Battle of Narvik
As far as stereotypes are concerned, the Polish and Norwegian nations have many historical connections. In mutual relations, however, it is difficult to look for a more meaningful cooperation, like the fights for Narvik – one of the most important ports in Scandinavia – in the spring of 1940. On the 80th anniversary of those events, we proudly remind you of the participation of our ancestors in this battle – soldiers of the Polish Independent Highland Brigade and the crews of the Polish Navy ships. We would also like to remind that despite the Norwegian campaign ended with the victory of the Third Reich, the recapture of Narvik at the end of May 1940 was the first victory of the Allies in World War II. The soldiers of the Polish Army made a significant contribution to them, which should be widely remembered.
The Norwegian Campaing 1940 through the photographer’s eye
(Photographic materials made public with the consent of the authorities
of the Federal Republic of Germany)
A collection of photos taken by German war correspondents shortly before, during and immediately after the Norwegian Campaign, from April to June 1940. They show both soldiers of various formations, participating in the battles in Scandinavia, as well as armament, mainly naval, used during it.A collection of photos taken by German war correspondents shortly before, during and immediately after the Norwegian Campaign, from April to June 1940. They show both soldiers of various formations, participating in the battles in Scandinavia, as well as armament, mainly naval, used during it.
The Norway Campaign of 1940
CHRONOLOGY
1939:
10.10.1939 – Kriegsmarine commander, admiral Erich Raeder suggests to Adolf Hitler the desirability of securing some naval bases in Norway for submarine purposes.
30.11.1939 – The Soviet Union invaded Finland. The Allied planned to aid that country through Norway and Sweden if necessary.
11.12.1939 – Leader of the Norwegian facist fraction, Vidkun Quisling requested German forces to support his proposed coup d’etat in his country.
1940:
27.01.1940 – Adolf Hitler ordered to plan the Operation “Weserübung” – the invasion of Denmark and Norway.
16.02.1940 – The Jøssingfiord incident – the British destroyer HMS “Cossack” attacked the Kriegsmarine auxiliary ship “Altmark” freeing 299 Royal Navy seaman and violating Norwegian neutrality.
19.02.1940 – Adolf Hitler ordered to increase planning of the Operation “Weserübung” with assignment of all German Army branches.
01.03.1940 – The Operation “Weserübung” plan was ready to be implemented.
03.03.1940 – First meeting of the German service chiefs to review the Operation “Weserübung” plan.
12.03.1940 – The end of the Soviet-Finnish war.
28.03.1940 – The French supported the British proposal to mine the Norwegian Leads to disrupt German iron ore traffic from Sweden.
07.04.1940 – Kriegsmarine ships depart their ports in their way to Norway.
08.04.1940 – Polish submarine ORP “Orzeł” sank the German transport ship “Rio de Janeiro” in Skagerrak.
09.04.1940 – The Operation “Weserübung” began. Capitulation of Denmark. Norwegian coastal artillery sank the German heavy cruiser “Blücher” in Oslofiord.
10.04.1940 – German forces captured Bergen, Kristiansand, Narvik, Stavanger, Trondheim and the capital city of Norway – Oslo. The first naval battle of Narvik.
13.04.1940 – The second naval battle of Narvik – the Royal Navy victory.
14.04.1940 – The Norwegian 1st Division withdrew to Sweden and was interned. The first British landings at Harstad.
16.04.1940 – British landings at Namsos.
18.04.1940 – British landings at Åndalsmes.
22.04.1940 – The battle of Lillehammer – the first British-German fight.
23.04.1940 – Polish Navy destroyers entered the battle of Narvik.
24.04.1940 – British forces withdrew to Namsos after the battle of Vist.
25.04.1940 – The attempt of delaying German transports near Kvam.
28.04.1940 – The first French landing in Narvik area.
01.05.1940 – The Norwegian forces in southern part of the country surrendered to Germans.
03.05.1940 – The evacuation of Namsos and Åndalsmes was ended as well as the Norwegian defiance in the center part of the country.
