Confectionsfabriken building – Molde. Photo credit: E Birke.
The residents of Molde played an active role in the defence of the town and were keen to do all that they could and it wasn’t just to help with the loading of the gold bullion. The locals, at the bequest of the Chief of Police and the editor of a local newspaper, had set up a quasi-armed militia and these people patrolled the streets and crossroads, guarded various buildings and generally quelled any problems with traffic and possible looting. Captain Denny, the Royal Naval officer-in-charge of the British forces at Molde and Åndalsnes, who had arrived on April 17th, further refined this by requesting that the men lay down their arms, and instead patrol nominated areas and report back as required. Denny later reported that this was largely successful. Other townsfolk acted as aircraft spotters and would set off the air-raid alarms as soon as an aircraft was spotted, thus giving the locals time to escape and make for the woods behind the town.
Haslund meanwhile sought out the Norwegian military authorities and requested that his crews be rested for a day. He could see that his men were exhausted to the point of collapse and that they needed to rest, but the military, bereft of transport for their beleaguered army, ordered Haslund to relinquish his transport and crews and for them to return from whence they came. Haslund trudged back to his men; he did not enjoy being the harbinger of bad news. Without fuss they once more clambered back into their tired steeds, started the engines and headed back.
10
Molde – Capital of Norway
The city of Molde played a unique role during that dark time in Norwegian history. Through tragic circumstances it had become the capital of Norway for a short period. The Norwegian Government, along with the Royal party of King Haakon and Crown Prince Olav had sought shelter in Molde after they had been forced to run from the invaders pursued by German bombers and paratroops with strong rumours surfacing of Quislings and so called Fifth columnists charting the King’s every move and reporting it back to the Germans. For a while the townsfolk of Molde would shelter and care for them, but without adequate air defence, and the Germans likely to hear of their presence, it would only be a matter of time before the town was bombed. How right the prophecies were of those who predicted an onslaught. The bombers duly arrived overhead and unmolested they dropped their deadly cargo. Time and time again the bombers returned until the bombing was such that the town succumbed to a combination of bombs, incendiaries and the inevitable conflagrations that engulfed and overwhelmed the close-set wooden houses. The local fire brigade, brave as they were in the face of massive and insurmountable adversities, just could not cope.
Whilst the King was in residence in Molde a remarkable incident occurred whereby a photographer captured the King and his son on film standing by a young silver birch tree just moments after the Royals and their entourage had run for cover from another air-raid. That photograph went on to become a symbolic image for the Norwegian struggle against tyranny as it was flashed across the free world.
It was on April 23rd that the King, Crown Prince and the rest of the government arrived in Molde. They had travelled by ferry from Åfarnes with the help of the local Fylkesmann Trygve Utheim, arriving at Molde around 03:00, filthy dirty from their travels. They settled for the night at a small hotel, but having rested they later moved on to Glomstua, a farm northwest of the town. It was here that the world famous image of the King and the Crown Prince flanking a silver birch tree was taken.
Per Bratland, journalist and photographer spoke about the background of these pictures in an interview he originally gave in the early 1980s. A lengthier version appears in his book – Are We Like That? – Er vi slik? (1971).112
Bratland at the time was working for the Norwegian Foreign Affairs press office. It was late in the evening of April 25th when he arrived in Molde with a message only for the ears of Finance Minister Oscar Torp. Having found Torp, he informed him that the gold transport was en route from Åndalsnes. This was welcome news for Torp who had feared for the safety of the men and the gold. But Bratland knew there was an even bigger story and so approached Halvdan Koht at the Retiro asking if he could photograph and interview the King. Koht must have been surprised as he had thought that only a few people knew where the King was. Bratland reasoned that the value of the interview would be immense if the world could know that the King was alive and well and still in Norway despite the German invasion. Koht could see the potency of his argument and agreed to Bratland’s request, but there would be restrictions, which Bratland had to agree to.
