movement survived and grew. Thus, my kids and grandkids might feel the spirit and courage of Norwegians and foreigners, including their grandfather, serving in the Resistance. He wiuld pass a Russian worker prisoners camp and try to help the starving men by throwing some food he had oner the fence when guards werent looking. Although the weather did make reconnaissance difficult, the two German groups were discovered 170km (110mi) south of the Naze (the southernmost part of Norway) slightly after 08:00 by Royal Air Force (RAF) patrols and reported as one cruiser and six destroyers. Though neither side inflicted notable damage, the German ships were running low on ammunition and were gradually pushed back to the harbour. He believed that the Norwegian ports would be of crucial importance for Germany in a war with the United Kingdom. Based in Trondheim, we are Norway's English language publishing company. Human and material cost Learn about Allied and Axis leaders, the Allied invasion of Normandy, and the dropping of atomic bombs See all videos for this article There can be no real statistical measurement of the human and material cost of World War II. Svein, I have read that up to 50% of the oil transported for the Allies was done by the Norwegians. I have read that they had some limited access to potatoes. World War Two: An Overview - World War Two and the Holocaust - BBC When she began the return journey to Germany, she carried 299 prisoners taken from Allied ships sunk by the Graf Spee. 38.8% (6,332,000) of U.S. servicemen and all servicewomen were volunteers. Again, the story goes that after his death the town made the sauna an historical site. Officially, roughly 8.6 million Soviet soldiers died in the course of the war, including millions of POWs. Do you know if they had access to rice? Legal purge in Norway after World War II - Wikipedia At the end of the war some 2,700 personnel served in the RNoAF. Small fishing vessels helped ferry goods and intelligence officers between Scotland and occupied Norway under the cover of darkness. By 20 April three British half-battalions had moved as far south as Fberg, near the town of Lillehammer. Another great problem for Mauriceforce was the lack of air support and effective anti-aircraft defences, something of which the Luftwaffe took full advantage. Hardy was severely damaged and beached, and Warburton-Lee was killed. Reading Berlinby Antony Beevor.There are many mentions of the Nordland division ,fighting with the Nazi Germans at the end.No doubt, if any of these survived the Russians they would have been tried with treason in Norway at least. We have family in Oslo and visit very often from our home in the USA. The Norwegian Army had around 60,000 trained soldiers, with 3,750 troops per regiment. This led the Royal Navy to send one light cruiser and five destroyers that were patrolling nearby. Around 50,000 Norwegians were found guilty of treason after the war. [1], This article is about the World War II campaign. My Grandparents migrated to Australia in 1928. A German Uboat picked him up and he ended up in Africa where he contracted malaria. Shelters and blackout curtains became a part of everyday life. Many of the German soldiers from the wreck were rescued by Norwegian fishing boats and the destroyer Odin. In the Trondheimsfjord, Admiral Hipper engaged the defensive batteries while her destroyers sped past them at 25 knots (46km/h). Some of these seaman were torpedoed on different ships up to four times. In all 118 warships had been under Norwegian command at one time or another during the war years. There is good in the younger generation. [12] This policy caused a rise in anti-German sentiment throughout Scandinavia, since it was commonly believed that the Germans were allied with the Soviets. The broadcast does not sugar coat the Nazi sympathies of the Swedish king, her own uncle. Meanwhile, the Germans launched the remainder of their invasion force. Who died more in ww2? Fears began to crop up in the German high command that Norway and Sweden would then allow Allied troops to transit their territory to go to Finland's aid. He even did not know, in what country he is, and where to go. Fire bombing had killed up to 500,000 people, destroyed 67 Japanese cities and left 5 million people homeless. Although the soldiers were ordered to behave properly towards the civilian population in Norway, they had the authority to control and the right to arrest people they thought to be suspicious. The naval 330 Squadron and 333 Squadron flew Northrop N-3PB patrol bombers, Consolidated PBY Catalina and Short Sunderland flying boats and de Havilland Mosquito fighter bombers. I hope you wrote that book. During these three days, low cloud prevented the Luftwaffe interfering. By the end of May 1940, the British government and military withdrew from Norway completely. Other German units broke through the Valdres and sterdalen valleys, in the former case after heavy fighting and an initially successful Norwegian counterattack. World War II portal Subcategories This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total. [3], This presented an opportunity to the Allies; offering them the potential to utilize the invasion to also send troop support to occupy ore fields in Sweden and ports in Norway. The damaged cruiser was sunk by a salvo of antiquated, 40-year-old torpedoes launched from land-based torpedo tubes. Its one weak area in the whole campaign was that many German troops had to be landed by sea and the control of the sea around Norway's coast was vital. [14] Meeting Quisling was central in igniting Hitler's interest in bringing the country effectively under his control. On 27 January, Hitler ordered that a new plan, named Weserbung, be developed. German military dead and missing at 5.3 million. The total for Europe alone was 15 million to 20 millionmore than twice as many as in World War I. By early 1940 their 6th Division in Finnmark and Troms fielded 9,500 troops to defend against a potential Soviet attack, positioned mostly in the eastern regions of Finnmark. [98] The improvised air strip which had been hit during the 27 May air raid fell into German hands, providing the Germans with an air base much closer to the Narvik fighting, and was of great significance for their continued advance northwards. [55][62][63] The soldiers of the 4th Division managed to repulse the initial German push along the Bergen Line railway line connecting western and eastern Norway. My father was from Feoy Norway where the Germans had an outpost but was also a strong resistance presence. - Answers Subjects > Humanities > History How many Norwegians died in World War 2? Burnt cars and blown-out windows are on show as firefighters attend the scene. The captured Vrnes Air Station near Trondheim was rapidly expanded and improved to provide the Luftwaffe with a base from which to support the Narvik sector. World War II | Facts, Summary, History, Dates, Combatants, & Causes The girls mother said there were already to many grieving mothers. How many Albertans died in ww2? - ruggedthuglife.com although this might be too late, id be more than happy to read up on it. Id like to read more about the actual story my family on that side has all passed, I think the Norwegian fishermen helped the UK a lot? He was starving without food, day after day, he widen this small hole in the cars floor (covering it with a hay during the check time), until it became wide enough to slip into. Do you have any information on Melvin Litland? During the night of 9/10 April, the submarine HMSTruant intercepted and sank the light cruiser Karlsruhe shortly after she had left Kristiansand. This German air superiority in the area led the British to decide that all southern regions had to be left to submarines and the RAF, while surface vessels would concentrate on the north.[1]. The Nortraship vessels were crewed by 27,000 sailors. Along with the Allied landings at ndalsnes and Namsos, aimed against Trondheim, further forces were deployed to the north of Norway and assigned the task of recapturing Narvik. I am thinking of writing the story of my grandmother and aunt who had to put up with the German soldiers who occupied our little farm while my dad was a prisoner of war in Japanas many Norwegian sailors were as their merchant marine ships were bombed the day after Pearl Harbor! [94], As the Germans advanced northward from a railhead at Mosjen, the garrison of Mo i Rana (a mixed force based on the 1st Scots Guards) withdrew on 18 May, too precipitately in Gubbins's opinion. The Norwegian Army Air Service's Jagevingen fighter flight based at Fornebu Airport resisted with their Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters until ammunition ran out and then flew off to whatever secondary airfields were available. Why Narvik? Because some forces were needed for both invasions, Weserbung could not occur at the same time as Gelb, and because the nights, which provided vital cover for the naval forces, were shortening as spring approached, it therefore had to be sooner.

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