Commando News Edition 13, 2022

the bombardment. The 4 th group was held as a floating
reserve and the 5 th group passed by Maaloy into
Ulvesund on the destroyer HMS Oribi. They landed to
the north of South Vaagso to prevent German re -
inforcements getting through from the north.
Photo shows Lieutenant O'Flaherty being helped to a dressing
station with an injury that resulted in the loss of an eye. He
remained in the army and eventually became a Brigadier. The
soldier on the right is Derek Gordon Page - a commando. He
subsequently left the commandos and served with the Gurkas in
India, fighting in Burma and eventually ending the war in
Indonesia. © IWM (N 495).
The Germans garrison which was reinforced by 50
men of a Gebirgsjäger (Alpine, mountain) troops on
leave from the Russian front, were taken completely by
surprise but fought tenaciously. On Maaloy, three of
the four coastal guns were knocked out by the accurate
bombardment, which was lifted only when the invading
troops were about 50 metres from the landing beach.
Because the Germans had so little time between the
end of the bombardment and being overrun by the
105 Commandos, fighting there was over in just 20
minutes.
The German survivors were rounded up, demolition
work completed, and the group crossed the short
stretch of water to join the fighting in South Vaagso.
Meantime, group 1 at Hollevik experienced less
resistance than expected, since 8 defenders were
having breakfast in South Vaagso. Group 1 also joined
the South Vaagso skirmish and later group 4, the
floating reserve, was called in since German resistance
was greater than expected.
On board the destroyer HMS Orbis, No. 5 group
were by then north of Malloy, accompanied by HMS
Onslow. The men landed without opposition and blew
craters in the road to prevent enemy reinforcements
from North Vaagso joining the battle. They also
destroyed the telephone exchange at Rodberg.
Merchant ships, the RE Fritzen and an armed trawler,
the Fohn, came into view. Those under power beached
themselves when they saw the White Ensign.
Resistance was not completely overcome in the
street fighting, but all the major demolition jobs were
accomplished including the power station, coastal
defences, the wireless station, factories and lighthouse.
150 Germans were killed, 98 Germans and 4 Quislings
made prisoner and 71 Norwegians took passage back
to England. Further up the fjord, the destroyers sank 9
ships, totalling 15,000 tons and shot down four
Heinkels. Both Herdia and Stavanger airports were
bombed, the wooden runway of the former suffering
sufficient damage to limit activity.
There were many instances of bravery on both sides
in the taking and defending of entrenched positions.
At 13.45 hours, Colonel Durnford-Slater ordered the
withdrawal from South Vaagso to begin. It was led by
No 2 troop with No 1 in rear-guard. The force reembarked
at 14.45 hours, as the short Arctic day
ended.
Photo: Wounded being helped onto a landing craft at Vaagso,
27 December 1941. © IWM (N 481).
The Outcome
This was the first time all three services combined in
support of an amphibious raid against a defended
coast. As Mountbatten said at the outset "... nobody
knows quite what is going to happen and you are the
ones who are going to find out." The RAF provided air
cover for over 7 hours and undertook diversionary raids
elsewhere. None of the British ships was hit by enemy
bombs but a phosphorous bomb from a disabled
British plane hit one of the landing craft, resulting in
some casualties.
COMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 13 I 2022 47