Bratland was duly blindfolded and placed in a car at the house of Utheim, which was then driven around the town for a while in an effort to disorientate him. Bratland later admitted that he had no idea where he was, but that he was some time in the car. He thought the date was Saturday April 27th. Arriving at Glomstua, Bratland was told to wait outside the house, although after a short while he was invited in. Just at the moment he was taken inside the farmhouse an air-raid siren sounded and the King and Crown Prince came out of the house and walked quickly up the sloping hill towards the woods that backed on to the house. It was considered safer to be in the woods rather than in the house.113
The bombs began to fall, but the King and his son didn’t flinch and sensing his moment Bratland began taking photos. Bratland did not possess the luxury of a telephoto lens so just kept moving forward brazenly snapping away until only their Royal faces filled the lens. The initial images were distant, but it was the close-ups that Bratland was after. Bratland spoke to the King and Crown Prince asking them to move nearer to the birch tree; the snapping continued with Bratland edging ever closer. No photographer had got this close before when suddenly the King called a halt to the filming with Bratland having managed to fire off 36 pictures. Of those pictures, 20 went around the world.
With the bombing over the King and Crown Prince moved off towards Glomstua without a word spoken between them. Bratland had earlier been offered the opportunity to interview the King, but it was clear to him that it wasn’t going to happen. Bratland had his pictures and for that he was thankful.
The photos depicting the King and his son standing by the birch tree were not made public until some weeks later due in part to Bratland having to dodge the oncoming Germans. Towards the end of April Bratland was staying in Ålesund, along with other members of his profession. On May 1st the journalist community moved northwards in a small fishing boat towards Bodø and then travelled on towards the Swedish border, which they crossed without too many problems. Bratland then made his way to Sweden’s capital, Stockholm, making it his personal mission to get to the Norwegian consulate where he could show his photographs. The consulate, sensing that that there was significant propaganda value in the photos, called a press conference and the photographs were shown to interested parties. It was Elsa Nyblom, editor of the newspaper, ‘Vecko Journalen’, a weekly journal, that later wrote a substantial article about Norway and included Bratland’s photos.114 Other newspapers followed up including the world famous American ‘Life’ magazine. Photos also appeared in British newspapers and journals and the free world, hungry for information about the war, could see for themselves what had happened to Norway. More than anything else at that time Bratland’s pictures captured the public’s imagination and his hurriedly taken photos suddenly became iconic.115
King Haakon & Crown Prince Olav beside the Silver Birch in Molde. Photo credit: Per Bratland
Picture postcard of Molde prior to World War 2 by HG Dahl. The church can clearly be seen against the backdrop of the fjord. The church and surrounding houses were subsequently lost to the fires started by the Luftwaffe using incendiary bombs.
Picture postcard of Molde as seen from the fjord. The date and photographer are unknown, but the photo was taken prior to World War 2. Again, the church stands prominent against the houses and merchant buildings.
It didn’t take long for word to pass around Molde that the King and the Royal party were in residence somewhe
re close to the town. Rumours later circulated that someone had passed on information to the Germans and that they in turn attempted to bomb various houses, but it has not been possible to find substance to this story. What is certain, however, is that the King on several occasions took shelter in the woods that backed on to Glomstua farm – just above Molde. The guard soldiers were billeted nearby and also took shelter in the same woods when the bombs fell, but although often tempted to do so the soldiers never fired their Krag rifles at the aircraft for fear of revealing their positions. Their discipline was admirable under such dire and frightening conditions. It wasn’t just bombs that fell on Molde, but also incendiaries starting fires that quickly became conflagrations and overwhelmed Molde’s fire brigade. The small wooden buildings stood little chance against such a bombardment of airborne arson.116
On April 26th there was a welcome respite from the incessant bombing. The residents of Molde, at least those who had remained in the town, took the opportunity to reorganise themselves as best they could. Government ministers, fearful that they might all perish due to a direct hit, moved out of their hotel and dispersed to nearby farms; Hotel Knausen, though remained in use as a venue for conferences. The Norwegian forces also took advantage of the lull in bombing to take stock of their situation and attempt some forward planning. During the respite there was much discussion about the future of Norges Bank and a decision was made that the existing bank management should be relieved of their duties.
