The Winter Fortress
Page 41
“We are fairly”: Poulsson Report.
He had always: Haugland Family, Author Interview; Sæter, 9–40; Interview with Haugland, IWM: 26624.
On the call to: Sæter, 26.
In Oslo, he: Personnel File of Haugland, TNA: HS 9/676/2.
“Quiet, keen, hardworking”: Ibid.
Now, thirteen days: Haugland Report; Interview with Haugland, IWM: 27212.
Eventually Haugland’s teammates: Haukelid, 97–99.
“Helberg proved the”: Poulsson Report.
At the dam: Claus Helberg, “Report About Einar Skinnarland,” July 30, 1943, NHM: SOE, Box 23.
With new snowfall: Njølstad, 99; Berg, 114.
The next day, Haugland: Report; Sæter, 45, 62; Interview with Haugland, IWM: 27212; Interview with Haugland, IWM: 26624.
“Happy landing in spite”: Message from Grouse Primus, November 9, 1942, TNA: HS 2/172.
9. AN UNCERTAIN FATE
In his fifth-floor: Hurum, 114–16.
“We were very”: Message to Grouse, November 2, 1942, NHM: SOE, Box 22. In the text, the author references Tronstad returning this message. In the archives, there are few references indicating who penciled the responses for Grendon Hall Home Station operators to transmit, but those that exist cite either Tronstad or Wilson.
Fearing the worst: Private cypher from Stockholm, November 8, 1942, TNA: HS 2/172.
“Battery run down”: Message from Grouse, November 9, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/220.
“Stick to it”: From Colonel Wilson to Grouse, November 9, 1942, TNA: HS 2/184.
“nice, flat ground”: Message from Grouse, November 10, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/220.
On November 12: Letter from Jomar Brun to Arnold Kramish, August 6, 1986, VM: JBrun, Box 6a; Letter from Jomar Brun to Bjørn Rørholt, May 25, 1985, VM: JBrun, Box 17; November 12, 1942, LTD.
“all necessary measures”: Niederschrift—Besuch von Regierungs-Baurat Dr. Diebner, September 2, 1942, VM: Box 4F/D17/98.
Confident that Suess: Hans Suess, “Virus House: Comments and Reminiscences,” Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, June 1968; Brun, 29–30.
Vemork had: Freshman Report, November 17, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/219.
Despite Tronstad’s: November 12, 1942, LTD.
“super bombs”: Clark, Tizard, 215.
While this mission: Progress Report for SN Section, November 3, 1942, NHM: SOE, Box 3A.
“The little boy is”: Letter from Bassa to Leif, October 11, 1942, LTP.
“I am well”: Letter from Leif to Bassa, October 4, 1942, LTP.
On November 15: Minutes of Meeting held at 154 Chiltern Court, November 15, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/224; November 15, 1942 and November 20, 1942, LTD; Freshman—Translations of Messages, November 15, 1942, TNA: HS 2/184.
“handsome and undoubtedly”: November 15, 1942, LTD.
“Good policy for”: Freshman Report, November 17, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/219.
In a dark: Interview with Haugland, IWM: 26624; Myklebust, 100–101.
In the three: Poulsson Report; Claus Helberg, “Report about Einar Skinnarland,” July 30, 1943, NHM: SOE, Box 23.
Haugland was the most: Interview with Haugland, IWM: 26624; Sæter, 65–66.
“Larger lakes like”: Message from Grouse, November 17, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/219.
That same day in Scotland: Personnel File of Haukelid, TNA: HS 9/676/4.
“Which is it”: Note written by Mark Henniker, given to Peter Yeates, 1983, KA; Henniker, Image of War, 95–98.
“dark and light”: Henniker, Image of War, 95–98.
“it is too”: Note from C.C.O., Operation Freshman, November 18, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/224.
Churchill had already: Memorandum to Prime Minister, November 17, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/224.
