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Hello all,
Most of my T2K books are in a box several hundred miles away that I haven't seen for quite a while, so was wondering if anyone can help me out with some info about Norway in the V1 canon? The main things that I'm looking to try and find out are: When were Allied reinforcements first sent to Norway? Is there a detailed breakdown anywhere of what units these reinforcements were? (I presume this would this have been the Allied Mobile Force, but is there any listing that breaks it down to Battalion level? ) When did the fighting wind down in Norway? (I'm fairly certain from memory that large scale operations had ceased, but were there still pockets of Soviet troops in country in Summer 2000?) Were any allied troops transferred from Norway to other theatres? If so, when? I'm particularly interested in the British contingent. Thanks for your help. Cheers
__________________
Author of the unofficial and strictly non canon Alternative Survivor’s Guide to the United Kingdom |
#2
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Sorry if the format is difficult to read, but its cut and past straight from the books.
Norway: 1995-2001 When the Sino-Soviet War began, Norwegians were concerned (with most of the rest of the world) lest the conflict expand to a world war (justifiably so, as it turned out). When the Bundeswehr crossed into eastern Germany, King Harald proclaimed a state of emergency and called upon the Storting (parliament) to pass a string of emergency measures. Most of these were calculated to keep Norway out of the war and proved to be futile. The state of emergency permitted NATO to station troops in Norway (something which is normally against Norwegian law). The United States' contingent, in the form of detachments from the US 6th Marine Regiment and 10th Infantry Division (Mountain), began arriving on 1 November 1996. British units fSAS, paratrooper, and Royal Marine Commandos) and a detachment from the Canadian Airborne Regiment were also sent to various parts of Norway. In late 1996, the Soviets moved against northern Norway in an attempt to score a quick victory and draw some of NATO's attention away from central Europe. Most of the front-line, arctic-equipped divisions had been sent east, and the offensive had to be made with less well trained and equipped troops than would have been preferable. Soviet Spetznaz commando teams caused considerable dislocation in the initial stages of the fighting, and Soviet Marines made a number of devastating raids. A battalion of Soviet Marines landed and occupied part of the city of Narvik for almost three weeks before they could be destroyed. In mid-November, a force consisting of the Norwegian 3rd, 5th, and 10th Regiments, the Norwegian 2nd Dragoon Regiment, and the American 10th Infantry Division encountered the invading Soviets around the Bardufoss area. They managed to stop the Soviets in their tracks, inflicting heavy casualties on the Soviet 50th Guards Motorized Rifle Division which was spearheading the invasion. NATO naval and air forces foiled several attempts to reinforce the Soviet Marines in Narvik by sea and by airdrop. By December, reinforcements had arrived — in the form of the British 2nd Paras, the British 2nd/Royal Green Jackets, the US 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade, the US 6th Infantry Division (Light), and numerous smaller specialty and support units —and NATO began a counteroffensive. NATO pushed the Soviets back out of Norway during the months of December and January. When resistance stiffened, British and American Marines staged a series of amphibious landings behind Soviet lines to break up the defense and get the operation moving again. Eventually, however, the Soviets managed to halt the advance along the Litsa River outside of Murmansk, at a cost of most of the personnel of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division, which had to be withdrawn from the fighting. (Coincidentally, this was where the German northern offensive during the Second World War had been halted.) The US 10th Infantry division, which had led the offensive, took severe casualties during these months and was withdrawn from the line in February after several unsuccessful attempts to force a crossing of the Litsa River (the 10th was to be rebuilt and transferred to Alaska later in 1997). Two successive amphibious landings at Teriberka (in late February and again in March) were unable to flank the Soviet defensive lines, and the NATO troops were barely able to contain a minor Soviet counteroffensive in the late spring. During this period, the Soviet 7th Guards Air Assault Division had to be withdrawn from the front lines due to casualties. From March to June of 1 997, the NATO front consolidated its gains. The US 6th Division received replacements of personnel and materiel and prepared to undertake a new offensive in June, acting in concert with NATO's Atlantic Fleet. The fleet was to attack Soviet fleet anchorages at Murmansk and Severomorsk as NATO ground forces bypassed the Litsa River line. This was to be accomplished by a flanking move through neutral Finnish territory. The Finns were advised that the move would take place as the offensive stepped off and were not expected to resist. This was to prove a miscalculation. On 7 June, the NATO ground forces stepped off, and the fleet moved to the Kola Peninsula shortly thereafter. The Finns had been expected to offer token resistance to the violation of their neutrality; instead, they fought with the tenacity and ferocity which have