Description
Object description
Norwegian NCO served with Befalskole and cadet at Krigsskolen Military Academy in Norway, 1936-1940; escaped from Norway to GB via Sweden, 1940-1941; served as staff officer with Norwegian Bde in GB and Norway, 1941-1945; cadet at Swedish Artillery Staff College in Sweden, 1945-1947; served with Norwegian Bde in Germany, 1948-1949; served as staff officer with Army Headquarters, Norwegian Army and with Allied Forces North in Norway, 1949-1953; commanded Artillery Bn, Brigade North in Norway, 1953-1957; served as staff officer at Army Headquarters, Norwegian Army, Norway, 1957-1961; served as Defence Attaché in Sweden, 1962-1965; served with Military Historical Branch in Oslo, Norway, 1965-1983
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Norway, 1920-1936: family's military service; military training in FNF; question of threat to Norway coming from Russia not Germany. Aspects of period as sergeant at Artillery Sergeant's School, the Befalskole in Oslo, 1936-1937: academic subjects taken; syllabus of training; characteristics of 75mm field guns; ammunition used; training with horses on Gardemoen; physical training; winter exercises; mounted reconnaissance; opinion of artillery training; use of mountain guns for close infantry support; towing mountain guns; instructing recruits at Sestemoen and Gardemoen. Aspects of period as cadet at Krigsskolen Military Academy in Norway, 1938-1940: emphasis on mapping; tactical and arms training.
REEL 2 Continues: opinion of infantry training; degree of instruction in artillery firing; position of defensive lines; training accidents; reasons for choosing artillery. Recollections of operations as artillery cadet during German Invasion of Norway, 1940: mounting machine guns on roof of Krigsskolen, 9/4/1940; move to Elverum; setting up roadblock between Elverum and Hamar; political views in the 1930s; decision to deploy officers with Gudbrandsdal Training Unit; withdrawal with British unit; capture by German motorised column; behaviour of Germans during Norwegian rearguard action; escape and rejoining unit; in action against Germans near Bodo; attachment to 1/ER15 infantry unit; impressions of French Chasseurs Alpins; withdrawal through mountains.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of escape from Norway to GB via Sweden, 1940-1941: crossing Swedish border; being sent back to Norway; summer activities; decision to return to Sweden; second journey to Sweden; intelligence work at British Legation; abortive attempt to fly to GB; reporting to Norwegian Army Headquarters; reasons why his escape was delayed. Aspects of period as officer with Norwegian Bde in GB, 1941- 1945: duties with unit; accidents during grenade throwing practise; problems with French 75 artillery pieces; Norwegian style of equipment; use of British infantry weapons; battle drill, manoeuvres and exercises; role of Norwegian Bde and morale. Recollections of period as staff officer with Norwegian Bde in Norway, 1945: organisation of re-occupation of country; role preparing for arrival of units from Sweden.
REEL 4 Continues: arrival in Thomso; situation in Thomso under control of civil authorities; reasons for lack of resistance in north Norway; lack of problems in dealing with German authorities; deployment on guard duties; fate of Russian POWs; sending home of German POWs, autumn 1945.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as cadet at Swedish Artillery Staff College in Stockholm, 1945- 1947: selection for college; prospect of commanding garrison in Spitzbergen; German meteorologists work on Spitzbergen; Swedish ranging and types of fire; method of instruction; question of teaching too much science in current artillery training; social life and recreations. Recollections of period as officer with Norwegian Bde in Germany, 1948-1949: taking command of troop; officer quarters; firing ranges; calibration shooting; relations with Germans; arrangements for game shooting and German wartime shoots in Norway; reasons for move to Flensburg; possibility of Russian attack and sight of Berlin airlift; cycle of training; incorporation of brigade into defence of south Jutland.
REEL 6 Continues: contact and relations with Danes; terrain around Flensburg; problems of filling vacancies in brigade; conversion to use of American equipment; time taken to mobilise battalion. Aspects of period as staff officer with Army Headquarters, Norwegian Army in Norway, 1949-1951: transport of troops to and from Germany; reasons why importance of railway transport dwindling; coastal steamers used; structure and personnel on staff; office duties. Aspects of period as staff officer with Allied Forces North in Norway, 1951-1953: joining staff in logistics department; attitude to being involved in theoretical planning; co-operation with Germans for NATO agency for standardizations; relations on staff.
REEL 7 Continues: office run on navy lines; sources of officers for post war Norwegian Army; character of officers' organisation. Recollections of period as commander of Artillery Bn, Brigade North in Norway, 1953-1957: attitude to taking over job; character of exercise carried out in north of Norway; use of US artillery; calibre and quality of US guns; terms of service for conscripts; scale of exercises; towed artillery pieces; troop and battery shoots; expectation of Russian attack on Bardefoss Airfield; role of tanks and self propelled guns; Special Boat Service exercise; annual winter exercises; informal visit to Russian border; question of time taken to get reinforcements.
REEL 8 Continues: estimated time for reinforcements. Period as staff officer with Norwegian Army Headquarters in Oslo, 1957-1961: reasons for selection for United Nations forces in Congo, 1961; role as Head of Military Information; work in Organisation Department; issue of training pamplets; reasons for move into Intelligence; role looking after School of Intelligence and Army Library and attending British intelligence course. Recollections of period as Chief of Military Information with United Nations in Congo, 1961-1962: attitude to Intelligence; Irish battalion's taking intelligence with them; Indian troops refusal to listen to signals; opinion of Irish chief of staff; opinion of Ethiopians; his staff in Leopoldville; investigating fate of Italian airmen in Stanleyville; situation in Leopoldville and social life; friction between army and gendarmerie in Congo; attitude towards Irish senior officers behaviour; relations with Canadians.
REEL 9 Continues: opinion of United Nations' Commissioner Conor Cruise O'Brien; contacts with local political elite; Norwegian troops more adaptable than Indian troops; attitude of Ethiopians; opinion of Congolese Army; dealing with mercenaries.
REEL 10 Continues: Recollections of period as Defence Attaché in Stockholm, Sweden, 1962-1965: need to keep comprehensive current knowledge of Swedish forces; inquired about specifications for tank transporter trailer; Swedish attitude to NATO; discretion of Swedish officers; contrast between Norwegians and Swedish troops; organisation of Swedish Army; scale of field exercises; contact with Russian attaches; question of American attaches lacking tack; direct channels between Norwegian and Swedish defence forces; role conferring Order of St Olaf; Swedish naval and coastal defences; Swedish air defence; system of territorial organisations.
REEL 11 Continues: involvement of women in territorial organisations; opinion of speed of mobilisation of Swedish Army. Recollections of period as officer with Military Historical Branch in Oslo, 1965-1983: role of branch; character of branch; production of military and naval histories; dealing with questions; working beyond retirement age and adjusting to civilian life; changes in Historical Branch; story of British Military Attaché being critical of Norwegians in late 1940s; reflections on campaign in Norway, 1940; advantages and disadvantages of military life.