Cooper had his own: Petterssen, Forecasting for the Freshman Operation, November 22, 1942, NHM, FOIV, Box D17. It is worth noting that Petterssen was the meteorologist who General Eisenhower called on to set the date of the D-day landing. His call to postpone the invasion by a day because of weather likely saved innumerable lives.
Wallis Jackson, Bill: Drew, 93–103; Interview with Michael Douglas, IWM: 31404; Report by Group Captain Tom Cooper, 1942, TNA: AIR 20/11930.
“I need 250”: Drew, 97.
“Mamie, if you”: Letter from Wallis Jackson, November 18, 1942, KA.
“A few lines”: Drew, 118–19.
“Whatever happens”: Report by Group Captain Tom Cooper, 1942, TNA: AIR 20/11930.
They wore steel: Freshman Report—Appendix A—Standard Gear, TNA: DEFE 2/219.
Most of them: Drew, 103.
The floor beneath: Ibid., 105.
After a slight: Freshman Message List, November 18–20, 1942, TNA, DEFE 2/219; Report on 38 Wing Operation Order No. 5, December 8, 1942, TNA, DEFE 2/219.
Including aircrews: Note written by Mark Henniker, given to Peter Yeates, 1983, KA. There is disparity in the archives with respect to the time standards used by the Freshman crews and the Grouse team. To prevent confusion, the author used Norwegian standard time, even when referring to the takeoff of the planes from Skitten.
“Two small birds”: November 19, 1942, LTD.
After Haugland acknowledged: Freshman—Appendix A, October 17, 1942, NHM: Box 25; Interview with Haugland, IWM: 27212; Interview with Poulsson, IWM: 27189; Poulsson Report.
10. THE LOST
“I hear the Rebecca”: Interview with Knut Haugland, IWM: 26624; Interview with Poulsson, IWM: 26625; TNA: HS 2/190; Sæter, 66–67; Poulsson Report.
Over the next: Poulsson Report.
Flying with the moon: Report on 38 Wing Operation Order No. 5, December 8, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/219; Letter from Colonel Wilson to Colonel Head, January 21, 1943, TNA: DEFE 2/224; Drew, 127–31.
Flight Lieutenant Parkinson: Report on 38 Wing Operation Order No. 5, December 8, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/219; Eyewitness Report—The Planes that Were Wrecked in the Egersund District, April–June 1943, NHM: SOE, Box 23; Report from Johannes Mukejord, KA; Berglyd, 59–61. Although the exact course of Halifax B is unknown, it is clear the plane reached the site, since Haugland heard the Eureka/Rebecca tone, and Halifax A’s was broken. Further, there were reports from Norwegians around Egersund who reported that the plane came around several times before crashing, obviously searching for its lost glider.
Four miles away: Report from Anne Lima, March 13, 1944, NHM: SOE, Box 23; Report to Chief of Police Rogaland from Lensmann in Helland, November 21, 1942, TNA: WO 331/18; Statement of Lensmann Trond Hovland, 1945, TNA: WO 331/18; Statement by Tellef Tellefsen, June 1945, TNA: WO 331/18; Case No. UK-G/B. 476, United Nations War Crime Commission Against Von Behrens and Probst, TNA: WO 331/387.
Through the night: Freshman Message List, November 18–20, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/219; Drew, 169.
That same afternoon: November 20, 1942, LTD.
In silence: Drummond, 51–52.
Wilson made it: John Wilson, “On Resistance in Norway,” NHM: Box 50A.
“Thank God for”: Ibid.
“We consider that”: Letter from Gubbins to Haydon, November 20, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/219.
“with the same”: Letter from Hansteen to Mountbatten, November 21, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/219.
“Your work has”: Message to Grouse, November 20, 1942, NHM: SOE, Box 22.
“During the night”: BBC Monitoring Service—Freshman, November 21, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/224.
Tronstad was certain: November 21, 1942, LTD.
“Alas”: Minute by the Prime Minister, November 22, 1942, TNA: DEFE 2/219.
After Lieutenant Allen: Statement of Lensmann Trond Hovland, 1945, TNA: WO 331/18.
