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The raid on the Norwegian Hydro Electric plant at Vemork near Rjukan was one
of a number of attempts to destroy the only source for the production of
heavy water (codenamed Lurgan) for Germany’s atomic bomb programme. Deep
inside the mountainous and inhospitable Telemark region in southern Norway,
the Vemork Plant was heavily defended by the concrete construction and the
occupying Germans, and naturally defended by the bleak surrounding
countryside and steep cliffs. Air raids were considered but discounted due
to the amount of explosive required to penetrate the concrete and the risk
to the civilian population.
In March 1942 six young Norwegian patriots seized a coastal steamer in
Norway and sailed it across the North Sea to Aberdeen. One of these men was
Einar Skinnarland an engineer at the Vemork plant. After ten days of
intensive Special Operations training at the Norwegian Training Centre near
Aviemore Skinnarland took off from Kinloss and parachuted back into Norway
with the codename Swallow.
Meanwhile a number of other Norwegians were selected for specialist training
at the Norwegian Special Training School (STS26) at Drumintoul and Glenmore
and elsewhere. Led by Second Lieutenant Jens Anton Poulsson, these men were
to form the key personnel of OPERATION GROUSE with the aim of attacking the
heavy water plant. On the night of the 18th of October 1942 the Grouse
party, as they were called, took off from RAF Skitten, near Wick, in a
Halifax bomber and were parachuted back in to Norway. Living in huts on the
high and desolate plateau they were to await the arrival of British
Commandos and then lead these Commandos across country to attack the plant.
This part of the attack was codenamed OPERATION FRESHMAN and it was to be
the first time that the British used gliders in an operation.
The Commandos, code named Washington Party, were 34 specially selected men
from the Royal Engineers. Part of their training was carried out at Fort
William. They set out from RAF Skitten in full battle dress loaded with
equipment in two Horsa Gliders towed by Halifax Bombers on the 19th of
November 1942. In terrible weather conditions they were unable to make
contact with the Norwegian agents on the ground; the towropes broke and the
Gliders and one of the Halifax Bombers crashed. Those who survived the crash
landings were captured by the Germans, tortured and shot in spite of the
fact that they were wearing British uniforms. Amongst them was Corporal
James Cairncross from Hawick.
Desperate to ensure the destruction of Vemork, and with the Grouse party now
isolated on the plateau, a further operation was planned, OPERATION
GUNNERSIDE, using a party of six Norwegians led by Second Lieutenant Joachim
Ronneberg. Ronneberg had escaped from Norway in the Shetland Bus in 1941.
This party undertook part of their training at Kilfinan in Argyllshire and
on the 16th of February 1943 they set out. On the 28th of
February they launched a daring and successful attack on the Vermork plant.
In January 1944 Eniar Skinnerland, agent Swallow, reported that the Germans
were preparing to dismantle the plant at Vemork and send all of the
remaining heavy water back to Germany. The destruction of these stocks
became a top priority and it was decided to sink the Mael ferry on which the
flasks of heavy water were to be carried on part of their journey back to
Germany. On 19th February 1944 Norwegian patriots succeeded in sinking the
ferry and its precious cargo. The story of the German source of heavy water
in Norway was at an end. The Norwegians who took part in the operations
launched from Scotland, GROUSE, FRESHMAN and GUNNERSIDE, nearly all of whom
had trained in Scotland, received British awards for their bravery and
became national heroes in their native country.
Ray Mears, The Real Heroes of Telemark, Hodder & Stoughton, London 2003.
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