Odd Isaachsen Willoch
Encyclopedia
Odd Isaachsen Willoch was a Norwegian naval officer who commanded one of the two coastal defence ship
s defending Narvik
during the German invasion of Norway
on 9 April 1940.
, the son of chief engineer Einar Isaachsen and his wife Hannah (née Isaachsen). Willoch's grandfather was politician Isaach Isaachsen
. He was a nephew of painter Olaf Isaachsen
, and a cousin of painter Herman Willoch
, physicist Daniel Isaachsen
and scientist Haakon Isaachsen.
He was the father of businessman Finn Isaachsen Willoch, and through him the grandfather of politician Ingrid I. Willoch. In addition, Odd Isaachsen Willoch was the uncle of national aviation director Erik I. Willoch
and Prime Minister 1981–1986 Kåre I. Willoch
.
In 1911 Willoch married Marie Kristine ("Maja") Foss (born 1888 in Mosjøen
), fathering three children with her. They lived in Horten
.
, attending the Norwegian Military Academy
and studying radio technology in the United Kingdom
. Before the Second World War he commanded the offshore patrol vessels Fridtjof Nansen
and Michael Sars. In 1928 Willoch took part in the search for the Latham 47
flying boat that had disappeared over the Barents Sea
while carrying the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen
.
By 1940 he had reached the rank of Captain (kommandørkaptein) and commanded the coastal defence ship HNoMS Eidsvold
in 1940.
. The northern port of Narvik, defended amongst other sea and land units by HNoMS Eidsvold and her sister ship HNoMS Norge
, was one of their most important targets due its role as an all-year export port of Swedish iron ore
.
As part of the Royal Norwegian Navy's efforts to protect and defend Norway's neutrality in the Second World War Norge and Eidsvold, the largest and most heavily armed Norwegian warships in service, had been based in Narvik. The 4,000 ton vessels and their commanders and crews were under orders to fire at any intruder, Narvik was under any and all circumstances to be defended by force. During the night of 8/9 April 1940 reports started coming in of German attacks further south in Norway, in the Oslofjord
, at Bergen
and at Trondheim
. It was still, however, unclear of who would reach Narvik first, the Germans or the British. It was known to the Norwegian commanders that the Royal Navy operated with a large force just off Northern Norway and it was therefore anticipated that these naval forces might attack Narvik to destroy the numerous German cargo ships in the port. In all there were 25 civilian ships of various nationalities in the port of Narvik in the morning of 9 April 1940. For several weeks the Norwegian coastal defence ships had been preparing for war, carrying out intense gunnery exercises with live ammunition. The situation had been steadily become more and more tense since the Altmark Incident
on 16 February 1940.
In the early hours of 9 April Willoch moved his warship out of Narvik Harbour to a position north of the Framnesodden peninsula. Soon after radio messages were received from the patrol boat Kelt further out in the Ofotfjord
, relayed from Norge, that nine German destroyers were sailing towards Narvik. The tenth destroyer had been delayed and was lagging behind the rest of the German force. By 0400hrs visibility was so poor that the crew of the Eidsvold could not see land although they were only around 500 metres (546.8 yd) from shore, at which point Willoch ordered that his ship was to raise anchor. At 0415hrs the first two German ships were spotted.
As the German naval force of 10 destroyers attempted to enter Narvik Harbour Willoch challenged them, signalling
the lead destroyer. When the intruding ships failed to reply to the light signals Eidsvold fired a warning shot
from one of her 76 mm (3 inch) guns. In response to the warning shot the German flotilla commander, Kapitän zur See
Friedrich Bonte
, despatched an emissary to the Eidsvold. The German officer told Willoch that the Germans were "coming as friends", but that the Norwegians had to hand over their warships to the German armed forces. Captain Willoch asked for time to consult his commander, Captain Per Askim, the commander of Norge. This request was refused by the Germans, but while Willoch had been talking to the German officer the radio officer on board the Eidsvold had communicated the events to Askim. Askim's response to the German demands and order to Willoch came immediately; Willoch and the Eidsvold was to open fire. Willoch responded to Askim; "I am attacking". While this was going on the German destroyer Wilhelm Heidkamp had positioned herself 700 metres (765.5 yd) off the port side of Eidsvold and trained her torpedo launchers on the Norwegian ship.
When the order came from Askim the German officer was about to leave to Eidsvold to return to his own vessel, but he was called back by the Norwegians and informed that the demands were not going to be met and that the Norwegian warship was to resist the German encroachment. The German officer did not reply to the Norwegian statements, but when the German launch
set off away from the Eidsvold the people on board fired a red signal flare. As the Germans moved away in their launch Willoch commanded his port battery to open fire and a drum signal was initiated. Willoch shouted to the crewmen around him: . Seconds later, as Eidsvold had closed the distance to Wilhelm Heidkamp to 300 metres (328.1 yd), but before the large-calibre guns of the Eidsvold could open fire, three torpedoes struck her. Just before the torpedoes hit the ship's battery commander had given the order; "Port battery, salvo
". One of the German torpedoes hit the main ammunition hold, tearing apart Eidsvold, killing many crewmen and leaving the initial survivors swimming in water only just above freezing. Eidsvold broke in two and sank in 15 seconds, the stern disappearing last at 0437hrs. Only six seamen survived the sinking of Eidsvold; Willoch was not among them.
and a Chevalier of the French Légion d'honneur
.
