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Battle of Narvik
The invasion of Denmark and of Norway by German forces was launched simultaneously before dawn on the 9th April 1940. Denmark sued for peace very quickly having very limited defence forces to prevent the German occupation. However although Oslo and southern cities of Norway fell in only hours, Norwegian foces with Allied support continued to hold out with success in the north. It was only after the invasion of France and the Low Countries at the end of May that the Allies decided to pull out and the Germans finally secured the whole of Norway from the 10th June.
Both Denmark and Norway had been neutral at the start of the war, but the Germans urgently required to access the mineral resources of Scandinavia, and especially iron ore. This was shipped from northern Sweden via the Norwegian port of Narvik during winter months when the northern Baltic was frozen. Norway would also present a useful launch point for naval attacks on Atlantic convoys. Occupation of Denmark was required merely to secure the sea route from Norway. The Germans hoped to occupy both countries unopposed, but went prepared with substantial forces to seize control by force if necessary.
The German plan was for simultaneous landings by paratrooops in Denmark, and by a sea-borne invasion force at 6 coastal location in Norway. To achieve this, troops to the north were carried by fast naval vessels with only limited capacity, escorted most of the way by the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. The first ships left Germany secretly on the 6th April.
Coincidentally a British naval Operation Wilfred to mine the channel between Norway and her offshore islands to prevent the transport of Swedish iron ore through neutral Norwegian waters was launched on the same day. The Allies assumed that laying these mines would provoke a German response in Norway and prepared a separate operation known as Plan R4 to occupy Narvik and other important locations if necessary. Consequently on the 7th April a substantial Royal Navy task force was at sea off the Norwegian coast.
On the morning of the 8th April the destroyer HMS Glowworm unexpectedly encountered a German battleship group, fired upon and rammed the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper before being sunk. A radio message alerted the British Admiralty to the presence of a large German force. Later the Polish submarine ORP Orze, part of the Royal Navy task force, attacked and sank a German troop transport ship carrying 1,000 troops off the southern Norwegian port of Lillesand. That afternoon the Admiralty received word that aerial reconnaissance had located a group of German ships a considerable distance west-northwest of Trondheim. Despite these incidents the threat of an imminent invasion was not appreciated. It was only after a Norwegian patrol vessel encountered the German invaders at the entrance to the Oslofjord just before midnight that the Norwegian government became aware that an invasion was in progress.
The Norwegian defences in Oslofjord put up a fiece barrage and sank the German Cruiser Blücher which was carrying the German invasion commanders. Nevertheless the city of Oslo was under occupation by the end of the day and the royal family and Norwegian parliament fled the capital. There was opposition by the Norwegian defences at Kristiansand, Bergen, Trondheim and Narvik, but by the end of the day all had fallen to the invaders.
At 0400hrs on that day, the 9th April 1940, the German ambassador to Denmark had called the Danish Foreign Minister and requested a meeting. The Ambassador declared that German troops were even then moving in to occupy Denmark "to protect the country from Franco-British attack though no such plan was contemplated. In fact German force had already landed by ferry in Gedser and paratroops had taken two airfields at Aalborg, the Storstrøm Bridge and the fortress of Masnedø. Even as they were meeting, German infantrymen were landing in Copenhagen harbour. An hour later two squadrons of Messerschmitt Bf110s attacked Værløse airfield on Zealand and wiped out half of the Army Air Service on the ground. King Christian and the Danish government capitulated at approximately 0600, in exchange for retaining political independence in domestic matters. The army and air force were stood down and the navy reduced to a small coastal patrol force.
The escape of the Norwegian King and government meant that German hopes of a negotiated settlement there could not be realised. Major towns were bombed and the main German land forces advanced northward from Oslo and soon had control of the southern half of the country. Norway formally declared that, since Germany had violated their neutraliity, they were now joining the Allies.
On the morning of the 10th April the Royal Navy opened a campaign to retake Narvik. A substantial Norwegian army was reinforced with troops from Britain, France and Poland. The battle continued with significant success, and it seemed only a matter of time before the Germans would have to surrender. Plans were made to declare a neutral Northern Norway state.
However during the evacuation of Dunkirk and with the expectation that the invasion of Britain might swiftly follow, London had already secretly decided to evacuate Narvik. On the night of 24/25 May, the Allied forces in Norway received orders to retreat. On the 7th June the King and government were air-lifted to Britain. All Allied troops were evacuated from Narvik by the 8th June and that day German forces retook the town. On the 10th June the last Norwegian forces in Norway surrendered leaving Norway to continue the war as a government in exile in London.
