Norway WWII - YouTube, photos, links ...

??
Do you have any objections to my posts? I think the moderators of this forum move my thread if they think it is necessary ...
/Magnum
Mass of information ... whats the problem if I post info about the war in Norway?

Absolutely not, please don't misunderstand me. Thank you for taking the initiative to making any aspect of the war in Norway better known.

I just tried to suggest that some way of structuring this potentially large body of information would facilitate the understanding for readers of this thread as well as threads on similar subjects.

Please contact me if you are interested in the posting of any photos.

Best
Stormy

 

Absolutely not, please don't misunderstand me. Thank you for taking the initiative to making any aspect of the war in Norway better known.

I just tried to suggest that some way of structuring this potentially large body of information would facilitate the understanding for readers of this thread as well as threads on similar subjects.

Please contact me if you are interested in the posting of any photos.

Best
Stormy

Hi Stormy!
If you have photos from Norway WWII would it be great if you posted them to the forum, perhaps to this thread ?
/Magnum

 

NRK TV - Norske Spitfire-flygere - 70 år senere

 

Blücher - YouTube

Note 'translate' button.

 

Hi!
The end of the Battleship Scharnhorst - YouTube
/Magnum
The End Of The Scharnhorst - YouTube

 

NRK TV - Norske Spitfire-flygere - 70 år senere

Hej Stormy!
Tack för ditt (dina) inlägg!
/Magnum
Sq 331 today - F16 Low flying - Norway
F-16 low flying - YouTube

 

NRK TV - Norske Spitfire-flygere - 70 år senere

Hi
YouTube - Spitfire Sq.
Spitfire Squadrons - 331 and 332 squadrons at war - YouTube
/Magnum

 

Thank you Magnum. Interesting link. I see Independent Coy 1 thru' 5 up to 29 May 1940 but the last entry for 3 June only shows No.'s 2, 3, & 5 Independent Companies! Any advice or direction for finding out why No.1 Company was separated from the other three? The entry for North Western Expeditionary Force Shows it to be under Lt. General C.J. Auchinleck. I thought I read somewhere that the man in charge was called Gubbins???? Again any and all info gratefully welcomed!
Alan

 

Thank you Magnum. Interesting link. I see Independent Coy 1 thru' 5 up to 29 May 1940 but the last entry for 3 June only shows No.'s 2, 3, & 5 Independent Companies! Any advice or direction for finding out why No.1 Company was separated from the other three? The entry for North Western Expeditionary Force Shows it to be under Lt. General C.J. Auchinleck. I thought I read somewhere that the man in charge was called Gubbins???? Again any and all info gratefully welcomed!
Alan



Alan,
I've done a little work on Norway 1940 and whilst Auchinleck was the 'top man' the IC were under the command of Colonel Gubbins......some of the IC were more involved than others....some of the war diaries for the IC's do exist at the NA.....I will check out my notes for No 1 Company....

 

Thank you airborne medic.
I am trying to piece together and understand what my father went through during this period. I saw some pathe news reels that were obviously propaganda as they showed soldiers in pristine condition. I have read one soldiers story about how he arrived back in Greenock and disembarked wearing a woman's blouse and a raggy old pair of farmers trousers as that was all he could scrounge. My father never spoke of this until after he had a number of strokes and, as happens, short term memory is lost but long term memory is enhanced. The bits and pieces he told me sounded really horrific and confirms my view that these men in the Independent companies (taken from the TA) were signally under-equipped for the task set. He mentioned a skirmish with Germans that involved him and another acting as a rearguard as his section were making some kind of camp. He raised the alarm but his friend was blown up by (I think) an anti-tank round. When the skirmish was over and the germans apparently retreated, all he found was a boot with his friend's foot still in it! I know that this affected him deeply as he shed a tear as he told me. However, he "soldiered" on as they did in those days. I also found out from my sister that he trained at a place close to Ft. William before going to Norway, which I believe became the initial training camp for the Commando force after the Independents were disbanded.The only other family anecdote I have came from my aunt (his sister) who said that his feet were in a "terrible mess" and required substantial medical treatment. Oh yes, prior to the above story his only comment about Norway was that they blew something up and then marched for days southwards until they could be evacuated.