Dr Arnold Ræstad was asked to step forward and take the position of Chairman.117 A conference was called at the farm where Ræstad was quartered and numerous interested parties met up to discuss an assortment of administration matters concerning the bank’s future. The farm, Bjørsito, was situated just a couple of miles west of Molde.
Rather than be penned in and cramped inside the farm a decision was made to sit outside to take advantage of the fresh air and sunshine. Unfortunately, the Luftwaffe had also decided to bomb Molde again and so the conference hastily reconvened in the farm’s cellar. It was a wise move, as any significant gathering of people outside would have certainly gained the attention of an astute pilot.
Ræstad’s inaugural conference at the farm saw various Norges Bank employees arrive from outposts such as Gjørvik, Hamar and Lillehammer to attend their first meeting with the reconstituted Norges Bank, now free to operate in the non-occupied zones. The men from these outposts also brought with them several boxes and bags of cash amounting to several million Norwegian Krone, which were stored initially in a bank in Molde. The Bank of England was informed of Norges Bank’s decision via telegram, which has since been transcribed by persons unknown:118
BANK OF ENGLAND
Copy of telegram received from –
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
AALESUND
DESPATCHED: 8.30 p.m.
SUNDAY, 28TH APRIL 1940
RECEIVED: 3.00 p.m.
MONDAY, 29TH ARIL 1940
In pursuance provisional decree of 22nd April, 1940, the King [Haakon] has the same date discharged the members of The Board of Directors functioning until 9th April from their duties and has appointed as the Board charged with governing the Bank until further notice Dr. Arnold Raestad [sic] Chief Director and Chairman Mr. Jens Noervie and Vice Chairman Mr. Ole Calbjaernsen [sic] Dr. Wilhelm Keilhau and Oscar Hansen Molde [sic]. Copy and translation the above mentioned provisional decree will be sent you by letter. The new Board has taken over the direction of the Bank on April 26th the address of the Head Office of the Bank is Molde.
Photo credit: author.
Further confirmations were sent to the UK from the British Legation in Stockholm, but despite these telegrams and wireless messages laying out the new Board of Norges Bank there would later be some doubt about the authenticity of the Norwegians involved and some months would pass before Norges Bank was not seen as an ‘Enemy Bank’. However, as can be seen from the document above the Norwegians had the support of Sir Charles Hambro – Director of the Bank of England and Hambros Bank. Sir Charles also worked for the Ministry of Economic Warfare (MEW) and was in Oslo when the invasion began. Having promptly escaped to Sweden he met up with his cousin, Stortingpresident Carl J. Hambro. It was after this meeting that the financial arrangements were put into place to support NOTRASHIP utilising Sir Charles’ Bank – Norway now had a very able and valuable ally.119
Meanwhile, in Molde, the bank employees were quartered in an assortment of places in and around the town including initially the Confection building, where they had to sleep on the floor. Later, they sought shelter in private dwellings and a school, which provided some comforts.
During this time Molde continued to be the target of the Luftwaffe, intent on flattening the wooden city, and the woods behind Molde became blessed sanctuary for many during such occasions. An RAF signal, dated 28th April and sent at 21:45 to the Air Ministry in London gives an idea of the precarious situation at Molde, although The Air Ministry only received the message during the early hours of April 29th. It states the following:120
Situation 2100 hours ANDASNES [sic] and MOLDE bombed throughout day. Petrol and oil unloaded at Molde early hours this destroyed…Food situation here difficult must have further rations by 2nd May.
It is difficult to imagine the sheer terror as well as the debilitating exhaustion of the townsfolk and enforced guests who inhabited Molde during that period, but despite the continued onslaught of the invaders there were still groups of people who volunteered their services. One such group was known as ‘lotte’ (volunteer women) who worked and liaised closely with the Red Cross and other organisations.121 These women improvised as best they could under such harrowing conditions, but they managed to keep the guard soldiers fed and watered and provided comfort where they could. Even these women had to succumb to the Luftwaffe when their kitchen was eventually bombed out, fortunately without loss of life.
