The Grouse/Swallow Operation
oBJECTIVE: TO FIND, PREPARE and light A SUITABLE LANDING SITE FOR gLIDERS OF THE fRESHMAN oPERATION.
Grouse/ Swallow Team
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/)
- GROUSE/SWALLOW TEAM:
- EINAR SKINNARLAND (FIRST AGENT INSIDE THE PLANT)
- JENS ANTON POULSSON
- ARNE KJELSTRUP
- KNUT HAUGLAND
- CLAUS HELBERG
Timeline: Fall, 1942---February, 1943
Grouse/swallow-- 1942 (Britain's special Operations Executive)
(http://olive-drab.com/)
"The heavy-water plant was perched on the side of the steep mountain near Vemork, near the town of Rjukan. A Norwegian spy named Einar Skinnerland was sent to the Vemork plant and set up radio transmitters nearby on the Hardanger Plateau, in a mission code-named Grouse. Skinnerland's mission was to establish contact with Norwegian agents in Rjukan area and be the link to London. Four other Grouse members landed on Hardangervidda on the October 18, 1942. They found and prepared a suitable landing site for the gliders of the Freshman team. They worked in bitter, winter conditions and had very little food. Their skis were their method of transportation. They hunted and ate reindeer to stay alive." (jcs-group.com Something About Everything Military)
November 19th, the Freshman aircraft took off from Scotland. They flew over the landing area that Grouse had prepared, but did not receive the signals from the ground. They turned back and experienced problems with icing. Only one of the bombers returned to Scotland. The other with both glide planes crashed in western Norway. Some of the men were killed instantly. Others were hunted down by the Gestapo, tortured and shot. This tragedy had 41 victims.
(www.jcs-group.com Something About Everything Military, Norwegian Special Forces.)
November 19th, the Freshman aircraft took off from Scotland. They flew over the landing area that Grouse had prepared, but did not receive the signals from the ground. They turned back and experienced problems with icing. Only one of the bombers returned to Scotland. The other with both glide planes crashed in western Norway. Some of the men were killed instantly. Others were hunted down by the Gestapo, tortured and shot. This tragedy had 41 victims.
(www.jcs-group.com Something About Everything Military, Norwegian Special Forces.)