Anyway, any help or info will be gratefully received.
many thanks
Alan

 

Hi!
Battle for Norway - YouTube
WW II : RARE COLOR FILM : BATTLE FOR NORWAY : PART 1 OF 3 - YouTube
WW II : RARE COLOR FILM : BATTLE FOR NORWAY : PART 2 OF 3 - YouTube
WW II : RARE COLOR FILM : BATTLE FOR NORWAY : PART 3 OF 3 - YouTube
/Magnum
These are from the series "Battlefront".
Every episode focussing on one 'battlefront' in WW2.
Although spectacular footage and quick editing and fascinating heavy ahmmeyhricaiinn voice over...all b/w films are coloured in by computer.
So no original colour films.
Often the same clips are used in different battlefields (germans in russia also appear in norway..?).

It had to be said.:p

 

Thank you airborne medic.
I am trying to piece together and understand what my father went through during this period. I saw some pathe news reels that were obviously propaganda as they showed soldiers in pristine condition. I have read one soldiers story about how he arrived back in Greenock and disembarked wearing a woman's blouse and a raggy old pair of farmers trousers as that was all he could scrounge. My father never spoke of this until after he had a number of strokes and, as happens, short term memory is lost but long term memory is enhanced. The bits and pieces he told me sounded really horrific and confirms my view that these men in the Independent companies (taken from the TA) were signally under-equipped for the task set. He mentioned a skirmish with Germans that involved him and another acting as a rearguard as his section were making some kind of camp. He raised the alarm but his friend was blown up by (I think) an anti-tank round. When the skirmish was over and the germans apparently retreated, all he found was a boot with his friend's foot still in it! I know that this affected him deeply as he shed a tear as he told me. However, he "soldiered" on as they did in those days. I also found out from my sister that he trained at a place close to Ft. William before going to Norway, which I believe became the initial training camp for the Commando force after the Independents were disbanded.The only other family anecdote I have came from my aunt (his sister) who said that his feet were in a "terrible mess" and required substantial medical treatment. Oh yes, prior to the above story his only comment about Norway was that they blew something up and then marched for days southwards until they could be evacuated.

Anyway, any help or info will be gratefully received.
many thanks
Alan

Alan,

So......
Five of the ten Independent Company’s under the overall command of Colonel C Gubbins were sent as far as I am aware were sent to Norway in 1940. There had been ten of these companies formed in April 1940 and volunteers from various divisions had been called for and the results were as follows:
No.1 Independent Company formed from 52nd Lowland Division on 20th April 1940 under the command of Major J Ballantyne of the Cameronians
No.2 Independent Company formed from 53rd Welsh Division on 25th April 1940 under the command of Major H Stockwell of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers
No.3 Independent Company formed from 54th East Anglian Division on 25th April1940 under the command of Major A Newman of the Essex Regiment
No.4 Independent Company formed from 55th West Lancashire Division on 21st April1940 under the command of Major J Rimmer of the Liverpool Scottish
No.5 Independent Company formed from 56th London Division on 21st April1940 under the command of Major J Pedder of the London Scottish
No.6 Independent Company formed from 9th Scottish Division on 25th April1940 under the command of Major R Tod of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
No.7 Independent Company formed from 15th Scottish Division on 25th April1940 under the command of Major J Young of the Highland Light Infantry
No.8 Independent Company formed from 18th Eastern Division on an unknown date in April 1940 under the command of Major Rice of the Suffolk Regiment
No.9 Independent Company formed from 38th Welsh Division on an unknown date in April 1940 under the command of Major W Siddons of the Royal Welch Fusiliers
No.10 Independent Company formed from 66th East Lancs. Division on an unknown date in April 1940 under the command of Major I Robertson of the Territorial Army General List
The orders given to Colonel Gubbins were as follows:
‘Your task is to prevent the Germans occupying Bodø, Mo and Mosjöen. This you must try to do by small parties landed from the sea or dropped by parachute. Later, the Germans may be expected to advance northwards on Mosjöen from the Trondheim area via Grong. You will ensue that all possible steps are taken by demolition and harrying tactics to impede any German advance along this route. Your companies operating in this area should not attempt to offer any prolonged resistance but should endeavour to maintain themselves on the flanks of the German forces and continue harrying tactics against their lines of communications.’
The ‘volunteers’ were given limited information as to what they had signed up for, except that after some special training they would proceed overseas and in-country their role would be to harass the enemy in a mountainous country. As you might imagine various rumours flew around as to where they would be going with the Balkans, the Caucasus, Norway and Switzerland being suggested. So a few soldiers from each unit of a division was selected or volunteered and within a week or so their strength was approaching the ‘paper establishment’.
An Independent Company was to consist of 21 officers and 270 other ranks, organised into three rifle platoons. Each platoon had an HQ of one officer, one sergeant and nine other ranks and then three sections each consisting of one subaltern, one corporal and twelve men. This is not normal for a section to be ‘commanded’ by an officer- usually the job of a corporal and also normally eight men in a section. There was also a ‘support’ element for each company consisting of a LMG, a Royal Engineer and a Royal Signals section. Additionally there was an ‘ammunition’ section from the Royal Army Service Corps and medical and intelligence sections.
After some training mainly route marches and trench digging five of the ten companies moved to Glasgow at the beginning of May where No 4 Company at least boarded the Ulster Prince for the trip to Norway. Waiting for them at Glasgow were eight officers from the Indian Army who had been sent specially to advise the group on mountain warfare. Other companies sailed to Norway on the Orion, Royal Scotsman and Highland Queen
Gubbins issued some ‘advice’ to his new force and this went:
‘Your mobility depends on your requisitioning or commandeering local craft to move your detachments, watching possible enemy landing places. Keep attack from the air always in mind. Disperse and conceal, but retain power to concentrate rapidly against enemy landing parties.
Keep a reserve. Get to know the country intimately. Make use of the locals but do not trust too far.
Use wits and low cunning. Be always on guard.’

