Wilhelm Mohr

PART I – The Contribution of the Norwegian Air Forces
I must insert a personal note, because it actually fell on me at the time
to obtain and carry these instructions to Captain Øen. I recollect from
the conservation with General Ruge that he expressed doubts whether
North Norway could be held at all for the length of time required, but
emphasised for reasons of future national interest the importance that
any national contribution to the war, whatever it achieved, be clearly
identifiable.
Early endeavours and discussions in London
At the beginning of the war the Norwegian legation in London had no
military representation. In mid-April 1940 a post of Military and naval
attaché was created, and a month later a Military and Naval Mission was
established. This mission became the intermediary between the British
authorities and the very meagre Norwegian military headquarters of
that time. The British first made the offer of having Norwegian pilots
trained by the RAF in the same manner as their own «Volunteer Reserves».
These pilots were then to be deployed into units already serving
in North Norway, or earmarked for that theatre. Five pilots commenced
such training.
Meanwhile the members of the Norwegian Naval Air service who
had arrived in the UK with their aircraft had established themselves as
a unit. Efforts were made to have this unit carry out operations with or
within the British Fleet Air Arm. This was soon deemed impractical,
mainly because of the type of aircraft involved. The element was therefore
assigned to the RAF Experimental Establishment at Helensburgh
in Scotland, but was later disbanded (The aircraft were taken over by
the RAF, and were flown by Norwegian crews in clandestine operations
in North Africa, until destroyed by enemy air attacks on Malta).
Identifiable Norwegian Air Units
Captain Øen and his small staff now addressed themselves to the possible
establishment of identifiable Norwegian air units that would either
cooperate with the RAF, or be contained within it. It was soon made
33