The Collapse of Scandinavia - April 1940

So the quietness ended. After so long waiting, wondering, us and the Germans tilting at each other across the channel, the world exploded and the war is on our door step. In the early hours of the 9th of April the Germans gave the Dutch and Norwegians an ultimatum - accept German 'protection' or be invaded. The Dutch - what choice did they have? - surrendered to save lives, and their country was in German hands within six hours.

Disaster in Norway

The Norwegians, perhaps with the example of the Finns fresh in their minds, decided to fight on. All through that first day there was broken news of Allied and German landings, German ships and allied ships lost, one a German heavy cruiser, taken out by Norwegian shore guns.

News Reel: Invasion of Scandinavia

10th and 11th April bought more of the same. Telegraphic bulletins, the German cruiser Konigsberg knocked out by British dive bombers, two British submarines sunk by the Germans, King Haakon in hiding in the mountains. The Danish territory of Iceland declared independence, and the Danish Faroe islands were occupied by us.

On April 19th after landings, bombardments, skirmishes, our troops and German troops engaged for the first time in the war at Verdal. By the 22nd our troops were retreating back to Trondheim and then Namsos By the 26th our position in Norway was clearly disastrous, the Luftwaffe striking at will, with total command of their air. By the 29th our troops were being evacuated and it was clear that Norway is being taken by the Germans with ease.

By the 3rd May our evacuation was complete, and all that remained was to hear the broken snatches of a nation in it's final agonies of defeat, men fighting on with no hope of victory or help. We mounted a botched attempt to recapture Narvik, and the fall of Andalsnes, Trondheim, the Hegra Fortress were each a little triumph of pointless resistance and a crushing of that spirit place by place, mile by mile.

The Norway Debate

Then there was Westminster - another world. The 'Norway Debate' rumbled on, the MP Leo Amery reported as saying to the PM 'You have sat here too long for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!'

The Prime Minister survived a vote of no confidence but so narrowly that by the evening of the 10th of May he had resigned.

One of my daughters asked if the Germans could come here. They were looking at a map, crossing off the countries that the Germans have conquered and looking at how much of our coast now faces German held territory. I said no - and confidently. We are a different nation, the sea is wide, the Navy is strong. When they had gone to bed my wife looked at me and told me I was lying. Of course I am lying, to the girls, to my wife, to myself. The Germans have stormed Poland and Scandinavia, sunk more of our ships than I care to think, and our Generals are an embarrassment. Belgium and France are waiting for the war to turn to them, and my wife's family live in Ypres - her Father works on the War Graves. What else is there to do but lie?