04.05.1940 – Polish Navy destroyer ORP “Grom” was sunk during the Luftwaffe air-raid.
06.05.1940 – The second French landing in Narvik area.
09.05.1940 – The Polish Independent Highland Brigade entered the battle of Narvik.
10.05.1940 – The German invasion of France and the Low Countries began.
28.05.1940 – The allied forces re-captured Narvik.
31.05.1940 – The evacuation of a part of the British forces from Norway due to the hard situation in the West.
04.06.1940 – The evacuation of the Allied forces from Narvik began.
07.06.1940 – The Norwegian Government and Court evacuated to the United Kingdom.
08.06.1940 – The evacuation of the Polish Independent Highland Brigade to France. The Norwegian 6th Division surrenderd to Germans near Narvik.
09.06.1940 – The Germans entered Narvik for the second time.
10.06.1940 – The final capitulation of the Norwegian Army.
Polish Armed Forces in the West 1939-1945 NARVIK
Badge of POLISH INDEPENDENT HIGHLAND BRIGADE – Narvik 1940
POLISH INDEPENDENT HIGHLAND BRIGADE
The Heroes from Narvik
The Polish Independent Highland Brigade, known also as the “Podhalanska-Brigade” was formed as part of the Polish Army in France, reconstructed after the fatal war of 1939, on the basis of the decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army, General Władysław Sikorski of January 15, 1940 (the exact order was issued on February 9, 1940). It was modeled on the French Alpine Rifle units and was part of the planned Allied auxiliary corps supporting Finland against the Red Army. Due to the end of the Winter War, it was prepared to take part in the Norwegian campaign. The places of formation were: Pielan-le-Grand, Coětquidan Camp, Malestroit, Rochefort-en-Terre and Ploermel in Brittany.
The core of the French-style Polish Independent Highland Brigade consisted of two mountain infantry demi-brigades, two battalions each. They were supplemented by three independent brigade companies and two independent platoons. The main armament consisted of 15 M1927/31 81 mm mortars wz. 1927/31, 15 M1935 60 mm mortars and 25 M1934 25 mm anti-tank guns. There were also 9 trucks, 174 vans and 22 passenger cars assigned to the unit. Motorcycles were also used, mainly for reconnaissance activities, as well as mopeds. The French provided all the equipment and weapons.
Brigadier General Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko was appointed commander of the Polish Independent Highland Brigade. The demi-brigades were headed by Colonel Benedykt Chłusewicz (1st DB) and Colonel Józef Kobyłecki (2nd DB). Of the 4778 soldiers of the Independent Podhale Rifle Brigade, over 60% were recruited from the ranks of the pre-war Polish economic emigration in France. Some recruits also participated in the civil war in Spain, in the ranks of the so-called International Brigades. A liaison mission of 13 French officers was established at the Brigade too.
Convoy No. 5, within three French ships transporting the Independent Podhale Rifle Brigade: “Chenonceaux”, “Colombie” and “Mexique” set off from the port of Brest shortly after midnight on April 24, 1940. During the transfer, a few days’ stop in the British port of Greenock took place. On May 8, the landing at the Norwegian port of Harstad began. The next day, its sub-units were deployed around Narvik – 1st Battalion (commander: Major Wacław Kobyliński) took up positions at Skallen, 2nd Battalion (Colonel Władysław Dec) – Melik and Sorvik, 3rd Battalion (Lieutenant Colonel Michał Maćkowski) – Ballangen and 4th Battalion (Major Arnold Laskowski) ) – Sagfiord. The Brigade Headquarters was set in Borkenes near Kvoefiord. In the following days, Polish soldiers conducted mainly intensive reconnaissance activities in the difficult mountain terrain. On May 27, 1940, they took an active part in the successful concentric assault of the city. During the fighting, 97 men were killed in action, 189 were wounded, 21 were lost and only 7 were taken prisoner by the Germans. 60 enemies were captured in the section assigned to General Szyszko-Bohusz unit. The total enemy personnel losses here amounted to 190 soldiers.
