Norwegian Army 1940

[Slavomir]

Welcome again, gentlemen

I have another difficulty in reading the strenghts of Norwegian Army and Armed Forces in total.

Derry gives 120,000 soldiers in all Armed Forces without breaking it into services/branches. In Polish publications I have found that Army was to have 50,000 soldiers. Unfortunately without giving numbers for Navy.

Can anyone help me here, please? What were the planned numbers of Norwegian Armed Forces? What was the Army share here?

Thank you in advance

Slavomir

[Gaijinaho]

A very good website that has loads of information is http://www.orbat.com/site/ww2/drleo/000 ... 000oob.htm

The Norwegian Navy had 5200 officers and men, including those of its Air Service. The Norwegian Air force had 940 officers and men. This information is from Andrew Mollo's "The Armed Forces of World War II", 1981, Orbis Publishing, London England. No figure was given on total numbers for the Army.
Later, Gaijinaho

[Gaijinaho]

A very good website that has loads of information is http://www.orbat.com/site/ww2/drleo/000 ... 000oob.htm

The Norwegian Navy had 5200 officers and men, including those of its Air Service. The Norwegian Air force had 940 officers and men. This information is from Andrew Mollo's "The Armed Forces of World War II", 1981, Orbis Publishing, London England. No figure was given on total numbers for the Army.
Later, Bill

[Slavomir]

In other book about Norwegian Army I have found that during peacetime there were 19 700 soldiers (including 1700 oficers, 2000 NCOs) and there is again the number 50 000 after mobilization

Source: T. Konecki "Skandynawia w drugiej wojnie swiatowej", Warszawa 2003

Thanks for the website.

Slavomir

[Kelvin]

Did all six Norwegian divisions were captured by German or all evacuated by Royal Navy. Norwegian Merchant fleet had over 1,000 ship, also enough to carry all troops to England. Anyone know that ? Thank

[jwsleser]

No major Norwegian army formations were evacuated. Note that all six brigades were not fully mobilized and parts of some were overrun while mobilizing. The units east of Oslo were trapped after the German offensive and had no way out. You aren't talking about a large number of troops. Norwegian and Allied resistance lasted long enough that there wasn't much left of the army to evacuate if it was so decided.

Many of the units had either surrendered/been captured or were ordered disbanded once further effective resistance was deemed unlikely. These men needed to return home and care for their families, businesses and farms.

Any ports suitable for evacuation were already under German control/aerial attacks and many merchant ships in Norwegian waters had already been lost. Those 1k of ships were not all in Norwegian waters but spread around the world.

Pista! Jeff

[Kelvin]

Hi, Jeff, thank for your Reply. Both Norwegian and Danish had known the German attack from Dutch Military Attache stationed in Dutch embassy at Berlin three days before attack. I think the Royal Navy should know that. Given naval superiorty of the Royal Navy, British not doing well to Prevent German from Landing on Norway.
I found that German navy on 09th April 1940 only had 11 Cruisers and 20 destroyers, 2 new battleships and one pre-Dreadnought battleship.The Royal Navy had 70 Cruisers, 200 destroyers, 15 battleships/battlecruisers and 7 carriers. It was obvious British fault in this war.

[Polar bear]

I found that German navy on 09th April 1940 only had 11 Cruisers ...

Less.
If you count the two pocket-battleships LÜTZOW and ADMIRAL SCHEER as heavy cruisers (as they were re-classified), the German navy had 4 heavy and 6 light cruisers, which sums up to 10.
... and to be honest, you have to deduct ADMIRAL SCHEER (in extensive re-building) and the light cruisers NÜRNBERG and LEIPZIG as the had been extensively damaged in December 1939 by the British sub SALMON.

Thus : 7

greetings, the pb

[Kelvin]

Hi, PB, I made a mistake in my calculation: My heavy cruiser list includes Admiral Hipper, Blucher, and two reclassified cruiser Admiral Scheer and Lutzow. I mistakenly put Prinz Eugen in list as that ship not yet in service in April 1940.

My light cruiser list should be correct : it is Karlsruhe, Konigsberg, Koln, Emdan, Nurnberg and Leipzig.

[yantaylor]

Hi everyone.

I am working on the Norwegian army April 1940 and need some help with the artillery, mainly the battery commanders.

Can anyone give me the commanders of any of these units plaese;

FELTARTILLERIREGIMENT NR 1
Feltartilleri Batteri nr 1-----commander
Feltartilleri Batteri nr 2-----commander
Landvernet batteri Feltartilleriregiment nr 1-----commander
Skolebatteri Feltartilleriregiment nr 1-----commander
FELTARTILLERIREGIMENT NR 2
Feltartilleri Batteri nr 1-----commander
Feltartilleri Batteri nr 2-----commander
Landvernet batteri Feltartilleriregiment nr 1-----commander
Skolebatteri Feltartilleriregiment nr 1-----commander
FELTARTILLERIBATALJON NR 3
Feltartilleri Batteri nr 1-----commander
Feltartilleri Batteri nr 2-----commander
Landvernet Batteri Feltartilleriregiment nr 3

BERGARTILLERIBATALJON NR 1
Bergartilleri Batteri nr 1---------commander
Bergartilleri Batteri nr 2---------commander
Bergartilleri Batteri nr 3---------commander
Øvelsesavdeling Bergartilleribataljon nr 1

BERGARTILLERI BATALJON NR 2
Bergartilleri Batteri nr 4---------commander
Bergartilleri Batteri nr 5---------commander
Bergartilleri Batteri nr 6---------commander
Landvernet Bergartilleri batteri nr 2---------commander
Øvelsesavdeling Bergartilleribataljon nr 2---------commander

BERGARTILLERIBATALJON NR 3
Bergartilleri Batteri nr 7 -----commander
Bergartilleri Batteri nr 8 -----commander
Øvelsesavdeling Bergartilleribataljon nr 3 ---------commander

I know that it is a big ask as some of these units were not even mobilised, but any help would be great.

Thanks
Yan

[Carl Schwamberger]

Recommendations where to find locations of Norwegian airfields, including civilian and lesser auxiliaries?

Thanks

[John T]

Recommendations where to find locations of Norwegian airfields, including civilian and lesser auxiliaries?

Thanks

From Norsk forsvarshistorie bind 3.
by Hobson, Kristensen

Militär landflystasjon - Full time Military Airfield
Civil landflygstasjon - Full time Civilian Airfield
Militär Sjoflystasjon - Full time Military Naval aviation base (floatplanes)
Mellanlandningsplass - Refueling stop over
Feltflygplass - forward operating base