Battle for Kvam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle for Kvam |
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| Part of the Norwegian Campaign of World War II | |||||||
 Battle of Kvam, 25–26 April 1940 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom Norway |
 Germany |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Bernard Paget H. E. F. Smyth(22 April–12:00pm 25 April) A. L. Kent-Lemon(12:00pm 25–26 April) E.E.E. Cass Otto Ruge Jacob Hvinden Haug |
Richard Pellengahr |
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| Strength | |||||||
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8,500
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| : 54 killed :3 killed |
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| 3 civilians killed | |||||||
The Battle for Kvam happened on April 25 and 26, 1940. It took place in the Gudbrandsdal Valley in the village of Kvam, Norway. This battle was fought between soldiers from Britain, Norway, and Germany.
German forces were quickly moving north through the valley. Their goal was to take control of central Norway. In this battle, British soldiers from the 1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment and the 1st Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI), along with Norwegian troops, bravely held back the fast-moving German army for two days. It was one of the toughest battles during the Norwegian Campaign in World War II.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
The German invasion of Norway started on April 9, 1940. This was a new kind of attack, using land, sea, and air forces all at once. The Germans first captured Norway's main ports. After that, they began to move deeper into the country.
At the start of the invasion, King Haakon tried to escape capture. He and his family, including Crown Prince Olav, headed east. They went towards Hamar in the Gudbrandsdal Valley. When the Germans found out the King had escaped, they sent 100 skilled paratroopers to chase the royal family and Norwegian government officials.
The royal family had to keep moving through the Gudbrandsdal Valley. They eventually made it to neutral Sweden. A larger German force, with vehicles, followed the paratroopers. They moved up the Gudbrandsdal Valley, heading north toward Otta.
A British force, called "Sickleforce," was sent to Aandalsnes. This force was meant to help take back Trondheim from the Germans. But the Norwegian commander, Major General Otto Ruge, urgently asked for help. So, the first British troops were sent south to help the tired Norwegians defending Lillehammer. These British troops were not well-trained or equipped. They suffered heavy losses in battles on April 21-22 and April 23.
The second group of "Sickleforce" arrived at Aandalsnes on April 23. This was the experienced 15th Brigade. It included the 1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, and the 1st Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI). This brigade was better trained. However, they had lost some important equipment when a ship was sunk by a German submarine.
The Battle Begins
April 24: Setting Up Defenses
By the time the 15th Brigade arrived, the battle for Central Norway was already going badly for the British. They were retreating from the German advance up the Gudbrandsdal Valley. Major General Ruge told the British that his Norwegian troops were very tired. He said their defenses in the Gudbrandsdal Valley were about to fall apart.
Lt. Col. E.E.E. Cass led the 1st Battalion of the KOYLI. They quickly traveled by train to Kvam. They arrived there early on April 25. In Kvam, they saw Norwegian and British soldiers retreating from the German advance further south.
Kvam's Landscape
The area around Kvam was perfect for setting up defenses against the German army. South of Kvam, the Lågen River has a sharp bend called the "Kvam's knee." After this bend, the Gudbrandsdal Valley opens up into flat farmland. This gave the defenders a clear view to fire at the enemy.
Near the river bend, the road is narrow. There are very steep hills to the east. A large island sits in the Lågen River where it splits. Parts of this island were flooded due to ice. This island, called Viksøya, had hills near the road. The hillsides were still covered in deep snow. Nearby lakes were still frozen solid. The British even used one frozen lake as an airfield for a short time before the battle.
In April, daylight in Kvam lasted a long time. It was in this small village that the British decided to make their stand.
April 25: First Attacks
To slow the Germans, the retreating British and Norwegians tried to blow up a narrow part of the road south of Kvam. This area was called the Kvamsporten (the gates of Kvam). But the explosion did not stop the Germans much.
A few British planes appeared early on April 25, giving hope for air support. However, the Germans quickly destroyed the airfield. Any remaining planes flew north to safety. So, the British had no air support during the battle.
Brigadier General Smyth set up his headquarters near the Kvam Church. The British soldiers of 1st KOYLI arrived around 4:15 a.m. They quickly took off their heavy winter gear. Carrying only their weapons and ammunition, they began to set up their defensive positions.
Lt. Col. Cass placed "A" and "C" companies on the island in the Lågen river, west of the road. "B" company was placed east of the road, on the steep slopes. The British soldiers had rifles, bayonets, Bren light machine guns, and two Ordnance ML 3 inch mortars. They also had five 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank guns at the front and three more behind them.
General Jacob Hvinden Haug had told the British that Norwegian soldiers south of Kvam could hold their ground until the evening. But at 7:30 a.m. on April 25, the Norwegian soldiers moved into Kvam. They carried their wounded through the British lines. This meant there was nothing left between the British and the advancing German army.
The first German troops reached the road at 11:50 a.m. A Panzer II tank led the way, followed by another light tank and an armored car. The KOYLI waited until the Germans were very close, about 150 yards away. Then they opened fire, stopping the tanks and causing losses among the German infantry. The Germans immediately fired back with their artillery and mortars. This heavy shelling caused many casualties for the British soldiers at the front.
At noon, Brigadier General Smyth was badly hurt by shell fragments. He had to give up command to Lt. Col A.L. Kent-Lemon, who led the York and Lancaster Regiment.
After a short break, the German infantry moved up the slope on the east side of the road. They attacked "B" company, but the British pushed them back. The Germans then crossed the frozen river to attack "A" company on the island. "A" company had already lost many soldiers from the artillery fire. They could not stop the German attack. By mid-afternoon, "A" company was almost completely destroyed, losing 4 officers and 85 other soldiers. "C" company moved forward to help.