5th Apr 1940 Operations
5th April 1940 Detachment to Scotland
6th Apr 1940 Orders
7th Apr 1940 Poor Conditions
8th Apr 1940 Attempt to head off enemy fleet
8 April 1940 Attack on Scapa Flow
9th April 1940 Move to Norway evaluated
9th Apr 1940 In Action
9th Apr 1940 Engagement
9th Apr 1940 Poor Weather
9th April 1940 German Destroyers approach Narvik
9th April 1940 German tanker sunk
10th Apr 1940 Ship Sunk
10th April 1940 Enemy Forces
10th April 1940 Defence of Norway
10th Apr 1940 Air Raid
10th April 1940 German forces seize Narvik
11th Apr 1940 On the Move
11th Apr 1940 Enemy Forces
11th April 1940 Ship Damaged
12th April 1940 Raid
12th April 1940 Attack on Stavanger
12th Apr 1940 Bombing
12th Apr 1940 Nazi Plan to Kidnap King Fails
12th April 1940 Shot down
13th Apr 1940 On the Move
13th April 1940 In Action
13th April 1940 2nd Battle of Narvik
14th Apr 1940 Evidence
14th April 1940 Oil tanker scuppered
15th Apr 1940 On the Move
15th Apr 1940 Ship Lost for One Man
15th Apr 1940 Escort
16th Apr 1940 Air Raid
17th Apr 1940 Two 107 Squadron Blenheims lost
17th Apr 1940 Suspicions
17th Apr 1940 Orders
17th Apr 1940 Escort
17th Apr 1940 Escort
18th Apr 1940 On the Move
19th Apr 1940 107 Squadron Blenheim lost
19th Apr 1940 On the Move
19th April 1940 Detachment to Lossiemouth
20th Apr 1940 Communication
21st Apr 1940 Information
22nd Apr 1940 Conference
23rd Apr 1940 Recconaissance
24th Apr 1940 Embarkation
24th April 1940 Fight at Lapphaugen
25th Apr 1940 110 Squadron Blenheim lost
25th Apr 1940 Defences
25th April 1940 Battle of Gratangen
26th April 1940 Recce in Norway
27th Apr 1940 Recce
27th Apr 1940 Recce and gun practice
28th Apr 1940 Submarines & Smoke
28th April 1940 French reinforcements arrive at Narvik
29th Apr 1940 Transport
30th Apr 1940 110 Squadron Blenheims lost
30th Apr 1940 Quiet
2nd May 1940 Reliefs
2nd May 1940 Detachment returned
3rd May 1940 Trondheim abandoned
4th May 1940 Ships bombed at Narvik
7th May 1940 Recce
9th May 1940 Mail
9th May 1940 Polish troops join Allied force at Narvik
13th May 1940 Move to the South
13th May 1940 Attempt to encircle German forces at Narvik
14th May 1940 Move to Norway
14th May 1940 Air Raids
14th May 1940 Troop ship attacked
21st May 1940 Sea voyage
26th May 1940 Arrival in Norway
29th May 1940 Narvik taken
4th Jun 1940 Detachment
7th June 1940 Evacuation
7th June 1940 Norwegian government transported to Britain
8th June 1940 Norway evacuation destroyed at sea
8th June 1940 Germans reoccupy Narvik
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Those known to have fought in Battle of Narvik during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Bailey Albert Jack. Ldg.Sea. (d.10th Apr 1940)
- Blower Robert. Able Sea. (d.14th Apr 1940)
- Bolt MID.. George. CPO.
- Boyd CdG.. Frank Weston. L/Tel.
- Corcoran John Edward. Sgt.
- Hartley Edgar.
- Holehouse Cyril. Able Sea. (d.10th Apri 1940)
- Jewitt George Ernest. Stoker 1st Class.
- Mann Samuel Henry. Able Sea. (d.10th April 1940)
- Warburton-Lee VC.. Bernard Armitage Warburton. Capt. (d.10th April 1940)
- White James. AB. (d.8th June 1940)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
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Want to know more about Battle of Narvik ? There are:80 items tagged Battle of Narvik available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Able Sea. Robert Blower HMS Hunter (d.14th Apr 1940) Robert Blower died shortly after the Battle of Narvik, in which HMS Hunter was sunk. He was taken ashore and died 4 days later, possibly of his wounds or due to exposure.
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Ldg.Sea. Albert Jack Bailey H.M.S. Hunter (d.10th Apr 1940) Albert Bailey was the son of Robert James Bailey and Elizabeth Margaret Bailey, nee Swinnock, born 16th of November 1908 at Weymouth.
His father, Robert James, also served in the Royal Navy and was a Chief Petty Officer serving on H.M.S. Tipperary at the Battle of Jutland, where Robert was killed.
Albert enlisted in the Royal Navy on 20th of May and was serving on the H Class destroyer HMS Hunter when the ship was lost during the first Battle of Narvik.
