Norwegian Independent Company 1 facts for kids

The Norwegian Independent Company 1 (you can say it like "noor-ee-sehn" in Norwegian) was a special group of Norwegian soldiers during World War II. It was formed in March 1941 by the British Special Operations Executive (SOE). The SOE was a secret British organization that helped resistance movements in countries occupied by enemies.

This company was first created to carry out surprise attacks, called commando raids, in Norway. Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany at the time. The group quickly became known for having many talented people who could do different kinds of secret missions in Norway.

History of Kompani Linge

A memorial in Scotland for Kompani Linge

The original name, "Norwegian Independent Company 1," was a bit long and didn't sound very Norwegian. So, the group soon became much better known as Kompani Linge. This means "Linge's Company." It was named after their leader, Captain Martin Linge. When Martin Linge sadly died early in the war, the name became official to honor him.

The soldiers in Kompani Linge trained in different places in the United Kingdom. One of their training spots was at Drumintoul Lodge in Scotland. This was a secret SOE training center.

Their first big attacks in 1941 were in Lofoten (called Operation Claymore) and Måløy (called Operation Archery). Martin Linge was killed during the Måløy raid. One of their most famous missions was the Norwegian heavy water sabotage. This mission stopped Germany from getting materials they needed for atomic weapons. They also carried out other attacks, like the Thamshavnbanen sabotage, which damaged a railway.

In the capital city, Oslo, a group called the Oslogjengen did many sabotage missions. Kompani Linge also worked closely with Milorg. Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance group. Together, they made communication with London much better during the war. By 1945, 64 radio operators from Kompani Linge were working secretly all over Norway.

According to a book by Max Manus, Kompani Linge was one of the most honored military groups in the United Kingdom during World War II. The brave soldiers from this company were also among the first to welcome King Haakon back home to Norway after the war. In total, 530 Norwegians served in Kompani Linge, and 57 of them died during their missions.

Members of Kompani Linge

Many brave Norwegians were part of Kompani Linge. Here are some of them:

Agents in Operation Seagull

A memorial at Akershus Fortress for those from Kompani Linge and the Shetland bus who died in World War II

These agents were part of a mission called Operation Seagull:

• Cpl. Sverre Granlund - He also served as a commando in Operation Musketoon.
• Sgt. Thorlief Daniel Grong
• Lt. Per Getz
• Pte. Eivind Dahl Eriksen
• Pte. Hans Rohde Hansen
• Tobias Skog

Agents in Telavåg

These agents were involved in events in Telavåg:

• Emil Gustav Hvaal (his secret code name was Anchor)
• Arne Vaerum (his secret code name was Penguin)