Due to the difficult situation of the allies in France, on June 8, 1940, the Polish Independent Highland Brigade was evacuated to Brittany. There, in bloody battles with the German army, it was completely shattered by June 19. Some of its soldiers managed to reach the United Kingdom, others joined the ranks of the French resistance. On July 21, 1940, in recognition of the unit’s merits, the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Army decorated the banner of the Brigade with the Order of Virtuti Militari V class. A month later, it was officially disbanded. The traditions of the Brigade were taken over by the Podhale Rifle Battalion of the Polish 1st Armored Division.
Educational Films (in Polish)
Battle of Narvik
Cape
Battle of Narvik
Belt
Battle of Narvik
Canteen
Battle of Narvik
MAS 36 Rifle
Battle of Narvik
Bayonets
Curiosities
From Skavina to Narvik
“Mówią Wieki”
We invite you to read the archival article which presents an excerpt from the diary of Antoni Richtarz – a soldier of the Podhale Brigade, who was awarded with the Cross of Valor.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
“Krigen om Narvik 1940” album
In the Museum of the Polish Arms in Kołobrzeg archives, you can find a unique collection of photos entitled “Krigen om Narvik 1940”. It contains twelve pictures taken shortly after the end of the battle for the city, probably in the summer of 1940. They mainly document the damages caused by two months of fighting.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
Maps of the Norwegian Campaign 1940
In the Museum of the Polish Arms in Kołobrzeg archives, you can find maps illustrating the Norwegian Campaign of 1940. They are a part of G. von Hase book entitled: “Die Kriegsmarine erobert Norwegens Fjorde”, published by Hase und Kochler in Leipzig, in 1940. The collection consists of maps enlisted below.
- Route of the German forces on their way to Norway April 8-9, 1940.
- Operations in the Oslo area, April 9, 1940.
- The first naval battle of Narvik, April 9-10, 1940.
- The second naval battle of Narvik, April 13, 1940.
- Land operations during the battle of Narvik.
Polish divers exploring depths of Rombakkenfiord
TOWARDS ORP “GROM” WRECK
It took almost half a century to find the wreck of the Polish destroyer ORP “Grom”. On October 6, 1986, it was located by an expedition of the Royal Norwegian Navy. A decade later, using the ROV underwater device, the remains of the ship were checked for ecological risk. It was also then that the depth of lying was over one hundred meters and the fact that its hull was broken into two parts. In fear of the propellants and ammunition preserved inside, ORP “Grom” was totally prohibited from diving.
Mirosław Standowicz, a Polish explorer living in the United States, was the first to see the legendary ship in the depths of the Rombakkenfiord with his own eyes. In 2004 and 2005, he organized the Polish-Norwegian diving expedition at his own expense. It was him, 64 years after the disaster, who first reached the sunken destroyer and made the unique footage. In 2010, he reported that moment to “Nurkowanie” magazine reporter: I descended to a depth of 102 meters and the majestic “Grom” appeared to my eyes. It was upside down, with its bow raised at an angle of about 30 degrees to the bottom of the sea. Right next to it, I noticed a Polish helmet lying on the bottom. I have to admit that something started to tighten my throat (…). I am sailing along the ship’s hull and I immediately notice the traces of bomb blasts (…). I sink to the bottom. The main gun towers in the bow of the ship seem ready for action. The captain’s bridge was crushed, pressed to the bottom. I look around for the stern.
Medal commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Norwegian Campaign
In 2005, Polish divers again came to Narvik. Mirosław Standowicz described the second expedition into the Rombakkenfield with these words: The main armament towers look very menacing and majestic. The bow of the ship is upside down. Twin 120 mm guns are rotated approximately 90 degrees from the wreck’s axis. The cover for single gun number 1 stands straight on the bottom next to the ship, but is missing a gun. We go on and pass triple coupled torpedo tubes. Two torpedoes are stuck in the tubes, we see them very clearly. The whole mechanism is in perfect condition. There are traces of a powerful explosion all around. We go further to a depth of 110 meters. The bottom drops quite steeply. There you can also see parts of the wreck scattered about. We turn back. We see a huge hole in the bottom.