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L/Tel. Frank Weston Boyd CdG. HMS Hardy  Frank Boyd passed away in 1984, I have a paper cutting from 1944 of his valour award and key parts of his service:
Middlesbrough Sailor Awarded Croix de Guerre. The Croix de Guerre, with bronze star, has been awarded to Leading Telegraphist Frank W. Boyd, aged 24, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Boyd, of 65, Cranfield Ave., Middlesbrough. The citation states that Boyd, accomplished his mission with greatest possible coolness during the course of an engagement fought by his ship on 29th February 1940 against an enemy convoy which was destroyed in the 1st Battle of Narvik.
Leading Telegraphist Boyd, who is on a French light cruiser in a liaison capacity, was decorated with all due ceremony before the ship’s company by Admiral Le Monnier. One of few British sailors to be so decorated in this war, he has served on eight naval vessels during hostilities. He has been eight years in the Navy.
He was on the Hardy when that ship was lost in the early part of the war, and was at Taranto, Matapan, the evacuation of Greece and Crete, and at Oran, and was on the headquarters' staff of Admiral Cunningham at Algiers. Formerly, he had been a choir boy at St. Paul's, Middlesbrough.
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CPO. George Bolt MID. HMS Caledonia  My grandfather, George Bolt, volunteered on the 9th May 1924 on board HMS Victory as stoker 2/C. Then on the 11th Nov 1924 he transferred to HMS Hermes as stoker 1/C class until June 1925, when he moved successively to Victory II, Vivid, and Furious as acting leading stoker. On the 29th October, he transferred to Fisgard as leading stoker, then to Resource on the 24th March 1930, back to Victory again on 26th May 1932 as Acting Stoker PO, then to the Vortigen. Then he served aboard HMS Crusader as Stoker/PO from 6th May 1933 until September 1934, then Effingham from 25th December 1934 until 25th April 1935. From 26th April 1935 until September 1939, he served on the Greenwich, the Pembroke, the Enterprise, and the Caledonia. Then he was assigned to HMS Kimberley as CPO from 13th October 1939 until 19th April 1940, during which time he participated in the 2nd Battle of Narvik. Afterward, he served on Bridport, Spartiate, Scarborough, Rhyl, and Loring.
He finished his naval life with a Class A release on 11th July 1946 whilst assigned to HMS Cullin Sound.
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AB. James White SS Orama (d.8th June 1940) James White died when his vessel was sunk by German fleet during Battle of Narvik.
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Sgt. John Edward Corcoran 28th Field Hospital Royal Army Medical Corps John E Corcoran joined TA. While at the camp in Yorkshire, around Easter in 1939 the unit was told it was to be called up in anticipation of possible war.
John, went to Narvik, Maesllwch Castle, Haverfordwest, to Middle East via South Africa, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Lybia Tunisia and Italy.
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Edgar Hartley HMS Havock My father, Edgar Hartley, died in 1987. Like many who fought in the war he rarely spoke of it. Only once did he open up to me and told me of the Battle of Narvik and the Mediterranean campaigns before the ship ran aground and he was interned in North Africa. He made light of his experiences and it was recently I realised the number of fights the ship had been involved in. I believe he was a gunner but am not certain.
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Able Sea. Cyril Holehouse HMS Hunter (d.10th Apri 1940) Cyril Holehouse died on 10th April 1940 and is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. I am trying to find information as he was my mother-in-law's older brother, who was on HMS Hunter for the Battle of Narvik. We believe he would have been around 20 years old in 1940. We know nothing of what happened to him on the day of the battle and would love to hear from anyone who has information, no matter how small.
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Able Sea. Samuel Henry Mann HMS Hunter (d.10th April 1940) Samuel Henry Mann was my uncle. He was killed when HMS Hunter went down during the First Battle of Narvik, Norway, on 10th of April 1940. I am presently researching his history.
You have a great website. Keep up the good work. These men should be remembered.
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Stoker 1st Class. George Ernest Jewitt HMS Cossack My grandfather, George Ernest Jewitt, was one of the boarders (with a pick axe handle) from HMS Cossack during the boarding of the Altmark, and later took part in the 2nd Battle of Narvik. During this latter engagement he earned the DSM for his bravery under fire. My mother and father have recently uncovered a pencil drawing my grandfather drew later in life, of himself during the battle, and this is annotated with his thoughts from those moments. The drawing shows George with a bandage around his head, running along the deck carrying shells between the fore and aft guns during the action, whilst Cossack was struck by shore gunfire seven times. The annotations state that he was conscious of everything I did, and expecting an explosion any minute. It also states that he was doing this with shrapnel injuries to his eye and leg. As a child I never understood why my grandfather suffered so much from his nerves, but these never left him, even into his eighties. Knowing what I do now, it seems all too obvious.
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