Text: Torgrim Sund. Photo: Torgrim Sund, Kyrre Kraft and Ebbe Deraas Youth from two of the Home Guard’s youth departments in Trøndelag have this year contributed with solid volunteer efforts at OSS Gjefsjøen. “Mountain march summer 2021” started at Ismenningen in Snåsa, the goal was Gjefsjøen, and participation in volunteer work with other defense friends.…

The slightly dented bracelet found at the back of a chest of drawers in a Norwegian attic bore testimony to an epic tale of daring secret missions behind Nazi lines to free Europe of Hitler’s Germany. Seventy-five years, its return to the family of its owner would be a saga all its own.  

Tidlig om morgenen 7. april 1945 krasjet et av flyene til Operasjon Rype på Plukkutjønnfjellet i Snåsa. Alle ombord omkom. Organisasjonen American War Memorials Overseas, Inc. har laget en informasjonsside for flyulykken og krasjstedet på Plukkutjønnfjellet.

Påskeaften den 30. mars 1945 styrtet et av flyene fra Operasjon Rype ved Kirkwall på Orknøyene. Organisasjonen American War Memorials Overseas, Inc. har laget en informasjonsside også for flyulykken og krasjstedet på Orknøyene.

The five OSS NORSO Group members who accidentally “invaded” the Swedish village of Lien entered this house shortly after having been rather nicely arrested by a local police officer. I took this photo of Leif Oistad by the house back in 1999. Shortly after I took it we were invited inside the house, by the…

  Youths mountain march and voluntary work The youth department from Home guard in Trøndelag has contributed with a solid volunteer effort at OSS Gjefsjøen. In the summer of 2020, this year’s mountain march was added to Gjefsjøen and volunteer work on the project. The intention of HVU’s summer march 2020 was to develop skills, good…

On 13 January 1945, the Norwegian sabotage group Woodlark carried out a sabotage operation against Jørstad bridge in Snåsa. Woodlark was British-led and included members of the Norwegian Independent Company No. 1 (Company Linge). Soldiers from Woodlark later joined the American-led Operation Rype. As a seven-year-old, Bjarne Aasum was a passenger on the first train…

  “SAS operations in Norway: Skis and daggers” OSS Operation RYPE / NORSO During late 1944/early 1945 a sabotage mission to Norway was planned, with the name Operation RYPE (Norwegian for Grouse).  The main mission would be to destroy railroad lines in Norway making it impossible for the Germans to move their troops in Norway…

The chest of drawers in the great-granddad’s house hid a story of real courage and top-secret operations. That is until Jørn accidentally pulled out the top drawer of the dresser. Read the story about the bracelet form Operasjon Rype 

In his notes from Operasjon Rype William Colby tells a story about pineapple “Our base was 30 miles away, and we reached it skiing from tree to tree, stopping only for rest. Overhead, German spotters were looking for us, and I promised the men we would lie low, keep out of sight, and sleep. But…