The examination of the wreck by divers lasted approx. 20 minutes each time. Due to the great depth, which few, even very experienced deep explorers, would risk descending, the ascent took more than 2.5 hours. Another, this time Polish-Swedish expedition to the destroyer was organized in the summer of 2010.
ORP “Grom” sank on May 4, 1940. The reason for the greatest loss of the Polish Navy in the Norwegian campaign was a hit by two bombs dropped by the German Heinkel-111. 59 members of the ship’s crew were killed in action.
Artifacts
Stowarzyszenie Historyczne Pochodnia Collection
7×50 binoculars of the civilian type
German Porro prismatic binoculars with seven times optical zoom, manufactured by E. Leitz optics factory in Wetzlar. It is a civilian model, used as private equipment for officers of the III Reich Armed Forces. Its form is similar to the issue 7×50 binoculars, intended for the crews of Kriegsmarine ships. The presented item has the original, leather carrying strap. The rain cover and the button securing strap made of the same material are modern, professional replicas.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
M1911 cartridge pouch
German, three-chamber M1911 cartridge pouch made of blackened, grained leather. It was designed for thirty 7.92 mm rounds packed in five in aluminum loading clips. Despite the lack of manufacturer’s signatures and the year of production, its standard suggests that it was manufactured in the 1930s or shortly after the start of World War II.
M1911 cartridge pouches were initially intended for cavalry units. In the 1920s, they became a standard element of the equipment of most German formations. As a rule, each Wehrmacht soldier received two pouches of this type but in the reserve units they appeared by one. They were placed symmetrically at the front, separated by the main belt buckle.
Stowarzyszenie Historyczne Pochodnia Collection
Special canteen for mountain troops
German M1931 canteen, so-called early model, designed for mountain troops. It consists of an unpainted aluminum bottle with increased capacity (1 l instead of standard) 0,8 l, felt insulating cover with reinforcements and leather straps and conical, aluminum mug painted black. All its elements were produced between 1938 and 1940.
That item was a part of the standard combat equipment of the German mountain units till 1943. Presented, early variant it was widely used by the Wehrmacht soldiers during the Norway Campaign of 1940.
Stowarzyszenie Historyczne Pochodnia Collection
M1931 canteen
German M1931 canteen, so-called early model, consisting of an unpainted aluminum bottle with capacity of 0,8 l with Bakelite screw cap, felt insulating cover with leather straps and aluminum mug painted black. All presented elements were produced between 1937 and 1939.
M1931 canteens appeared in the German Army with the unification of the basic combat equipment at the beginning of the 1930s. They replaced the earlier designs from the First World War. According to the Wehrmacht regulations, it was attached to the M1931 bread bag flap.
That item was a part of the standard combat equipment of nearly all German units during World War II. Presented, early variant it was widely used by the Wehrmacht soldiers during the Norway Campaign of 1940.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
M1935 canteen
French, 2-litres M1935 canteen made of aluminum, made by J.J. Cranaud (Basse-Indre) factory. It has a single neck for pouring and drinking liquid, mostly water. The original, cork plug is missing as well as the standard leather carrying strap.
M1935 canteen appeared in the French Army with the modernization of combat equipment reform, launched in the early 1930s. It was characterized by a simplified design compared to its predecessor – M1877 one (comparative photo). It was usually carried in a cloth cover laced on the side.
That item was a part of the standard combat equipment of the Polish Independent Highland Brigade and other units of the Polish Army in France.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
M1887 canteen
French, 2-litres M1877 canteen made of aluminum. It has two necks with holes: the larger one for pouring liquid, mostly water, and the smaller one for drinking. Both were closed with cork or wooden plugs (missing elements). The manufacturer’s signature: C.O.P.I.M. Marseille and the date of production: 1939 are stamped on the bottom. The standard leather carrying strap is also preserved.
