Battle of Gratangen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Gratangen |
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| Part of the Norwegian Campaign of World War II | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Norway |
 Germany |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Overall: Kristian Løken I/IR12 (1st battalion of Infantry Regiment 12): Nils Christoffer Bøckman |
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| Strength | |||||||
| I/IR12 | 165 soldiers | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 34 killed 64 wounded 130 captured |
6 killed 16 wounded 3 missing |
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The Battle of Gratangen was an important fight during World War II in Norway. It happened when Norwegian soldiers tried to push German forces away from the Gratangen area, back towards Narvik. But the first attack didn't go well for the Norwegians. The Germans surprised them, causing a lot of trouble for one of their army groups. This battle was part of the larger Norwegian Campaign.
Contents
Why Gratangen Was Important
Gratangen was one of the first places where German and Norwegian soldiers fought after Germany invaded Norway on April 9, 1940. The German forces were led by General Eduard Dietl. The Norwegian forces were led by General Carl Gustav Fleischer.
At first, the Germans had some success. But then, the Norwegian army pushed them back towards Narvik.
Germany Invades, Norway Fights Back
On April 9, 1940, German warships called Kriegsmarine destroyers brought German soldiers to Narvik. They quickly took over Narvik and important military supply areas. The Germans sank two old Norwegian ships, HNoMS Norge and HNoMS Eidsvold, causing many deaths. They also tricked Norwegian soldiers on land into giving up.
The British navy, called the Royal Navy, fought back at sea. In two big battles near Narvik, they sank all ten German destroyers. About 2,900 German sailors were left without ships. They used captured Norwegian gear and joined the German ground troops.
Meanwhile, the Norwegians got their own soldiers ready under General Carl Gustav Fleischer.
Norway's Plan to Attack
The Norwegian plan was to push the Germans out of Narvik. They wanted to attack towards the supply areas at Elvegårdsmoen and Bjerkvik. One group, the II/IR15, would attack from the front. They would have artillery support. Another group, the I/IR12, would try a surprise march over tough land. They aimed for the main German positions in Gratangsbotn. A third group, the Alta Battalion, was ready to help if needed.
The Battle Begins
On April 24, the II/IR15 started its attack. But the weather was very bad, with strong winds and heavy snow. The Germans also fought hard, so the Norwegian attack failed.
However, the Germans decided to leave their positions. Because of the bad weather, the Norwegian II/IR15 didn't notice this. So, they didn't continue their attack.
The I/IR12 group marched through the wind and heavy snow. They reached Gratangsbotn and found no Germans there. The soldiers were very tired. They rested in farmhouses and barns. But for some reason, they didn't set up enough guards. This was a big problem because Gratangsbotn was in a low valley, with high ground all around it.
The Germans saw their chance. They quickly attacked with 165 soldiers. They even used Norwegian civilians to protect themselves. Even though the Germans had fewer soldiers, they had stronger weapons like mortars and machine guns. They surprised the Norwegians.
Thirty-four Norwegian soldiers were killed. Sixty-four were wounded, and 130 were captured. Many officers were lost too. The Germans had fewer losses: six killed, 16 wounded, and three missing.
The Norwegian soldiers who survived had to leave Gratangsbotn. The group was later reorganized and kept fighting in the war.
What Happened Next
Even though the Germans won this battle, they knew their position in Gratangsbotn was not safe. The fresh Alta Battalion kept pushing from the north. The II/IR15 also started moving forward again.
So, the Germans left Gratangen soon after the battle.
For the Norwegians, the Battle of Gratangen was a tough but important lesson. Before this battle, many Norwegian soldiers were new to fighting. They sometimes hesitated to shoot the enemy. But after Gratangen, the Germans' harsh actions, especially using civilians for protection, made the Norwegians determined to fight harder.
See also
- List of Norwegian military equipment of World War II
- List of German military equipment of World War II
