Britain and Norway in the Second World War

Among the smaller Allied nations, Norway was perhaps the most successful in establishing working relations with Great Britain, and yet it was never subservient. Possession of one of the world's largest merchant fleets gave the Norwegian government in exile financial independence. It also contributed to the self-assurance that enabled the Norwegians to deal with the British authorities on a basis of mutual confidence. Yet there were inevitably also strains in what remained an unequal relationship. Both the achievements and the problems of the Anglo-Norwegian alliance are examined in this study. Of the 25 contributors over half are Norwegian and the majority, both Norwegian and British, are veterans with personal experience of the events they describe. They discuss many of the aspects of Norway's contribution to the Allied war effort on land, at sea and in the air, with chapters devoted to such topics as the Norwegian merchant fleet (Nortraship) and the "Shetland Bus" operations between the United Kingdom and the west coast of Norway. They also provide insights into Norway's role in the gathering of wartime intelligence, including the background to the sinking of the Bismarck, as well as sabotage operations such as the destruction of the heavy water plant at Rjukan in 1943.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 From neutrality to war 1939-40: British strategy and Norway 1939-40, Patrick Salmon; Norwegian neutrality and the challenge of war, Magne Skodvin; the balance sheet of the Norwegian campaign, Maurice Harvey; Norway 1940 - the balance of interference, David Brown; postscript on the campaign in Norway, H F Zeiner Gundersen. Part 2 The Anglo-Norwegian alliance: relations between the Norwegian government in exile and the British government, Olav Riste; business goes to war - the Norwegian merchant navy in allied war transport, Atle Thowsen; Anglo-Norwegian naval co-operation, Oivind Schau; the build-up and operations of the Royal Norwegian Navy in the period 1940-45, Beard Helle; the contribution of the Norwegian air forces, Wilhelm Mohr; operation Jupiter and possible landings in Norway, H P Willmott; operation Jupiter - a Norwegian perspective, Einar Grannes. Part 3 Intelligence and resistance: Norway's role in British wartime intelligence, Edward Thomas; Norwegian intelligence in the Second World War, Ragnar Ulstein; Milorg and SOE, Arnfinn Moland; the Linge company and the British, Joachim Ronneberg. Part 4 Special operations: Britain and Norwegian resistance - clandestine sea transport, Sir Brooks Richards; special duty operations in Norway during the Second World War, Mark Seaman; Norwegian resistance - the Swedish connection, Sir Peter Tennant; the Spitsbergen operations 1942-43, Sir Alexander Glen. Part 5 The liberation and after: planning the liberation - the Norwegian contribution, Paal Frisvold; Andrew Thorne and the liberation of Norway, Sir Peter Thorne; the western allies, the Soviet Union and Finnmark 1944-45, Malcolm Mackintosh; between the lines - North Norway 1944-45, Tonne Huitfeldt; the lessons of war - Norway in post-war Allied strategy, Clive Archer.