M1877 canteen appeared in France at the turn of the seventies and eighties of the 19th century. It was available in two capacities: 1 l and 2 l. Usually it was carried in a blue or khaki cloth cover. According to the French Army regulations, a tin mug was issued with it.
That item was a part of the standard combat equipment of the Polish Independent Highland Brigade as well as other units of the Polish Army in France.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
M1935 mess tin
French M1935 mess tin made of aluminum. It consists of a cauldron, a lid with a wire handle, often used as a frying pan, and an inner container serving as a plate. On the bottom of the cauldron there is the manufacturer’s signature: C.O.P.I.M. Marseille and the date of production: 1939.
M1935 mess tins replaced shortly before the outbreak of World War II their counterparts from the mid-19th century – M1852 ones. According to the French Army regulations, an aluminum cup, steel cutlery and a box with a food ration were carried inside. This usually consisted of 200 g of bread, canned meat (300 g) and 125 g of chocolate.
That item was a part of the standard combat equipment of the Polish Independent Highland Brigade as well as other units of the Polish Army in France and also of the Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade formed in Syria.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
Mountain woolen cloak
French mountain woolen cloak with hood, belonged to 2nd Lt. Bolesław Wierzbowski, officer of the Polish Independent Highland Brigade. Presented uniform is stamped with 1926 which refers to the year of production or admission to the Armed Forces of the III French Republic. Its use during the battle of Narvik in 1940 is confirmed.
Woolen cloaks was and still remain characteristic and traditional element of the Polish mountain units uniform. They were used for the first time in 1923. The cloaks refer to a typical folk costume of Podhale and Huculszczyzna regions.
Stowarzyszenie Historyczne Pochodnia Collection
German S84/98/34 bayonets for the Mauser-system rifles
Designed at the end of the 19th century and modernized in the first half of the 1930s S84/98/34 bayonets (sometimes referred to as S84/98/II) were the basic model of this type of weapon, used in the armed forces of the Third Reich before and during World War II. They were produced with both wooden/beech and bakelite grips. They were carried in two types of leather frogs: the so-called infantry pattern and the cavalry pattern, characterized by an additional strap securing the bayonet’s handle. One of the presented bayonets is additionally equipped with a portepee for non-commissioned officers of the land forces variant.
Stowarzyszenie Historyczne Pochodnia Collection
Basic combat equipment of the German infantryman in 1940
Basic combat equipment of the German infantryman in the early stages of the World War II. It consists of the black leather main belt for enlisted men and non-commisioned officers with the aluminum buckle (land forces pattern), a pair of M1911 ammunition pouches for the Mauser-system rifles, the canvas M1931 bread bag with M1931 attached according to the official regulations and non-folding entrenching tool with an early-type leather carrying casing with M1884/98/34 bayonet in a leather frog. This kind of set was often seen during the battle of Narvik.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
7.5 mm MAS36 rifle
MAS36 bolt-action rifle, introduced to the French Army in the second half of the 1930s, in addition with the development of a new, shortened 7.5 mm caliber cartridge. Although the prototype was ready in 1932, it took another six years to refine it. Between 1938 and 1940, the factory in Saint-Etienne produced 250000 exemplars of this rifle. The ones captured after the fall of France were designated by the Germans as G242(f) and prepared for use by rear and reserve units. The rifles also became the typical infantry weapon of the soldiers of the so-called France-Vichy. After the end of World War II, the MAS36 remained in French use until the 1950s, replaced by MAS49.
That weapon was the basic one in the Polish Independent Highland Brigade.