At 5:30 p.m., the first reinforcements arrived from the 1st York and Lancaster Regiment. They strengthened the left side of the British line.
By nightfall, "B" company on the east slope had held its position. They had fought off several German attacks. But their position was risky, so they decided to move back towards the center of Kvam village. They had to leave two of their anti-tank guns behind.
At the end of the first day, 89 British soldiers were killed or wounded. The Germans had 4 soldiers killed.
April 26: Holding the Line
At 5:30 a.m. the next day, the Germans started a strong artillery and machine gun attack on the KOYLI. Then, German infantry launched several attacks against the left side of the British line, held by "C" company of the York and Lancaster Regiment. All these attacks were stopped.
At 9:00 a.m., the Germans attacked the British left side again. This time, they moved higher up the steep hillside to a farm called Hillingen seter. Three brave Norwegian soldiers met them there. Even though they were outnumbered, they fought off the Germans, but lost their lives.
At 11:00 a.m., the Germans attacked again. Now they had air support and more artillery. They bombed the village of Kvam. They started to break through the British lines.
Around 1:00 p.m., the Germans brought tanks down the road towards "B" and "C" companies of the KOYLI. The British had three 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank guns ready to defend the road. However, a small roadblock made of tree branches was in the way. This blocked the view for the anti-tank guns.
Captain A.F. McRiggs bravely crossed the road twice, under German machine gun fire, to clear the branches. Just as he finished, he was shot in the shoulder. But now, one anti-tank gun could see the tank.
Corporal Stokes of the York and Lancaster Regiment was in charge of a Hotchkiss gun at the back of the village. He could see the tank. With his first shot, he stopped it. His second shot set it on fire. Moments later, a second tank came down the road. Stokes waited until it was right next to the first tank. He destroyed it with two shots, just like the first. Then, the Germans sent an armored car quickly down the road. When it drove between the two destroyed tanks, Corporal Stokes hit it with one shot.
The three destroyed vehicles now blocked the road. Corporal Stokes knew his gun would be a target. He quickly moved his crew away just before the Germans destroyed their position. Stokes and his crew then became regular infantry soldiers.
Around 4:00 p.m., the British were in danger of being surrounded on their left side. But a company from the York and Lancaster battalion managed to hold them off. Then, a group of 40 Norwegian skiers came down from the high slopes above the battle. These Norwegian ski troops, led by Paul Jørgenvåg, fired at the Germans from a long distance. Even though their fire didn't do much damage from far away, the Germans had to retreat because they were exposed.
Unfortunately, the situation was getting worse. At 5:00 p.m., General Paget ordered the British to leave Kvam at 11:00 p.m. The companies were to retreat to new positions about 4–5 km further north. There, companies from the York and Lancaster Regiment and the Green Howards had set up a new defense line.
At 6:00 p.m., the Germans took full control of the island in the Lågen. German artillery began firing phosphorus shells into the forests where British companies were hiding. The fires forced the British to escape. Still, the British held their ground until General Paget ordered them to retreat.
The battle in Kvam on April 25 and 26, 1940, was the toughest in southern and central Norway. The 1st Battalion KOYLI and 1st Battalion York and Lancaster lost 54 soldiers. Also, three Norwegian soldiers and three Norwegian civilians were killed in Kvam.
One civilian killed was Søren Sørensen, a Dane. He was at a farm called Svarthaugen. When he saw the farm burning, he went to save the animals. After the battle, he was found near the railway line, shot three times in the head.
Another civilian was Petter Klomstad at Kjestad farm. He saw his farm on fire and ran to help a 92-year-old woman who couldn't leave her bed. When grenades started exploding, he ran into the barn for shelter. When he ran out, he was killed by shrapnel from a grenade.
Later that day, 70-year-old Mari Bakken went back to her house to get more clothes. Her son found her the next morning in the courtyard, with a bullet through her heart.
Aftermath of the Battle
More than 70 buildings in Kvam were burned to the ground because of the fighting. The village and church were almost completely destroyed. Families lost their homes and everything they owned. One survivor remembered how people lost their bank books in the fire. Each family had to meet with the local bank to sort out their money.
The 54 British soldiers killed in the battle were buried in the Kvam churchyard. Today, a monument stands there to honor them. Also, a war museum in Kvam has items and information about the battle.
The three Norwegian soldiers who died fighting at Hillingen seter (farm) are remembered with a monument there. Today, there is a popular hiking trail to Hillingen seter and the war memorial.
The retreating British fought more delaying actions. They fought at Kjørem on April 27, and at Otta on April 28. After the fight at Otta, the British were able to get away from the Germans. "Sickleforce" was evacuated from Aandalsnes by April 31.
In 2014, the main highway through Kvam was rebuilt and made wider. During construction, workers found unexploded bombs from the battle. Work had to stop while Norwegian military teams safely removed the bombs.
See also
- List of British military equipment of World War II
- List of Norwegian military equipment of World War II
- List of German military equipment of World War II
Images for kids
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Highway near Kvam facing south. Note the steep slope on the east side of the highway.
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Battle of Kvam troop positions on 25 April 1940
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Hotchkiss 25mm anti tank gun at Gudbrandsdal Krigsminnesamling
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German Neubaufahrzeug advancing through the streets of Lillehammer in April 1940.
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German soldiers moving past Hillingen seter on 26 April 1940
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Residents of Kvam rebuilding shortly after the battle in 1940.
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Memorial to 54 British soldiers killed in the Battle for Kvam, Norway, 25–26 April 1940
