Book by Norwegian author Frode Lindgjerdet (2022)

To prevent German occupying forces in Norway from reinforcing their defenses during the final months of World War II, the Office of Strategic Services launched Operation Rype, with the mission of sabotaging the Nordland Railway in Mid-Norway. Rype was led by Major William E. Colby, later director of the CIA.

After several delays, the Norwegian Special Operations Group (NORSO) dropped over the Snåsa mountains on the night of March 24. Out of eight B-24s, only three dropped on target. One dropped in Sweden, the remaining four returned to Britain. Two of the B-24s crashed, killing all but one of their crews. Reinforcement and resupply of the unit failed due to extreme Arctic conditions.

Relying heavily on help from the Norwegian resistance, NORSO managed to sever the railway at two points. On both occasions, they withdrew with Germans hot on their tail. On May 2, a German patrol blundered into their camp, resulting in the killing of all of the Germans and one wounded Norwegian resistance fighter. Whether the Germans were killed in the ensuing firefight, or were executed later, has been hotly debated ever since.

After the war ended, NORSO was allowed down from the mountains, but were sent on bogus missions by the British commanders in Trondheim. They eventually managed to get recognition for their contribution to victory.

This new history of the operation is based on German, Norwegian, American and Swedish sources. It examines how the outcome of the operation was affected by the limitations of equipment in sub-Arctic conditions, and British-American rivalry and cooperation throughout the operation.

sabotasjeoperasjonen

Operasjon rype

I de siste krigsmånedene i 1945 var Gjevsjøen en sentral plass i forbindelse med sabotasjeoperasjon Rype. Sabotørene hadde sin base på fjellgården. Operasjon Rypes mål var å sabotere jernbanen for å forsinke de tyske troppenes tilbaketrekning. Heimevernets nåværende innsatsstyrke “Rype” har tatt navn etter operasjonen.

Restaurering av hovedkvarteret til Operasjon Rype

OSS Gjefsjøen

Det pågår et omfattende prosjekt for å restaurere bygningen som var hovedkvarter for Operasjon Rype under krigen. Planlagt ferdigstillelse er i løpet  av 2021.

laget på lokale urter og planter fra Gjefsjøen

Gjefsjø­akevitt

Akevitten er destillert på vann, lokale urter og planter fra Gjefsjøen. Det er laget som en hyllest til ære for Operasjon Rype som opererte med base  på Gjefsjøen gård i fjellene på Snåsa i slutten av andre verdenskrig. Akevitten destilleres eksklusivt på Inderøy Brenneri.