Walther Schrottberger: Letter from Major Rawlings to PS&W Branch, July 2, 1945, TNA: WO 331/18.
Given that their: Wigner, 447–48.
“no quarter should”: German Order to Kill Captured Allied Commandos and Parachutists, Report FF-2127, TNA: WO 331/7.
While orders on: Shooting by the Germans of Allied Personnel Captured in Norway, January 14, 1
944, TNA: HS 2/184; Case No. UK-G/B. 476, United Nations War Crime Commission Against Von Behrens and Probst, TNA: WO 331/387; Statement by Werner Siemsen, July 6, 1947, TNA: WO 331/387; Report on the Interrogation of Colonel Oberst, September 12, 1945, TNA: WO 331/387; Statement by Cid Gunner, June 29, 1945, TNA: WO 331/18; Statement by Michael Spahn, June 29, 1945, TNA: WO 331/18; Statement by Rolf Greve, June 14, 1945, TNA: WO 331/18.
Then, in the late: Berglyd, 50–52; Statement of Kurt Hagedorn, August 31, 1945, TNA: WO 331/387; Statement by Cid Gunner, June 29, 1945, TNA: WO 331/18; Letter from Major Rawlings to PS&W Branch, July 2, 1945, TNA: WO 331/18; Statement by Tellef Tellefsen, June 1945, TNA: WO 331/18.
“Towing aircraft’s”: Tagesmeldung, November 20, 1942, RW 39/39, Barch-MA; BDS in Olso Berichtet, November 21, 1942, DIA: DJ 31; Irving, 139–42.
The thirty-six-year-old: Brauteset, 32.
Born in the industrial city: Fehlis Personnel Files, VBS 286/6400009794, Bundesarchiv, Berlin.
He ordered them: Interrogation of Wilhelm Esser, July 10, 1945, TNA: WO 331/386.
James Cairncross: Drew, 111–14.
After the crash: Berglyd, 63–79; Statement of Ravn Tollefsen, date unknown, TNA: WO 331/386; Statement of Martin Fylgjesdal, August 3, 1945, TNA: WO 331/386; Statement of Sigurd Stangeland, July 25, 1945.
A German patrol: Statement of Fritz Seeling, November 6, 1945; Statement of Fritz Feuerlein, September 28, 1945, TNA: WO 331/386; Statement of Kurt Seulen, date unknown, TNA: WO 331/386; Statement of Erich Hoffmann, December 12, 1945. Four of the participants in these atrocious acts were captured after the war. As one might imagine, their accounts are contradictory, likely owing to an attempt to paint themselves in the best light.
11. THE INSTRUCTOR
“Sabotage troops were”: Report from Wilson (SN), November 21, 1942, TNA: HS 2/184.
Reports from London: Poulsson Report; Message from Grouse, November 23, 1942, NHM: SOE, Box 22.
For now, the four: Poulsson Report.
After dividing up: Poulsson, 109–15; Sæter, 74.
“You’re to be”: Joachim Rønneberg, “Operation Gunnerside” (IFS Info, 1995); Rønneberg Interview, Moland; Interview with Rønneberg, IWM: 27187; Gallagher, 40.
When Martin Linge: Ragnar Ulstein, Author Interview.
“He had a quality”: Myklebust, 84–85.
“Where are we”: December 1, 1942, LTD; Minutes of Meeting Held at Norgeby House, November 26, 1942, TNA: HS 2/185; Interview with Joachim Rønneberg, KA.
Birger Strømsheim was: Personnel File of Strømsheim, TNA: HS 9/1424/2; Rønneberg Interview, Moland.
“reliable as a rock”: Ibid.
Next was Fredrik: Personnel File of Kayser, TNA: HS 9/824/2; Lunde, 1–68.
Third was Kasper: Personnel File of Idland, TNA: HS 9/774/4; Rostøl and Amdal, 1–62.
His fourth choice: Personnel File of Storhaug, TNA: HS 9/1420/7; Lunde, 88.
The fifth member: Ragnar Ulstein, Author Interview; Rønneberg Interview, Moland; Myklebust, 108–11.
