Alta Battalion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alta Battalion |
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Pre-1940 battalion standard on display at the War Museum in Narvik.
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| Active | 1898–1994 |
| Country | Norway |
| Branch | Norwegian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | 900 |
| Garrison/HQ | Altagård, Alta |
| Engagements | Second World War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Arne Dagfin Dahl |
The Alta Battalion (Norwegian: Alta bataljon) was a special army unit in Norway. It was part of the Norwegian 6th Division. This battalion was based in the village of Alta in northern Finnmark. Lieutenant Colonel Arne Dagfin Dahl was its commander.
This unit was unique because it included soldiers from different backgrounds. There were ethnic Norwegians, Sámi, and Kvens. The Alta Battalion played a very important role. They helped stop the German invasion of Norway near Narvik during World War II.
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Protecting Norway's Neutrality
The Alta Battalion was called into action on October 10, 1939. Their job was to help protect Norway's neutrality during the start of World War II. They were sent to the border areas of eastern Finnmark. This was during the Finnish Winter War. Their goal was to protect northern Norway from any possible attacks from the Soviet Union.
At this time, the battalion had about 900 soldiers. Their duties included guarding and patrolling the border. This brought them close to the harsh realities of war. They saw the fighting and burning towns, like in Petsamo. This made the soldiers and officers realize that war was a real and serious thing.
The Alta Battalion was then sent home on January 15, 1940. But their commander, Lt. Col. Dahl, felt the world situation was still risky. He thought the unit might be needed again soon. So, he told the soldiers to tag their uniforms and gear. This way, everything could be easily found later. This careful step helped the battalion a lot. They were called back into action less than three months later.
After returning to Alta, a special ski company was formed. Ninety volunteers stayed for two more months of training. Most soldiers in the battalion were not very experienced skiers. Their only skiing practice came from their neutrality duty.
The German Invasion
On April 9, 1940, Germany invaded Norway in an operation called Operation Weserübung. The Alta Battalion was quickly called back to duty. Soldiers traveled to Alta by boat or even reindeer sleds. From Alta, they were taken to the front lines. They traveled on the steamships SS Dronning Maud, Kong Haakon, and the cargo ship Senja.
The battalion left Alta on April 19, 1940. They arrived at Sjøvegan on April 21. For the next two months, they fought in the mountains. These mountains were north and east of Narvik. The Alta Battalion led the way for the 6th Division. They fought against the German 3rd Mountain Division in the Narvik area.
The soldiers in the battalion used standard weapons. Each infantry squad had one Madsen light machine gun. They also carried Krag–Jørgensen rifles. When they left for the front, the battalion had about 830 men. They also had 112 horses and 100 ski sleds to help carry supplies.
Fighting in the Mountains
The Alta Battalion spent the entire two-month campaign attacking the German troops. The Germans were well-prepared and dug into their positions. The Norwegian soldiers were lightly armed at first. They attacked through the very tough mountain terrain in northern Nordland. They faced German mountain troops (gebirgsjäger) and paratroopers (fallschirmjäger). These German soldiers were much better trained.
The Alta Battalion only sometimes received help from artillery or air power. They mostly relied on their own weapons. These included 18 Colt M/29 heavy machine guns and a few 81 mm mortars. On the German side, the Luftwaffe (German air force) became more active. They found people in Norway who helped them build new air bases further south. This was very important for the Luftwaffe. It allowed their bombers to spend more time supporting German forces at the Narvik Front.
Success at Narvik
By early June 1940, the 6th Division had achieved a great victory. They worked with French and Polish ground forces. They also had help from the RAF, the Royal Navy, and the French and Polish navies. Together, they pushed the German invaders out of the important port of Narvik. They forced the Germans into a small area near the Swedish border.
In the mountainous areas inland, the Alta Battalion kept attacking. They suffered many casualties. But they kept pushing back the skilled German troops. During the final part of the fighting, Luftwaffe bombers attacked the Allied forces more and more. The Norwegians used their few Fokker C.V light bombers. They also had Heinkel He 115 and Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk M.F.11 seaplanes to support their attacks. The old Fokker biplanes were surprisingly good at bombing German positions from low altitudes. The RAF provided some fighter cover with Gloster Gladiators and Hawker Hurricanes. However, there were too few of these planes to patrol the whole front line all the time.
Using Captured Weapons
In the last weeks of the fighting, the Alta Battalion became very experienced. They were also well-equipped. This was because they captured many German weapons. The soldiers, who were mostly fishermen, farmers, and reindeer herders, took these weapons from the Germans. For the first time, Norwegian infantry used weapons like submachine guns and hand grenades.
The battalion's mortars were worn out from constant use. Their base plates often needed replacing. So, capturing German 50 mm mortars and 81 mm mortars was very helpful. They also seized several German mountain guns. These guns had been dropped by the Luftwaffe to help the surrounded 3rd Mountain Division. The captured guns were sent back to Alta. In Alta, gunners began training with these new weapons. The plan was to use them on the front lines as soon as possible.
The Training Battalion
While the Alta Battalion fought at the front, a training battalion was formed. It had three companies. This training unit was set up at Altagård and Banak in Finnmark. The Alta Battalion also created smaller local forces in western Finnmark. This included an air warning unit of fifteen men in Kårhamn. The training battalion was meant to send new soldiers and help to the active battalion. However, the fighting ended before they could join the battle.
Foreign Volunteers
During the fighting, a small number of trained foreign volunteers joined the battalion. Among them were nine people from Estonia. They joined on May 19.
Allied Forces Leave Norway
The Alta Battalion and other units of the 6th Division were preparing for one last attack. They wanted to push the German and Austrian soldiers of the 3rd Mountain Division even further. But then, Germany launched a huge attack called Fall Gelb. They invaded France and the Low Countries. This invasion happened on May 10. It had terrible results for the Allies.
Because of this, the land, sea, and air forces in Norway were suddenly pulled out. The Norwegian government was only told a few days before the evacuation.
End of the Fight
Without the support of the RAF and the Royal Navy, the Norwegian government lost hope. They knew they could not win against the Germans alone. So, they left the country with the evacuating Allies. The last order the government gave to the Norwegian units was simple: Demobilise. This meant to stop fighting and send the soldiers home.
German Position at Narvik
After the campaign ended, the German commander, Eduard Dietl, made a comment. He said that when Norway surrendered, his forces could only have held out for another 24 to 48 hours. After that, they would have had to leave the entire Narvik front and cross into Sweden.
On June 9, 1940, the still undefeated units of the 6th Division, including the Alta Battalion, marched down from the snowy hills. Many soldiers cried. They were bitter and disappointed that victory had been taken away from them. The ceasefire began at midnight on June 10, 1940. In the early hours of that day, the soldiers marched to Grovfjord. They faced occasional air attacks. From Grovfjord, they took fishing boats back to Altagård.
When Norway surrendered, the battalion's important papers were taken from Altagård. They were sent away, first to the Faroe Islands.
Casualties During the Norwegian Campaign
The Alta Battalion suffered the following losses:
- 5 soldiers were killed in action.
- 1 soldier died from wounds.
- 36 soldiers were wounded in action.
- 1 soldier was taken prisoner.
- 8 soldiers were injured.
- 21 soldiers became sick.
In total, the battalion had 71 casualties out of about 900 men during the Norwegian Campaign.
After the Norwegian Campaign
After the Norwegian Campaign ended, the battalion was sent home. The soldiers returned to their homes and their regular jobs. During the German occupation, many former members of the battalion became active in the resistance movement. They mostly worked on gathering information about German forces in Finnmark.