historically typified the Finnish martial efforts. The flanking move was weakened and seriously delayed. This delay allowed the Soviets time to bring in reinforcements. The Finnish border was stiffened by the addition of the 376th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, a category III unit recently raised in the city of Leningrad and rushed to the front. The offensive along the Litsa, however, forced the commitment of the last of the frontal reserves, the 7th Guards Air Assault Division (which had been withdrawn from the Norway fighting for rest and replacements). At sea, the offensive fared even worse as coastal missile boats and the last remnants of the Soviet Northern Fleet's shore-based aviation assets used up their carefully husbanded stores of fuel and ordnance to inflict crippling losses on the NATO fleet. By the middle of June, the last major fleet-in-being in the world had been shattered. STALEMATE The Soviets attempted a counterattack, but they were unable to make substantial gains. Believing that Finnish resistance to the NATO incursion indicated that the Finnish people sympathized with their cause, Soviet forces were sent into Finland as part of the offensive. The Finns resisted the Soviets as tenaciously as they had resisted NATO, and by the beginning of July the front had stabilized once again. Both NATO and the Warsaw Pact had other irons in the fire, and neither could spare the resources necessary to resume the offensive in the far north. Throughout the world, things had not been going well for either side, but the Soviet Union was beginning to show the strain. The offensive in China had suffered serious reverses; NATO troops were besieging Warsaw; and the only bright point was the Danube Front, where the Turkish drive to relieve the Romanian turncoats had been stopped by Soviet forces and their allies. THE WAR GOES NUCLEAR The use of tactical nuclear devices began in July. In the east they were used on a massive scale, first against Chinese military columns and then against Chinese industrial centers. In the west, they were limited at first to tactical attacks against front-line units. By November, the tactical exchanges had gone strategic, and Norway did not escape. Along with attacks on industrial centers, a nuclear bomb was directed at Oslo, the capital. King Harald, who refused to abandon the seat of government in the face of enemy attack, died in the blast along with the Statsrad (state council) and most of the Storting. Over a half a million Norwegians died in the attacks on the capitol, the major industrial centers, and the nation's petroleum facilities. The nation's naval bases at Horten, Haakonsvern, Ramsund, and Olavsvern were destroyed or severely damaged. Imports dwindled as the world trade network vanished. The nation's power generation and telecommunications facilities were destroyed as electromagnetic pulse from the nuclear detonations fried their control circuitry, Refugees from the cities, seeking food and shelter from the coming winter, flooded into the countryside. At first they were received with charity and kindness, but it soon became obvious that there were more mouths to be fed than there were meals left in most parts of the country. Throughout the winter, the only government was by martial law, and the only forces for civilization were the remnants of the Norwegian military. People turned to the military for their leadership and for their protection. Finally, an island of stability began to form around the remaining heir to the throne: Prince Jungi of Trondheim, youngest son of King Olaf the fifth, and King Harald's brother. During the war, Jungi had served as commander of the 2nd Dragoons, and his Leopard tanks played a tremendous role in the defeat of the attacking Soviets, even though the terrain was not always well suited to the optimum use of armored forces. His exploits in the north earned him the nickname "Arctic Fox." When the front stabilized, the 2nd Dragoons were withdrawn from front-line duty. Jungi was enjoying a well earned leave, skiing with his wife and family, when the nuclear strike hit Oslo. The communications blackout, the chaos that resulted, and the onset of winter prevented him from regaining contact with what was left of the Norwegian government until late December. Jungi was crowned Haakon VIII King of Norway in the Stave Church at Lorn on 27 December 1997. In a show of unity. General Magnus Haardraade led the remaining officers of the Royal Norwegian Army in vows of fealty to Haakon. The newly crowned king immediately began efforts to reorganize his stricken domain. Unfortunately, he and Norway had not seen the last of the Soviets. |
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Here's the British contingent.
From NATO Vehicle Guide v1 Quote:
Quote:
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aka shrike6 |
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Here's the Dutch Contingent.
Quote:
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__________________
aka shrike6 |
#5
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Re: Royal Marines.
"The brigade was eventually withdrawn and sent to other duties, but several of its subcomponents were detached..." I believe (from Boomer) that would primarily be the Arctic/Mountain Warfare Cadre. |
#6
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__________________
Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird. |
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Tags |
countries, europe, locations, norway, western europe |
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