“Now, I do”: Rostøl and Amdal, 75.
He then outlined: Myklebust, 107–9.
In a clearing: Nøkleby, Gestapo, 67–68; Wright, 110.
Gestapo officer Wilhelm Esser: Interrogation of Wilhelm Esser, July 10, 1945, TNA: WO 331/386; Statement of Erik Dahle, August 15, 1945, TNA: WO 331/383; Statement of Hans Behncke, August 14, 1945, TNA: WO 331/383.
“special liquids”: “Bericht über Sabotageunternehmen Lysefjord-Egersund, December 27, 1942,” RW 39/40, Barch-MA.
at the Kummersdorf: Nagel, 45–47; Abschrift: Uran-Bomben, May 8, 1943, DIA: DJ 29.
In late fall: “Bericht über einer Würfelversuch mit Uranoxyd und Paraffin,” G-125, Deutsches Museum Archiv; Interview with Georg Hartwig, NB: Oral History; Walker, German National Socialism, 95–97.
“dreadful drudgery”: Nagel, 73.
“If only all”: Ibid.
Since the meeting: Interview with Erich Bagge, DIA: DJ 29.
In early summer: Irving, 117–18; Walker, German National Socialism, 84.
Then, on June 23: “Bericht über zwei Unfalle beim Umgang mit Uranmetall,” G-135, Deutsches Museum Archiv; Per Dahl, Heavy Water, 188–90.
The disaster did not: “Bericht über einer Würfelversuch mit Uranoxyd und Paraffin,” G-125, Deutsches Museum Archiv; Interview with Georg Hartwig, NB: Oral History; Bagge and Diebner, 25; Karlsch, 73, 98–100; Walker, German National Socialism, 97.
On December 2: Rhodes, 401, 438–40.
“Nothing very spectacular”: Wigner, 447.
12. THOSE LOUTS WON’T CATCH US
Minutes before dawn: “Gestapo Lager Razzia og Unntagstilstand i Rjukan,” NHM: FOIV, Box D17; Sørlie Memoir.
Rolf Sørlie: Sørlie Memoir.
Hans and Elen: Skinnarland, Hva Som Hendte, ESP.
Knut Haukelid arrived: December 8, 1942, LTD.
“strayed into protective”: Njølstad, 173.
Although Haukelid did: Ragnar Ulstein, Author Interview; Myklebust, 108–9.
“Heavy water is very”: Haukelid, 74; Interview with Haukelid, DIA: DJ 31.
He had come: Instruks for Bonzo, December 18, 1942, NHM: FOIV, Box D17; Letter from Malcolm Munthe to Gjestland, August 8, 1942, TNA: HS 2/172.
“They will do all”: Haukelid, 75.
“Our working conditions”: Message from Swallow, December 9, 1942, NHM: FOIV, Box D17.
“highest possible priority”: Method of Clearing Traffic, October 30, 1942, TNA: HS 2/172.
“Four Gestapo are”: Skogen, 12–14; Friend Report—Øystein Jahren, NHM: SOE, Box 23B.
At that same: Skinnarland Notes, ESP; Marielle Skinnarland, Author Interview; December 10, 1942, ESD; Report by Gunlsik Skogen, December 1, 1943, TNA: HS 2/174; Ueland, 117–20.
In the late: Rønneberg Interview, Moland.
“What the hell’s”: Ibid.
In the ten: Ibid.; Myklebust, 110–17; Gunnerside—Operating Instructions, December 15, 1942, NHM: FOIV, Box D17; Rønneberg Report.
“Well, you just”: Rønneberg Interview, Moland.
“Seven people properly”: O’Connor, 47–48.
Rheam wanted his: Ibid., 45.
The Gunnerside team: Orientering vedr. Gunnerside. December 11, 1942, NHM: FOIV, Box D17; Gunnerside—Operating Instructions, December 15, 1942, NHM: FOIV, Box D17; Myklebust, 119–21; Rostøl and Amdal, 74–78; Lunde, 88–90; Rønneberg Interview, Moland.
