This was the first crucial conflict the Allies won during planet War II. Poles from the Podhalan firearm Brigade took part in this success. In late May 1940, allied forces crashed the Germans, occupying a strategically located port in Norwegian Narvik. Unfortunately, it didn't last long.
It was chaos at first. At night from 7 to 8 May 1940 soldiers of the Independent firearm Brigade of Podhale landed in Norwegian HarstadBut alternatively of going into battle, they've taken on... sorting weapons, ammunition and equipment. inactive in Brest, crates of equipment were loaded onto ships without order and storage. As it shortly turned out, any did not scope Norway at all. “There was no space for thirty-eight cars, so they remained on land. The French port authorities, on the another hand, insisted on taking a organization of 5,000 completely useless sabeaux – the footmen," wrote Norwegian historian Asbjorn Jaklin. Before the Poles had completed the essential equipment, it took respective days. Fortunately, it was only better after that. little than 3 weeks later, they could celebrate their first major triumph in planet War II. He was in the hands of the Allies. Narwik – a port that was more valuable to Germans than all the treasures that had been robbed so far Europe.
A port that does not freeze
The regulation of Norway was fundamental to the Germans. First, the coast was a perfect starting point for the North Sea and further to the Atlantic. Among countless coves, islands, and fjords, Kriegsmarine bases could easy be hidden, after which they would send submarines against the British fleet. Secondly, it was Norway that led the most reliable way for shipments of iron ore purchased from Sweden. The natural material essential for the operation of the German war device was mined in Kiruna, which was only 200 km distant from the Norwegian Narvik with a cover. In addition, the port there, unlike the ports in the Baltic, never froze. So the ore ships could run around.
Hitler's naval commander, Admiral Erich Raeder, powerfully encouraged the run against Norway. But the Führer waited. He had a plan to hit France in his head. He was afraid army tired longer than planned run against PolandShe won't be able to handle the extra challenge. He changed his conviction only in the early 1940s. At the time, he was told that the Allies would be able to take Norway. "The Pretext has delivered [...] The Soviet-Finish War. In western countries, the concept of hurrying Finland with assistance from northern Norway and northern Sweden was developed. From 2 to 4 divisions of the expedition corps to the Finnish front, only 1 was planned to be sent. The remainder of the troops had “by the way” the Narvik and the railway line connecting this city with the ore mines in the Swedish Kiruna," the historian explained in 1 of his books Janusz Odziemkowski. The task was rapidly revised – neither Norwegian nor Swedish authorities agreed to the Allied troops' march, and in addition, in March 1940, the fighting in Finland stopped – but the frightened Hitler had already made his decision. On 9 April, German troops hit Denmark and Norway. Within a short time, they seized immense areas of their territory.
Meanwhile, Norwegian King Haakon VII called for allied help. The Royal Navy set off first. On April 10 and 13, British ships fought 2 battles with Kriegsmarine, inflicting crucial blows to the opponent. The Germans lost 10 destroyers, respective transports and 1 submarine. Soon, land troops were to go to Norway. In addition to the British and French, the Norwegian army was besides to support Poles.
Victory for a Moment
Self-propelled firearm Squadron was formed in the early 1940s. “[The servants in it] were mostly Poles who emigrated to northern France before the German assault on their country. any volunteered, others were called to serve. However, most of the 182 officers and 742 enlisted officers [...] fled Poland in the fall of 1939, after fighting Germany," explains Asbjorn Jaklin. In total, the brigade had 4,778 soldiers. It was headed by Brig-Gen. Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko, a fresh associate in the September campaign.
The shooters set off for Norway on 24 April. They traveled aboard 3 French units. They arrived in early May. They shortly landed close Narvik. Initially, they fought in an area located north of this town – in the vicinity of Bjerkvik and on the Öyord peninsula. On May 15, they were moved to the Ankenes Peninsula. The British and French subdivisions loosened there, thus involving themselves in a direct fight for a strategical port.
At Narvik, the Allies gathered a full of 24,000 soldiers. On the another side was the 7 thousandth German contingent led by General Eduardo Dietl. It was created by members of the elite 3rd Mountain Division, supported by rapidly assembled subdivisions of German sailors, which the Royal Navy had already sent down. So the advantage of the allied was crushing.
The decisive fight began on May 27. Just before midnight, British ships gathered close Narvik began mass-fired German positions. They were followed by infantry. Poles fought hard fights over 3 hills located on Ankenes and the village of Beisfjord. On May 28, they managed to push the enemy out of the peninsula. Soldiers Gen. Dietla was forced to evacuate by boat to Narvik. shortly the city itself fell. "Germany went uphill towards the Swedish border," writes Janusz Odziemkowski. However, he immediately adds: "The exhaustion of Allied troops and the request to replenish ammunition prevented a vigorous pursuit."
However, the failure of Narvik, as the historian notes, was a shock to Hitler. The Führer pitched in, making more and more fantastic plans. "He was reasoning about withdrawing General Dietl's troops to Sweden [...], it was again pushing out an unrealistic task to evacuate the troops by air, or moving 2,000 paratroopers with dense equipment to Narwik in a short time," Odziemkowski says. no of this has happened, of course, but at the end of the day the Germans benefited from a complex global situation. Fighting for France, which broke out in early May, took an increasingly adverse turn for the Allies. Soon, too, the decision to retreat troops from Narvik was made. They were to support forces fighting on the French front and strengthen Britain's defence against the expected German attack. The evacuation of subdivisions began as early as June. It lasted a week. Soldiers of the Independent firearm Brigade of the Podhale were initially to be diverted to the British Isles. Eventually, however, they landed in France. There, during dense fighting with Germany, the subunits were dispersed. any soldiers then made their way to Britain, where they powered 1st Armoured Division.
The fight for Narwik was the first winning Allied conflict in planet War II. It had large intellectual and propaganda significance, but not only. According to Asbjorn Jaklin, the severe losses suffered in the north forced German verification of erstwhile plans. "The invasion of large Britain had to be postponed," notes the historian. The British gained a small more time to prepare for a possible clash.
But the another side suffered crucial losses. In the fight about Narwik, 97 soldiers of the Self-Sagittarius Brigade of the Podhale were killed. 28 were missing, and 189 were injured. During the Norwegian run the Germans besides sank the Polish destroyer ORP “Grom” and damaged the duplicate “Blind”. Only the 3rd of Polish ships firing on German positions came unharmed – "Burza" ORP. The enemy besides sent down a civilian ship MS "Chrobry" which served to transport soldiers.
While writing I used: Janusz Odziemkowski, Narwik 1940, Warsaw 2013; Asbjorn Jaklin, conflict of Narwik. 62 days of desperate fight, Kraków 2021; Ksawery Pruszyński, Road led through Narwik, Wrocław 1996; Witold Biegański, Polish Armed Forces in the West 1939-1945, Warsaw 1990.