Molde was now being bombed remorselessly; the Luftwaffe were determined to rid Norway of her King and leave no hiding place for the sovereign and his entourage. The town suffered appallingly. Captain A. O. Douglas noted in his report to the Admiralty:122
During the day, Sunday, April 28th, bombing became general and low flying bombers machine-gunned the streets and appeared to single out the church for special attack. Our trawlers were being attacked as soon as they arrived, and it became increasingly obvious that, owing to the enemy being in complete control of the air, our position was rapidly becoming untenable. On Monday, 29th, Captain Denny informed me that the expeditionary force was to be evacuated that night and asked me to arrange lorries etc. However, the Germans had got the information and all that day the town and quays were subjected to intensive bombing with high explosive and incendiary bombs and by 1800 the lower part of the town was burning fiercely and the fire creeping upwards towards the pinewoods.
With the Luftwaffe overhead, the soldiers guarding the gold in the Confection building sought the shelter of the cellar in a desperate bid to get away from the bombs, but it was a terrifying experience as ordnance exploded around them shaking the factory to its very foundations. The men knew that it would only be a matter of time before their time was up; the law of averages would surely prove deadly in the end.
Fires raged across the helpless town as the wooden buildings succumbed to the incendiaries that rained down relentlessly. Molde was in chaos and the townsfolk, unable to quell the flames, departed the town in droves taking with them what few possessions they could. The fire brigade was completely overwhelmed. They fought the fires as best they could but the task was just too great. Molde was now a raging conflagration.
Amidst the utter chaos and disarray that had engulfed the town a further blow was delivered…this time from their British Allies who announced to the Norwegian High Command their intention to withdraw and evacuate from Norway. It was devastating news. General Ruge, who had arrived in Molde on the 29th, sought to galvanise his troops as best he could in the face of such despair. The British o
ffered to transport King Haakon and Crown Prince Olav as well as members of the Norwegian Government to whichever destination they wished. Sanctuary in the UK was also on offer and Ruge advised the Royal entourage and government to accept the British offer immediately. For the Norwegians it must have been a moment of utter hopelessness.
That night in Molde a final meeting took place at the Hotel Knausen between the King, Crown Prince and members of the government. It was a very sad and dour affair and the atmosphere was as heavy as their hearts. Norway was close to capitulation. King Haakon, not wanting to forsake his people, was wracked with indecision. Britain would offer him, his family and the Norwegian government sanctuary, but what of the people of Norway…his people? The King had been in Molde for six days and during that time the Luftwaffe had come hunting for him. The King had pointedly refused to be intimidated by their pursuit, in particular taking breakfast earlier every day so that the bombing would not determine when he would finish. When the bombers came he and his entourage headed for the woods for shelter, sometimes for hours on end; somewhat remarkable for a King approaching his seventieth birthday.
On April 28th King Haakon was informed that the German Government had announced that the Third Reich was at war with Norway – some news! The Norwegian reply was swift…they had known that fact since April 9th when the Germans had attacked without declaration. Later, there was another announcement from the Germans stating that King Haakon was wanted ‘dead or alive’. The next day the Luftwaffe came again and showed their intent by bombing Molde with an unsurpassed ferocity.123
Whilst Molde was being bombed and burnt, Haslund and some volunteers bravely set out to rescue some valuables that were being stored at Spare Bank in Storgata – situated in the centre of town but close to the waterfront. Haslund, Ole Colbjørnsen (Member of Parliament), along with Sergeant Pettersen and a handful of soldiers defied the flames, debris and rubble and rescued what they could leaving behind only a few coins of little value. The boxes were then transported to the Confection factory to be stored with the gold bullion. Later that day Haslund met with Torp and Supply Minister Trygve Lie at the Hotel Knausen to discuss how best to evacuate the gold out of the factory. The hurried conference had been informed that a Royal Navy cruiser was on its way in to Molde and they were to be ready to embark as soon as it docked. The ship would be coming in under the cover of darkness, although with the town in flames it appeared to be almost daylight. Concerns were expressed that a large British cruiser would be unable to dock and that smaller boats would be needed to transfer the gold so contingency plans were drawn up. Two ships, D/S Driva and M/S Rovdehorn were placed on standby.
Gold Run: The Rescue of Norway’s Gold Bullion from the Nazis, 1940 Page 14