Arne Kjelstrup
Encyclopedia
Arne Kjelstrup, MM
(30 October 1913 – 5 May 1995) was a Norwegian resistance
member during World War II
, especially noted for his role in the heavy water sabotage
1942–1943, and for being military leader of Milorg
section D-161 (Kongsberg
/Numedal
) during the anti-demolition operation Sunshine
1944–1945.
. He later moved with his parents to Bærum
, where he worked as a plumber at the outbreak of World War II. After the war Kjesltrup married Tulla Irgens, who had participated in the Operation Starlight, the Kongsberg-Numedal-Nore subsection of Operation Sunshine
. Kjelstrup took further education in Stockholm, and settled in Bærum, working in the plumbing business.
in April 1940 Kjelstrup participated in the defence of Norway as a soldier. When the battles
were over he travelled to Sweden, and after a long journey, via Moscow, Odessa, Istanbul, Suez, Durban, Cape Town, Trinidad, Halifax and Liverpool he ended up in London, where he became a member of the Norwegian Independent Company 1
. He was recruited a member of the Grouse team which was parachuted onto the Hardangervidda
plateau on 18 October 1942, along with Jens-Anton Poulsson
(leader of the group), Knut Haugland
and Claus Helberg
. The team landed at Fjarefit in Songadalen, and relocated to Møsvatn
where they prepared to receive British troops, the Operation Freshman
. The Freshman operation was a failure, as the two gliders plus one of the towing planes crashed. The Grouse team spent several winter months hidden at Hardangervidda
, waiting for the replacement operation, Gunnerside. The combined Grouse and Gunnerside team finally succeeded in the destruction of heavy water
equipment and stock at Vemork
in February 1943
After the sabotage Kjelstrup stayed in Norway together with Knut Haukelid
, and participated in building up Milorg
troops in the Western Telemark district (the Bonzo group). He later returned to the United Kingdom via Sweden. As a sergeant in the Linge company he joined various military courses, receiving training in explosives and sabotage. In 1944 he participated in Operation Sunshine
led by major Leif Tronstad
. This was an anti-demolition operation to prevent destruction by the Germans of vital industry in Norway towards the end of the war. Kjelstrup was a leader of the Nore section (Operation Starlight), which could mobilize a military force of 900 soldiers at the end of the war.
He lived his later life in Bærum
, and died on 5 May 1995, just days before the 50-year anniversary of the liberation of Norway
.
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(30 October 1913 – 5 May 1995) was a Norwegian resistance
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
member during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, especially noted for his role in the heavy water sabotage
Norwegian heavy water sabotage
The Norwegian heavy water sabotage was a series of actions undertaken by Norwegian saboteurs during World War II to prevent the German nuclear energy project from acquiring heavy water , which could be used to produce nuclear weapons...
1942–1943, and for being military leader of Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
section D-161 (Kongsberg
Kongsberg
is a town and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is located at the southern end of the traditional region of Numedal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsberg....
/Numedal
Numedal
Numedal is a traditional district and valley Buskerud, Norway. Running north–south, it extends between Kongsberg in the south to Rødberg in the north, passing through the municipalities of Kongsberg, Flesberg, Rollag and Nore og Uvdal.. The river Numedalslågen, the third-longest in the country,...
) during the anti-demolition operation Sunshine
Operation Sunshine
The Operation Sunshine was an anti-demolition operation in occupied Norway from October 1944 to May 1945. Planned by Norwegian military personnel in the United Kingdom in cooperation with British forces, and part of an effort to protect essential installations and industry, in particular large...
1944–1945.
Personal life
Kjelstrup was born in RjukanRjukan
Rjukan is a town and the administrative center of Tinn municipality in Telemark . It is situated in Vestfjorddalen, between Møsvatn and Tinnsjå, and got its name after Rjukanfossen west of the town. The Tinn municipality council granted township status for Rjukan in 1996. The town has 3 386...
. He later moved with his parents to Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
, where he worked as a plumber at the outbreak of World War II. After the war Kjesltrup married Tulla Irgens, who had participated in the Operation Starlight, the Kongsberg-Numedal-Nore subsection of Operation Sunshine
Operation Sunshine
The Operation Sunshine was an anti-demolition operation in occupied Norway from October 1944 to May 1945. Planned by Norwegian military personnel in the United Kingdom in cooperation with British forces, and part of an effort to protect essential installations and industry, in particular large...
. Kjelstrup took further education in Stockholm, and settled in Bærum, working in the plumbing business.