If you want any more you'll have to wait for the book!

 

Wow, Thank you airborne medic. Great info.
Alan

 

Hi!
From Wikipedia:
Operation Musketoon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
YouTube (in Norwegian)
Operasjon Muskedunder /Operation Musketoon 2 - YouTube
/Magnum

 

Hi!
Info/photos
/Magnum
Category:Norway in World War II - Wikimedia Commons

 

Hi!
I have posted this link in another thread but I post the link also here
/Magnum
World War II Aircraft wrecksites in Norway

 

Thank you airborne medic.
I am trying to piece together and understand what my father went through during this period. I saw some pathe news reels that were obviously propaganda as they showed soldiers in pristine condition. I have read one soldiers story about how he arrived back in Greenock and disembarked wearing a woman's blouse and a raggy old pair of farmers trousers as that was all he could scrounge. My father never spoke of this until after he had a number of strokes and, as happens, short term memory is lost but long term memory is enhanced. The bits and pieces he told me sounded really horrific and confirms my view that these men in the Independent companies (taken from the TA) were signally under-equipped for the task set. He mentioned a skirmish with Germans that involved him and another acting as a rearguard as his section were making some kind of camp. He raised the alarm but his friend was blown up by (I think) an anti-tank round. When the skirmish was over and the germans apparently retreated, all he found was a boot with his friend's foot still in it! I know that this affected him deeply as he shed a tear as he told me. However, he "soldiered" on as they did in those days. I also found out from my sister that he trained at a place close to Ft. William before going to Norway, which I believe became the initial training camp for the Commando force after the Independents were disbanded.The only other family anecdote I have came from my aunt (his sister) who said that his feet were in a "terrible mess" and required substantial medical treatment. Oh yes, prior to the above story his only comment about Norway was that they blew something up and then marched for days southwards until they could be evacuated.

Anyway, any help or info will be gratefully received.
many thanks
Alan


Do you have or applied for his service records?

 

Hi!
Link for the radio technical interested but the link contains other links from Norway WWII
/Magnum
LA6NCA, WWII German Radio Page

 

Very interesting stuff about the Independent Companies - my dad was in 10, posted 26.4.40. from 6/Border Regiment.

I'll look forward to the book.

 

As this is an old thread, can I ask if the book has appeared yet and if so, what is the title? My partner's father served with No 3. Independent, having been enlisted from 85th Field Regiment, R.A. under Colonel Newman. Would be very interested to read it.