Britain and Norway v. Germany

 

In the waters of Northern Norway, the British fleet, being outside the limits of the German aircraft, achieved complete domination. British, French and Polish troops, transported by ships of this fleet, were surrounded by the Germans occupied Narvik. British fighters took off from the airfield Bardufoss, and the allies, together with the 6th Norwegian division - the only division that was fully staffed and armed, began to prepare for the assault on Narvik.
Thus, Dettle and more than 4 thousand of his soldiers — about 2 thousand rangers from the 139th Mountain Regiment and about 2.5 thousand sailors from the sunk German ships — were in a difficult situation. Having removed from the ships as many guns and anti-aircraft installations as possible, the Germans installed them on land. In addition, from time to time U-52 transport aircraft broke through to them, which delivered a whole battery of 75-mm cannons. On May 9, after a short-term training session, in the Narvik area a landing was dropped, consisting of two companies of paratroopers of the 2nd division. Dietl created a not dense belt of defensive structures around Narvik, leaving an almost impassable terrain in the southeast under the protection of a detachment of seas. During the battles, Dietla’s men cleared their navel to the Swedish border and seized the road, 110 of which was delivered to Narvi by iron ore. The 24th brigade of the British together with the 6th division of the Norwegians from April 14, attacked the position of Dietla. Fearing for the fate of his troops, Hitler suggested that they should be taken out of Narvik by airplanes or retreated to the south, but Jodl said that it was impossible to do this.
In early May, the Allies received their first tanks and amphibious craft. The indiscriminate General MacKezie finally gave his consent to the storming of the German positions around the town of Bjorkvik. On May 12, soldiers of the French Foreign Legion, supported by the fire of ship guns, landed in the harbor of this town. The landing was carried out on the floor by hurricane fire of German mountain rangers, but the legionnaires were supported by other French units and the Norwegians who attacked the enemy from the rear. The Allies took the city and moved to a military camp in Elwegardsmuen, which was captured after a fierce three-hour (including hand-to-hand) battle. Then they moved to the southern extremity of Eyyur Peninsula, which could become a great springboard for the storming of Narvik.
Meanwhile, the 2nd German Mountain Division under the command of General Feuerstein was ordered to go to Trondheim "in order to pave the way to the north, which will give the opportunity to retreat General Dietla's troops fighting the enemy at Narvik" Feuerstein began his 1200-km march to help Dietlu, sweeping the English and Norwegian parts out of his way. The Allies, however, made every effort to detain the mountain rangers, blowing up bridges and engaging in short battles with them. In one case, the Voerstein soldiers captured British positions, disembarking from the aircraft behind them. The Germans quickly moved northward, and this forced the Allies to accelerate the preparation of the assault on Narvik. Mekesi was replaced by General Claude Okinlek, who did much to get Narvi to be taken. licensed, specialist electrician service in the Fort Lauderdale FL area