World War II
Following the German invasion of NorwayOperation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
in April 1940 Kjelstrup participated in the defence of Norway as a soldier. When the battles
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
were over he travelled to Sweden, and after a long journey, via Moscow, Odessa, Istanbul, Suez, Durban, Cape Town, Trinidad, Halifax and Liverpool he ended up in London, where he became a member of the Norwegian Independent Company 1
Norwegian Independent Company 1
Norwegian Independent Company 1 was a British SOE group formed in March 1941 originally for the purpose of performing commando raids during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. It was organized under the leadership of Captain Martin Linge...
. He was recruited a member of the Grouse team which was parachuted onto the Hardangervidda
Hardangervidda
The Hardangervidda is a mountain plateau in the Hardanger region of western Norway. It is the largest such plateau in Europe, with a cold year-round alpine climate and is the site of one of Norway's largest glaciers. Much of the plateau is protected as part of Hardangervidda National Park; it is a...
plateau on 18 October 1942, along with Jens-Anton Poulsson
Jens-Anton Poulsson
Jens-Anton Poulsson DSO, was a Norwegian military officer. During the World War II he was a Norwegian resistance member, especially noted for his role in the heavy water sabotage 1942–1943...
(leader of the group), Knut Haugland
Knut Haugland
Knut Magne Haugland, DSO, MM, was a resistance fighter and noted explorer from Norway who accompanied Thor Heyerdahl on his famous 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition.-Early life and World War II:...
and Claus Helberg
Claus Helberg
Claus Helberg was a Norwegian resistance fighter and mountain guide. He was a member of Company Linge, a resistance commando unit that was best known for carrying out Norwegian heavy water sabotage during World War II. After the war, he worked for the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association...
. The team landed at Fjarefit in Songadalen, and relocated to Møsvatn
Møsvatn
Møsvatn is twelfth largest lake in Norway with a surface area of 78.31 km². It lies primarily in Vinje municipality in Telemark county. The lake lies in the watershed of the Skien river and discharges into the Måna river. Along the shores of the lake, many traces of stone age settlers can be...
where they prepared to receive British troops, the Operation Freshman
Operation Freshman
Operation Freshman was the codename given to a British airborne operation conducted in November 1942 during World War II. It was the first British airborne operation conducted using gliders, and its target was the Vemork Norsk Hydro chemical plant in Norway which produced heavy water for Nazi Germany...
. The Freshman operation was a failure, as the two gliders plus one of the towing planes crashed. The Grouse team spent several winter months hidden at Hardangervidda
Hardangervidda
The Hardangervidda is a mountain plateau in the Hardanger region of western Norway. It is the largest such plateau in Europe, with a cold year-round alpine climate and is the site of one of Norway's largest glaciers. Much of the plateau is protected as part of Hardangervidda National Park; it is a...
, waiting for the replacement operation, Gunnerside. The combined Grouse and Gunnerside team finally succeeded in the destruction of heavy water
Heavy water
Heavy water is water highly enriched in the hydrogen isotope deuterium; e.g., heavy water used in CANDU reactors is 99.75% enriched by hydrogen atom-fraction...
equipment and stock at Vemork
Vemork
Vemork is the name of a hydroelectric power plant outside Rjukan in Tinn, Norway. The plant was built by Norsk Hydro and opened in 1911, its main purpose being to fix nitrogen for the production of fertilizer. Vemork was later the site of the first plant in the world to mass-produce heavy water...
in February 1943
After the sabotage Kjelstrup stayed in Norway together with Knut Haukelid
Knut Haukelid
Knut Haukelid was a Norwegian resistance movement soldier during World War II, most notable for participating in the Norwegian heavy water sabotage...
, and participated in building up Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
troops in the Western Telemark district (the Bonzo group). He later returned to the United Kingdom via Sweden. As a sergeant in the Linge company he joined various military courses, receiving training in explosives and sabotage. In 1944 he participated in Operation Sunshine
Operation Sunshine
The Operation Sunshine was an anti-demolition operation in occupied Norway from October 1944 to May 1945. Planned by Norwegian military personnel in the United Kingdom in cooperation with British forces, and part of an effort to protect essential installations and industry, in particular large...
led by major Leif Tronstad
Leif Tronstad
Leif Hans Larsen Tronstad DSO, OBE was a Norwegian scientist, intelligence officer and military organizer. He graduated from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1927 and was a prolific researcher and writer of academic publications...
. This was an anti-demolition operation to prevent destruction by the Germans of vital industry in Norway towards the end of the war. Kjelstrup was a leader of the Nore section (Operation Starlight), which could mobilize a military force of 900 soldiers at the end of the war.
He lived his later life in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
, and died on 5 May 1995, just days before the 50-year anniversary of the liberation of Norway
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
.