When they were: Rønneberg Interview, Moland; Lunde, 89; Interview with Haukelid, DIA: DJ 31.
“That’s doomed from”: Rønneberg Interview, Moland.
“Who’s there?”: Sørlie Memoir; Skogen, 29–31; Sæter, 74.
Each of the: Poulsson Report; Sæter, 74–75.
“It’s full of vitamins”: Gallagher, 80; Sæter, 75.
“active part”: Message to Swallow, December 13, 1942, NHM: SOE, Box 22.
Misfortune hounded them: Poulsson Report; Sæter, 74–75; Interview with Helberg, IWM: 26623; Mears, 101.
Skinnarland provided them: December 10–18, 1942, ESD.
On December 17: Message to Swallow, December 17, 1942, NHM: SOE, Box 22; History of Grouse/Swallow Eureka, December 1943, NHM: SOE, Box 23.
“If the conditions”: Letter from George Rheam, December 18, 1942, TNA: HS 2/185.
“For the sake of”: Handwritten briefing notes, December 14, 1942, NHM: FOIV, Box D17; Rostøl and Amdal, 76. There are quite a few versions of Tronstad’s parting remarks to the Gunnerside team. This quote combines material in his briefing notes and Rostøl and Amdal’s account.
“You won’t get rid”: Myklebust, 127.
13. RULES OF THE HUNTER
The four bearded: Poulsson, 19–21; Poulsson Report. In many of the histories, this cabin is referred to as Svensbu, a later name. In cipher messages at the time with Home Station, the cabin is referred to as Fetterhyatta (Cousin’s Cabin). Further, there remains some confusion on whether Poulsson traveled to the cabin by himself a few days before the o
thers, or at the same time.
“En route home”: Poulsson, 90.
The canoe was now: Interview with Poulsson, IWM: 27189; Svein Vetle Trae, Author Interview.
“Just wait until”: Gallagher, 50.
Days passed: Interview with Poulsson, IWM: 27189; Gallagher, 50–51.
“Let’s go home”: Haukelid, 77.
The men ruminated: Myklebust, 126–28.
One way or: Instruks for Bonzo, December 18, 1942, NHM: FOIV, Box D17.
“Crisp and clear”: Gallagher, 51–52.
“Your rifle is a weapon”: “Regler og forskrifter,” courtesy of Mia Poulsson.
His team had: Interview with Poulsson, IWM: 27189.
“They are like”: Ingstad, 156.
After zigzagging to: Poulsson, 20–22; Gallagher, 49–65; Svein Vetle Trae, Author Interview. For this narrative of the hunt, the author drew from Assault in Norway. Gallagher wrote a masterful account of this first successful kill that saved Grouse, and Poulsson clearly helped inform him on the details.
The next night: Sæter, 75; Poulsson, 22–23.
“She’ll Be Coming”: Poulsson, 24.
In his office: Letter to Fehlis, December 14, 1942, VM: A-1108/Ak, Box 1. This is one of a series of letters between Norsk Hydro and the Germans to obtain the release of Skinnarland, Jahren, and Skogen. They were all denied.
He had recently: Nøkleby, Josef Terboven, 242.
Every week, 99.5 percent pure: Memorandum from N. Stephansen, June 1943, NHM: Box 10/SISA.
Once the crates: Schöpke Report, August 6, 1943, NB: G-341.
“Our security teams”: Bemerkungen zum Schutz der We-Wi-Betriebe, December 20, 1942, RW 39/40, Barch-MA.
On the morning of: Memo of “Arresterte funksjonarer og arbeidere ved våre bedrifter,” April 1, 1942, VM: A-1108/AK, Box 1.
A thirty-minute, steep: Marielle Skinnarland, Author Interview; Skinnarland Notes, ESP; Kjell Nielssen Remembrance, NHM: Box 10B.
“great steak and pancakes”: December 24, 1942, ESD.
On December 27: December 27, 1942, ESD; Marielle Skinnarland, Author Interview.