Calibre: 7,5 mm
Ammunition: 7,5 x 54
Magazine capacity: 5 naboi
Length: 1020 mm
Barrel Lenght: 575 mm
Weight unloaded: 3,7 kg
Firing range: 400 m
Stowarzyszenie Historyczne Pochodnia Collection
Bislux 6×24 binoculars of the early military type
German Porro prismatic binoculars with six times optical zoom, manufactured by E. Busch optics factory in Rathenow. It is an early military model, probably completed in the 1920s, used as a regular equipment of officers of the III Reich Armed Forces. The presented item has the original, leather carrying strap and securing strap, as well as leather rain cover strengthened on edges with brass. The binoculars’ case is made of the same materials.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
M1911 cartridge pouch
French, double-chamber cartridge pouch for MAS36 rifle ammunition made of brown, plain leather. It was designed for two magazines of five 7.5 mm rounds each. According to the French Army regulations, every soldier armed with MAS36 rifle received two pouches of this type, installed symmetrically at the front, separated by the main belt buckle, with belt supports attached to the upper D-rings, creating kind of harness.
That item was a part of the standard combat equipment of the Polish Independent Highland Brigade; in the French Army it was cancelled officially in the early sixties.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
German submachine guns pouch – unidentified pattern
German, three-chamber cartridge pouch for three MP34, MP38, MP40, ERMA submachine gun/machine pistol made of brown, plain leather. It was designed for thre magazines of thirty 9 mm rounds each. Its construction is very similar to Austrian-origin SMG pouches made primarily for the Austrian Armed Forces and, after Anschluss, for III Reich army.
Museum of the Polish Arms Collection
81 mm Brandt M27/31 mortar
Designed by Edgar Brandt 81 mm M27/31 mortar was the basic type of this type of weapon, used by the French army during World War II. Due to successful was produced in many countries in the 1930s it, including, under the license, Poland. The weapon was disassembled into three elements: a barrel, a base plate and a lightweight bipod mount. The sights were carried separately too. According to the French Army regulations, the compete crew included ten soldiers. The 81 mm French mortar grenade in the light version weighed 3.25 kg, and the heavy version: 6.5 kg. In total, 8,000 that mortars was produced in France.
81 mm mortars were an important element of the armament of the Polish Independent Highland Brigade. There were fifteen of them assigned to the unit.
Calibre: 81 mm
Grenade weight: 3,25 kg
Barrel Lengt: 1260 mm
Weight: 56 kg
Rate of fire: 18 strz./min.
Firing range: 2800 m
Projekt
Online lessons (in Polish)
Lekcja online o kampanii norweskiej. Zapraszamy do zapoznania się z materiałem, który na żywo nadaliśmy 15 października. Lekcję poprowadził dr Łukasz Głogowski - kierownik ds. naukowych Muzeum Oręża Polskiego. Projekt dofinansowano ze środków Narodowe Centrum Kultury w ramach programu "Kultura w sieci". #kulturawsieci #MKIDN #NCK #narodowecentrumkultury
Opublikowany przez Muzeum Oręża Polskiego Czwartek, 22 października 2020
Brygada Strzelców PodhalańskichLekcja online "Samodzielna Brygada Strzelców Podhalańskich - bohaterowie Narwiku" - zapraszamy do oglądania. Lekcję prowadził dr @Łukasz Gładysiak - kierownik ds. naukowych Muzeum Oręża Polskiego. Projekt dofinansowano ze środków Narodowe Centrum Kultury w ramach programu "Kultura w sieci". #kulturawsieci #MKIDN #NCK #narodowecentrumkulturySamodzielna
Opublikowany przez Muzeum Oręża Polskiego Piątek, 23 października 2020
Morskie boje o NarwikLekcja online "Morskie boje o Narwik" - zapraszamy do oglądania. Lekcję prowadził dr Łukasz Gładysiak - kierownik ds. naukowych Muzeum Oręża Polskiego. Projekt dofinansowano ze środków Narodowe Centrum Kultury w ramach programu "Kultura w sieci". #kulturawsieci #MKIDN #NCK #narodowecentrumkulturySamodzielna
Opublikowany przez Muzeum Oręża Polskiego Środa, 28 października 2020
See the rest of the project!
The project “The most important battles of Polish arms” is to present selected episodes of Polish military history. Thanks to it, we look closely at not only the course of the clashes, their genesis and consequences, but also the characters significantly influencing the outcome of armed confrontations.