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KOMPANI
LINGE
The
company Linge got it's name from Martin Linge, born
in 1894. Linge was one of the first to receive aviation
education in Norway, but instead he decided to become
an actor. He even spent some time as a sailor.
The
life of Linge got a new meaning as the war came to
Norway. As he was military educated, he participated
as lieutenant. During the battles in the south of
Norway (Åndalsnes) the soldiers described him
as "ice cold" and "heroic". After
a grenade injured his leg, he was the first Norwegian
officer who was shipped over the North Sea.
In England, he became responsible for recruiting
personnel for a Norwegian special force, later to
be called "The Linge Company". During those
times he cooperated with the Norwegian author Nordahl
Grieg. Linge was the born leader, daring, inspiring
with a beautiful voice and a keen eye.
The
first operation the "Linge Gang" participated
in, was the "Lofoten-raid", 4th Mars 1941.
The "Linge Gang" consisted of 52 men. The
town Svolvaer and the territory around was liberated
for 6 hours before the English soldiers and the Linge
Company pulled out..
This was in its way the first victory in world war
two. Over 200 German soldiers were taken to prison
and over 300 volunteered to join the Norwegian forces
back in England. Those who had participated in the
raid were celebrated in the pubs for weeks.
But
Linge didn't get to live very long after the Lofoten-raid.
Just after Christmas time 1941, while raiding Måløy
farther south in Norway, Linge was killed in action.
The Platoon founded by Linge was later to carry his
name, "The Linge Company".
The
Linge soldiers were specially trained in England,
later to be used in operations in occupied Norway.
The training consisted of amphibious operations on
the English coast. Some times rumours were put out
that German agents were observed. Then it was up to
the Norwegian Linge-soldiers to avoid capture. This
some times escalated to frenzied episodes when some
of the Linge-soldiers were arrested as German spies.
And after a short while , this practice were slightly
changed.
A
total of 500 men were specially trained with the Linge
Company.
Many
of the Linge-men were exposed to extreme pressure
during Norwegian operations. Arrest resulted in the
death penalty. The Norwegian Home Forces suffered
greater losses than is commonly believed. All in all
2091 fell. Of these were 266 women. 363 men and 3
women were executed by the Germans.
Specially
trained, they parachuted into Norway. Many of these
did some incredibe work, often exposed to inhuman
strains, and it was not uncommon for them to be dropped
off in the wrong places.
Leif
Aagaard ( who later studied to become a priest), was
in winter time dropped fare off the target in Norway.
It was extremely cold with under 30 degrees Celsius
below zero, in a rather unfriendly terrain. They partly
walked, partly climbed for 36 hours without stop,
and literally with their life at stake before they
found shelter.
Maybe
It's also too easy to forget the toll and hardship
the resistance suffered in heavy snow and dangerous
terrain, trying to take care of drop from plains at
night-time. The Linge soldier Eldar Hagen, who was
top trained, was so worn out after dragging weapons,
containers and burying equipment, that he fell asleep
when he was going down hill on his skies….. He
hurt himself thoroughly, taking a long time to regain
full recovery.
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