The Heroes of Telemark

The Heroes of Telemark
Kjølv Fossum

Background
The battle of Telemark was not a single battle, but rather a series of small sabotage actions performed by Norwegian resistance forces during WWII. In April 1940, Norway was invaded by Germany and it only took the Germans a couple of months to take control over the whole country. By 1942, the Germans had taken control over most of Europe, but they were still struggling to take control over Great Britain. However in 1942, the Germans became interested in the possibilities of creating the world’s first nuclear bomb, which could help them to win the war. In Norway, which was under German occupation, there was an electricity plant in Telemark near the town of Rjukan that produced “heavy water”. In the 1940’s, scientists’ believed that “heavy water” was the key to develop a nuclear bomb. The Germans demanded that the fabric should produce more “heavy water”, but the general manager of the plant Bjarne Eriksen refused to comply. The Germans then had to get experts from Germany to come and set up equipment at the plant, and Mr. Eriksen was sent to a German prison camp. The plant ultimately produced 12 ton per year which was a significant increase from its 1934 output of 1.2 tons. 
[1943: The Heroes of Telemark], [“The German Invasion of Norway, 1940”]

Operation Freshman and Grouse
In 1942, the allies were starting to fear that the Germans were close to develop a nuclear bomb with help from the heavy water. Therefore, they decided to destroy the plant. On October 19, 1942 four Norwegian saboteurs were dropped over Telemark in parachutes. This is known as operation Grouse. The four men were members of company Linge a Norwegian military unit that was established in England in 1941. The captain of the company, Martin Linge, and three other members of the company were dropped far away from the plant so the Germans would not notice them. They now had to wait for one month before they would get assistant from a group of British engineer soldiers from 1st British Airborne Division. Their part of the job was known as Operation Freshman. On November 19th, two British bomb planes towed one glider each towards Norway. The plan was that by having two gliders it would be more difficult for the Germans to notice the British soldiers as they approached the plant and the surrounding areas. However, when they approached, Norway problems started to occur. The planes were circling over the drop area, but due to bad weather they had to return. On the way back, the planes had been out so long that they had started to ice. On the first plane, the hanger broke, and the glider crashed near Lysefjorden. Nine people survived the crash, but all of them were later executed by the Germans. The bomb plane managed to return to England. The second bomb plane and glider both crashed. The bomb plane crashed in a mountain, and all crewmembers died. The crew in the glider however survived, but they were captured by German troops and later executed. The four Norwegian saboteurs now had to flee since the Germans now knew about the plans the allies had for the plant. The four members hided in a small cabin on Hardangervidda, a huge mountain plateau while the Germans sent thousands of troops after them. They stayed in the cabin for three months, and during this time the only thing they had to eat was moss and lichen, except a reindeer they managed to shot right before Christmas.
[1943: The Heroes of Telemark], [“The Real Heroes of Telemark”]
Operation Gunnerside

By February 1943, the British over command had gotten the news that the four member of Company Linge had survived. They then decided to keep building on this unit for another attack against the plant. Six new Norwegian saboteurs from Company Linge were sent from England, and on February 16 they were dropped in parachutes on Hardangervidda from a British Halifax bomber. After a few days of searching they hooked up with the four members from operation Grouse. British planes dropped supplies and other equipment, and on February 27 the group consisting of ten men was ready to attack. After the failure of operation Freshman the plant was much more heavily guarded than before. Now there were mines, floodlight and additional guards around the plant. Although the Germans knew there might be another attack they had slacked the guard hold inside the factory. One of the reasons for this was because they didn’t think anyone would make an attack during the winter months. To get to the plant they would have to pass a 80 yards long bridge that spent 200 yards over the river Måna. The bridge was heavily guarded by the Germans, and an attempt to make it across the bridge would be considered suicide. The group decided to climb down the abrupt mountain sides that lead down to the river, and walk over as the river was covered with ice. This was done in the dark and was considered extremely dangerous. After they had made it to the other side of the river they entered the plant. Thanks to a Norwegian agent who had supplied them with detailed information they did know exactly where to go. On their way through the fabric the only person they encountered was the Norwegian caretaker, and he was more than happy to help the group. The saboteurs planted explosives on the heavy water electrolysis chambers, and left a British submachine gun left, so the Germans would think this was the work of the British, not the Norwegian resistance. The explosives went off and destroyed the electrolysis chambers. Six of the members escaped by skiing to Sweden, a trip that was almost 250 miles long. The remaining four stayed in Norway to help the resistance forces. 

In April 1943 the Germans had managed to start up the production again. The over commando in London concluded that a new raid would be too dangerous, so they decided to use other means. In November 1943 143 British and American bomb planes dropped 711 bombs that were suppose to hit the fabric. However only 41 did hit and several civilians in the nearby town Rjukan were killed. The bombs did however don’t do much damage to the plant, but it stopped production for a short time. 
“The Real Heroes of Telemark”, “1943: The Heroes of Telemark]
The Aftermatch

Although the attacks had done little damage to the plant itself the Germans was now scared. British and American bomb planes leaded several raids over the plant, and the Germans feared it was only a matter of time before the plant would get serious damage. In 1944 the Germans decided to ship the heavy water and valuable equipment back to Germany. To do so they shipped the heavy water in railway cars. Knut Haukelid a Norwegian born in Brooklyn, who was a member of the Norwegian resistance force become aware of the plan the Germans had. He decided to sink the ferry while it was crossing Lake Tinnsjø. This was the best chance he and his fellow resistance fighters had to take out the heavy water. After getting approval from the over command in London they decided to take out the ferry where the lake was on it deepest. Then the Germans would not get the heavy water up from the bottom of the lake. Mr. Haukelid knew a member of the ferry crew, and thanks to him he got to the bottom of the ship where he planted a bomb consisting of 18.7 pounds of dynamite, and two alarm clock fuses. On February 20 1944 the ferry sank just after midnight on 160 yards deep. 14 civilian Norwegians and four Germans died when the ferry went down. The Germans dream to make the world’s first nuclear bomb had come to an end.
“The Real Heroes of Telemark”, “1943: The Heroes of Telemark], [Heroes of Telemark and Heavy Water



Sources Cited

• “The Real Heroes of Telemark” www.teachnet.edb http://teachnet.edb.utexas.edu/~lynda_abbott/abtknutslides.html
• “1943: The Heroes of Telemark” www.hydro.com
http://www.hydro.com/en/About-Hydro/Our-history/1929---1945/1943-The-Heroes-of-Telemark/
• “Heroes of Telemark and Heavy Water” www.norway.org http://www.norway.org/culture/lectures/Heroes+of+Telemark+and+heavy+water+barrel+to+The+US+National+WWII+Museum+New+Orleans.htm
• “The German Invasion of Norway, 1940” www.magweb.com http://www.magweb.com/sample/sconflic/co03wese.htm