Halted at Midtskogen ETO (id:#66851)

(RH Nordic ASL Scenarios ID: RH5)   [next]   [previous]

West of Elverum, Norway 1940-04-10 (1 other)

No balance information available

Overview:

The war had come to Norway. In the early hours of 9 April 1940 German forces attacked all major ports from Oslo to Narvik. At 0421 the Oscarsborg fortress in Oslofjorden opened fire at the German heavy cruiser Blücher and sank it. This gave King Haakon VII, the Norwegian cabinet, members of parliament and the national gold reserve vital time to leave the capital. At 0700 the King departed, first by train to Hamar, later the same day by car to Elverum. German forces entering Oslo at 0900 soon realized he had left. All possible vehicles were commandeered, including buses from Oslo's public transport, and a company of paratroopers sent to Elverum. Past midnight the company neared a farm west of Elverum called Midtskogen. Here Norwegian draftees and officers of the King's Guard and civilian volunteers of local rifle clubs had hastily built a roadblock and set up a defensive position. They were determined to halt the Germans. At 0210 they saw the lights of cars, trucks and buses appear in the darkness.

Defender: Norwegian (1. Gardekompani, Hans Majestet Kongens Garde with Volunteers)  

Errata (source)