In late May 1940 a strengthened company of Irish Guards and a couple Norwegian troops had dug their positions some miles North of the Polar Circle. They was supposed to be a larger force but the troop transport ship "Chobry" and the cruiser "Effingham" bringing more troops to the area was attacked and ran ashore making it impossible to get reinforcements to the frontline in time.
On both sides of the valley there was defensive positions with riflemen , mortar crews , machinegun nests and a battery of 25 pounder guns. The main force was dug down on a hill to the East of the river running through the valley to the Fjord. On the morning of 25th May the shooting started. Experienced Gebirgsjäger troops attacked along the river and road driving the defenders away but the Germans was halted by mortar and artillery shelling. Later in the afternoon 5 Heinkel bombers made several attacks on the hill while at the same time the mountain troops managed to use a very difficult terrain and sneak up close to the trenches on top of the hill. The Irish troops was surprised to suddenly have the enemy coming out of nowhere just in front of the trenches. They also saw the Germans trying to flank them and in close combat they began to retreat.
They crossed the river and blew up the bridges behind them. It took the Germans a few hours to make a pontoon bridge and the morning 26th a steady stream of troops was crossing the river. There was still a troop of Irish Guards holding positions on the slope of the hill but at 11.30 Brigadier Gubbins gave the call for retreat. The German shooting was so intense that the troops couldn`t get loose until 19.00. The next 24 hours the Allied troops steadily withdrew down the valley towards the Fjord where boats was waiting to bring them to Bodø. During this retreat they had support from a couple of Gloster fighter planes attacking German ground targets.
As they evacuated the valley they had high morale and hoped to continue the fight reinforced with fresh troops , but as soon as they arrived in Bodø the 27th may it became clear to them that the Allied High Command had the 25th already decided to evacuate all troops and give up the fighting in Northern Norway. The German war machine had now a clear path to the Narvik front.
On both sides of the valley there was defensive positions with riflemen , mortar crews , machinegun nests and a battery of 25 pounder guns. The main force was dug down on a hill to the East of the river running through the valley to the Fjord. On the morning of 25th May the shooting started. Experienced Gebirgsjäger troops attacked along the river and road driving the defenders away but the Germans was halted by mortar and artillery shelling. Later in the afternoon 5 Heinkel bombers made several attacks on the hill while at the same time the mountain troops managed to use a very difficult terrain and sneak up close to the trenches on top of the hill. The Irish troops was surprised to suddenly have the enemy coming out of nowhere just in front of the trenches. They also saw the Germans trying to flank them and in close combat they began to retreat.
They crossed the river and blew up the bridges behind them. It took the Germans a few hours to make a pontoon bridge and the morning 26th a steady stream of troops was crossing the river. There was still a troop of Irish Guards holding positions on the slope of the hill but at 11.30 Brigadier Gubbins gave the call for retreat. The German shooting was so intense that the troops couldn`t get loose until 19.00. The next 24 hours the Allied troops steadily withdrew down the valley towards the Fjord where boats was waiting to bring them to Bodø. During this retreat they had support from a couple of Gloster fighter planes attacking German ground targets.
As they evacuated the valley they had high morale and hoped to continue the fight reinforced with fresh troops , but as soon as they arrived in Bodø the 27th may it became clear to them that the Allied High Command had the 25th already decided to evacuate all troops and give up the fighting in Northern Norway. The German war machine had now a clear path to the Narvik front.
"25.may 1940 the Germans attacked Pothusnakken. Here fell two British and two Austrians"
I had long wanted to make a trip up to the hill and see if there was any left from the dramatic days there. It is a walk that`ll make most folks a bit sweaty and sure enough some 500 meters in I wondered if it wouldn`t have been better to stay in the sofa today. But soon I was warm and it didn`t feel so exhausting and before I knew it I had reached the top. Here I took a short break and made a pic of the sign someone put up there years ago. Some of the trenches and positions was also marked with signs.
I turned the metaldetector on and started searching. By the amount of casings and shrapnel I found it couldn`t have been a long firefight when the troops suddenly had the germans in front of them. I found a few casings scattered here and there , and some more of them in the trenches. There was also the typical rusted food tin garbage in the positions.
I turned the metaldetector on and started searching. By the amount of casings and shrapnel I found it couldn`t have been a long firefight when the troops suddenly had the germans in front of them. I found a few casings scattered here and there , and some more of them in the trenches. There was also the typical rusted food tin garbage in the positions.
I soon saw that someone else had been searching here and decided to check if they had left anything behind. I had a really good signal and removed the loose soil and checked it again , still a signal. I removed a few rocks and soil and saw something shiny. It looked like three aluminium boxes. I removed the soil around them and carefully got them loose from the ground. It was 3 British food containers. All of them missing their other part , but in very nice condition. If only the guy before me had dug 5 more centimeters..
Now I wanted to see if I could find any evidence of the advancing German troops. I started some 50 meters in front of the trenches and searched a while without a signal. Then I moved to the northwest side of the hill and sort of moved towards the trenches , and there it was. If it wasn`t for the vegetation I would be able to see the trench from where I had the signal. I dug it and there was some German ammo. I then made a flanking manouver towards the trenches and soon had another signal. More German ammo. All of the casings had a little ding on the neck , which casings does when they are fired with a Mg , so I had found the route one of the German machinegunners made.
When I was tired of finding ammo I started the stroll down. Now I moved on the side where the Heinkel bombers made their attack and soon found some large pieces of shrapnel , probably from both the bombs and the 25 pounder shells. There is several big craters around and in one of them a large piece of a bomb is to be found.
I shall be honest and say I had hoped to find more stuff here , but Im very happy with the result anyway. I always wondered what route the Gebirgsjãgers attacked and now I know. Next time Im in this area I`ll check if I can find the Irish Guards river crossing point and the positions on the oposite side of the valley.
I shall be honest and say I had hoped to find more stuff here , but Im very happy with the result anyway. I always wondered what route the Gebirgsjãgers attacked and now I know. Next time Im in this area I`ll check if I can find the Irish Guards river crossing point and the positions on the oposite side of the valley.
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