In the first week of May, the Germans have taken southern Norway. But in the north the German war machine is meeting harder resistance. At Narvik, Norwegian and allied forces are close to winning the battle.
For two months they have driven the Bergjaeger, the German elite force ahead of them. They are finally ready to render the final blow to the enemy, the final push that will throw General Eduard Dietl and his men off Norwegian soil. It will be Hitlers first defeat, a defeat of great political importance far beyond the local situation in the Narvik area.
Then - suddenly- the order for the the Norwegian brigades arrives: retreat and demobilise.
Further action is meaningless. The allied units, British, French and Polish forces, numbering 24500 men is already pulled out, and on their way to England. Only Norwegian forces are still fighting the Germans. At 0545hrs, on the 8th of June 1940, Leutenenat Cournal Ole Berg, commander of the 6th Brigade passes the order on to his batalions to cease fighting. The war is over.
Victor was so close. Dietls forces was already pressed up allong the Swedish border. The German held "hill 698" was allready taken, and the Norwegian forces was about to cut of the German retreat route. The Baverian field General had to decide quickly if he wanted to avoid being taken prisoner of war by the Norwegians, along with the rest of his forces. According to his own report, he could hold out for 24 hours more, possibly 48, but still a retreat into Sweden was possible. On the Swedish side 4 trains was already in place, ready to transport beaten German soldiers.
That was the situation when the orders to lay down the arms arrived. The Chief of the Army, General Otto Ruge, shortly after recieves a report from Lt. Cournal Ole Berg concerning the cease of hostilities: - "I will never forget my batalions as they came down from the mountain. Not a word. Not a smile. Just big questioning eyes. The understood nothing, he says, and breaks down in tears....
Comment from Comsdown.: My grand dad was one of those men...
Norwegians here can read the rest of this here...quite a good article...
http://www.aftenposten.no/fakta/verdenskrig/article449063.ece
For two months they have driven the Bergjaeger, the German elite force ahead of them. They are finally ready to render the final blow to the enemy, the final push that will throw General Eduard Dietl and his men off Norwegian soil. It will be Hitlers first defeat, a defeat of great political importance far beyond the local situation in the Narvik area.
Then - suddenly- the order for the the Norwegian brigades arrives: retreat and demobilise.
Further action is meaningless. The allied units, British, French and Polish forces, numbering 24500 men is already pulled out, and on their way to England. Only Norwegian forces are still fighting the Germans. At 0545hrs, on the 8th of June 1940, Leutenenat Cournal Ole Berg, commander of the 6th Brigade passes the order on to his batalions to cease fighting. The war is over.
Victor was so close. Dietls forces was already pressed up allong the Swedish border. The German held "hill 698" was allready taken, and the Norwegian forces was about to cut of the German retreat route. The Baverian field General had to decide quickly if he wanted to avoid being taken prisoner of war by the Norwegians, along with the rest of his forces. According to his own report, he could hold out for 24 hours more, possibly 48, but still a retreat into Sweden was possible. On the Swedish side 4 trains was already in place, ready to transport beaten German soldiers.
That was the situation when the orders to lay down the arms arrived. The Chief of the Army, General Otto Ruge, shortly after recieves a report from Lt. Cournal Ole Berg concerning the cease of hostilities: - "I will never forget my batalions as they came down from the mountain. Not a word. Not a smile. Just big questioning eyes. The understood nothing, he says, and breaks down in tears....
Comment from Comsdown.: My grand dad was one of those men...
Norwegians here can read the rest of this here...quite a good article...
http://www.aftenposten.no/fakta/verdenskrig/article449063.ece
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