Ragnar Ulstein facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ragnar Ulstein
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Birth name | Ragnar Leif Ulstein |
Born | Ulstein, Sunnmøre, Norway |
19 April 1920
Died | 3 December 2019 | (aged 99)
Allegiance | Norway |
Service/ |
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Years of service | 1940–1947 |
Awards | King's Medal of Merit in gold Defence Medal 1940–1945 St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch, twice Military Medal (United Kingdom) |
Other work | Journalism Military historiography |
Ragnar Leif Ulstein (MM) was a brave Norwegian hero. He was born on April 19, 1920, and passed away on December 3, 2019. During World War II, he was a member of the Norwegian resistance movement. After the war, he became a well-known journalist and writer.
Ragnar Ulstein wrote many important books. These books told the stories of the war. He wrote about brave Norwegians who sailed to Scotland to fight. He also wrote about people escaping to Sweden. His books helped us understand the secret military intelligence efforts in Norway.
Contents
Ragnar Ulstein's Early Life and War Efforts
Ragnar Ulstein was born in a place called Ulstein in Sunnmøre, Norway. He finished high school in June 1940. This was the same year Germany invaded Norway. Because of the war, Ragnar had to escape. He fled to the United Kingdom to join the fight.
Joining the Resistance Movement
In the UK, Ragnar joined a special group. It was called the Norwegian Independent Company 1. People often called it Kompani Linge. This group was led by Martin Linge. They were trained to do secret missions in Norway.
Ragnar took part in a mission called Operation Anklet. This was a raid in December 1941. After the mission, he went back to the UK.
In 1943, he was part of another mission. It was called Vestige I. The goal was to attach special mines to ships. But the explosives went off too early. The ship was damaged but did not sink. Ragnar and others had to escape back to England.
Leading Resistance Groups
In 1944, Ragnar Ulstein returned to Norway. His job was to train a resistance group called Milorg. This group was in Sogn og Fjordane. He traveled from Shetland and landed near Florø.
Ragnar led a group called Siskin. Their secret base was in Sogndalsdalen. Other brave men, Nils Fjeld and Nils Thorsvik, helped him lead. They worked with important local contacts.
In February 1945, the Siskin group faced trouble. Some members were arrested. But Ragnar managed to escape. German soldiers came close to their base. However, local people secretly slowed them down. This gave the Siskin members time to hide their weapons. They also had time to escape safely.
Ragnar and his friends started a new base. It was in Frønningen. Many people were connected to this new group. But it did not last long. The war ended on May 8, 1945. This was Norway's liberation day. Ragnar and 72 others then helped German forces leave the area.
Awards for Bravery
For his brave actions in the war, Ragnar Ulstein received several awards:
- The St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch (twice)
- The British Military Medal
- The Defence Medal 1940 – 1945
- The Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal
Ragnar Ulstein's Life After the War
After the war, Ragnar Ulstein continued to serve. He was part of the Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany. When he came back to Norway, he became a newspaper editor. He worked for Fjordabladet from 1948 to 1949.
Writing and Journalism Career
Ragnar Ulstein was a very active writer. In 1948, he helped edit a two-volume book. It was about the Kompani Linge group. Even King Haakon wrote an introduction for the books.
He also worked as an editor for Filmavisen. From 1954, he was a journalist. He wrote for newspapers like Bergens Tidende and Sunnmørsposten. Later, he received a special scholarship from the government.
In 1961, he published his first novel, Harpegjengen. He then wrote many documentary books. These books were about the Norwegian resistance movement during World War II.
His books included:
- Englandsfarten (two volumes, 1965 and 1967): This series covered people traveling between Norway and the UK early in the war.
- Svensketrafikken (three volumes, 1974, 1975, and 1977): These books were about refugees escaping from Norway to Sweden.
- Etterretningstjenesten i Norge 1940-45 (three volumes, 1989, 1990, 1992): This set of books was about military intelligence in Norway. It included the work of secret agents.
For his important work after the war, Ragnar Ulstein received the King's Medal of Merit in gold.
Later Life and Views
Ragnar Ulstein was also involved in politics. He was part of the Liberal Party of Norway in Ålesund. He married Jenny Hermine Akselsen in 1951.
In his later years, he wrote for a website called document.no. He shared his thoughts on freedom. He felt that freedom had become less open than it was after the war ended in 1945.
Honours and Awards
- King's Medal of Merit in gold
- Defence Medal 1940–1945
- St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch, twice
- Military Medal (United Kingdom)
- Haakon VII's 70-Medal
Selected Works
- Kompani Linge (2 volumes; jointly with Erling Jensen and Per Ratvik)
- Harpegjengen, novel
- Paradis (novel)
- Englandsfarten (2 volumes)
- Svensketrafikken (3 volumes)
- Etterretningstjenesten i Norge 1940-45 (3 volumes)