Overview
Heroes of Telemark Commando Experience
In 1942, the race was on to prevent Hitler from realising his nuclear ambitions and the allies would do whatever it took to prevent the Nazi’s from creating the first bomb. Norway had been occupied by Germany in 1940, who were well aware that the Norsk Hydro Plant was producing Deuterium as a by-product of its operations. Otherwise known as ‘Heavy-Water’, D2O was key to producing nuclear material and the Nazi’s had immediately increased production. The RAF attempted to destroy the plant from the air but as you’ll see on your trip, this is simply not possible.
Worried, the Special Operations Executive (SOE) began to draw up plans for raids from the ground and so having recruited a group of Norwegian locals, then in October 1942 inserted them back onto the Hardanger Vidda plateau via parachute. Operation Grouse was the first in a series of raids and will be the one of three which you will follow in its entirety to its spectacular conclusion at the Norsk Hydro Plant. It would take time for the Norwegian Commandos to move into position to receive a group of Royal Engineers who would then be led to the plant to destroy it so they moved as quickly as they could to recce landing zones and make sure there was no Nazi presence.
Once the signal was given, Operation Freshman was launched. This audacious but doomed plan saw a troop of Royal Engineers loaded onboard two Horsa gliders which were pulled by Halifax bombers but due to a series of misfortunes, one of the Halifax bombers and both gliders crash landed into the mountains. Those who were not killed on impact were soon rounded up by the Gestapo and executed under Hitler’s infamous ‘Commando Order’. This devastating loss of life also seriously impacted the men of Operation Grouse who feared the Gestapo would soon be on their trail too and so fled deeper into the savage wilderness. Surviving for months on moss and litchen, these hardy Norwegians attempted to maintain morale whilst they waited for news of a new operation.
After 4 months on the plateau, the final operation was launched which saw a further 6 Norwegian Commandos parachuted onto the plateau under codename, Operation Gunnerside. They quickly met the Operation Grouse men and immediately began to prepare for a raid onto the power station. Security was much higher as a result of the failed Operation Freshman so the only bridge over the gorge was not an option. Instead the raiders had to find a route down off the Hardanger Vidda through the forests to the plant.
It is only when you follow this final attack route that you will truly appreciate the scale of their task. That they successfully destroyed the machinery inside the plant after 5 gruelling months in the harsh Norwegian winter is a true testimony to their Commando ethos.
Highlights
- Learn to operate and survive in the wild at the Hogas Ski centre
- Insert onto the Hardanger Vidda via skiddoo
- Pull your pulks across the frozen plateau as a team
- Follow the attack route to the Norsk Hydro Plant