Coastal defence ship
Coastal defence ships were warships built for the purpose of coastal defence, mostly during the period from 1860 to 1920. They were small, often cruiser-sized warships that sacrificed speed and range for armour and armament...
s defending Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
during the German invasion of Norway
Operation 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...
on 9 April 1940.
Personal life
Odd Isaachsen Willoch was born in LarvikLarvik
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. Larvik kommune - has about 41 364 inhabitants and covers 530 km2....
, the son of chief engineer Einar Isaachsen and his wife Hannah (née Isaachsen). Willoch's grandfather was politician Isaach Isaachsen
Isaach Isaachsen
Isaach Isaachsen was a Norwegian politician.He was born in 1774 as the son of wealthy businessman Daniel Isaachsen and his first wife Christiane Hedvig Christensen. He married a Hedevig Elisabeth Hansen. He was the brother of Peder and Daniel Otto Isaachsen.His son Daniel became a jurist...
. He was a nephew of painter Olaf Isaachsen
Olaf Isaachsen
Olaf Wilhelm Isaachsen was a Norwegian painter. Olaf Isaachsen is regarded as one of Norway’s more prominent artists and great colourist with motives from Setesdalen and the coast landscape of Southern Norway....
, and a cousin of painter Herman Willoch
Herman Willoch
Herman Willoch was a Norwegian painter.He was born in Lindås as the son of vicar Christian Abel Isaachsen, a grandson of Isaach Isaachsen. He was the cousin of Odd Isaachsen Willoch....
, physicist Daniel Isaachsen
Daniel Isaachsen (physicist)
Daniel Isaachsen was a Norwegian physicist.He was born in London as the son of military officer Isak Tobias Isaachsen and Fredrikke Andrea Rude. He was a great-grandson of Isaach Isaachsen, brother of scientist Haakon Isaachsen, nephew of painter Olaf Isaachsen and cousin of painter Herman Willoch...
and scientist Haakon Isaachsen.
He was the father of businessman Finn Isaachsen Willoch, and through him the grandfather of politician Ingrid I. Willoch. In addition, Odd Isaachsen Willoch was the uncle of national aviation director Erik I. Willoch
Erik Willoch
Erik Willoch was a Norwegian jurist and civil servant.Born in Oslo as a brother of Kåre Willoch, he graduated as cand.jur. in 1948. He worked at the University of Oslo from 1950 to 1956, and then in the Office of the Attorney General of Norway from 1957. He was the director of the Norwegian Civil...
and Prime Minister 1981–1986 Kåre I. Willoch
Kåre Willoch
Kåre Isaachsen Willoch is a Norwegian politician from the Conservative Party. He served as Minister of Trade and Shipping in 1963 and 1965–1970, and as Prime Minister of Norway from 1981 to 1986...
.
In 1911 Willoch married Marie Kristine ("Maja") Foss (born 1888 in Mosjøen
Mosjøen
-History:Mosjøen was founded in the 17th century as local farmers met here to trade, and has been growing since then. Sawmills were built here in 1866 by a British company, and Mosjøen got township rights in 1875. It is the oldest town in the Helgeland region and the second oldest town in Nordland...
), fathering three children with her. They lived in Horten
Horten
is a town and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway—located along the Oslofjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Horten. The municipality also includes the villages of Borre, Åsgårdstrand, Skoppum, and Nykirke....
.
Career
Odd Isaachsen Willoch made a career in the Royal Norwegian NavyRoyal Norwegian Navy
The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support...
, attending the Norwegian Military Academy
Norwegian Military Academy
The Norwegian Army Academy was established in 1750. It is the oldest university-level educational institution in Norway, and one of the oldest active military academies in the world. Krigsskolen primarily educates officers for the Norwegian Army. There are separate academies for the Royal...
and studying radio technology in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Before the Second World War he commanded the offshore patrol vessels Fridtjof Nansen
HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen OPV
HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen was the first ship in the Norwegian armed forces to be built specially to perform coast guard and fishery protection duties in the Arctic...
and Michael Sars. In 1928 Willoch took part in the search for the Latham 47
Latham 47
|-See also:...
flying boat that had disappeared over the Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
while carrying the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen
Roald Amundsen
Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He led the first Antarctic expedition to reach the South Pole between 1910 and 1912 and he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. He is also known as the first to traverse the Northwest Passage....
.
By 1940 he had reached the rank of Captain (kommandørkaptein) and commanded the coastal defence ship HNoMS Eidsvold
HNoMS Eidsvold
HNoMS Eidsvold, or Panserskipet Eidsvold in Norwegian, was a coastal defence ship and the lead ship of her class, serving in the Royal Norwegian Navy...
in 1940.
The Second World War
On 9 April 1940 Norway was invaded by Nazi German forces as part of the Operation WeserübungOperation 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...
. The northern port of Narvik, defended amongst other sea and land units by HNoMS Eidsvold and her sister ship HNoMS Norge
HNoMS Norge
HNoMS Norge was a coastal defence ship of the Eidsvold class in the Royal Norwegian Navy. Built by Armstrong Whitworth at Newcastle on Tyne in 1899, she was obsolete when torpedoed and sunk by German destroyers in Narvik harbour on 9 April 1940.-Description:Built as part of the general rearmament...
, was one of their most important targets due its role as an all-year export port of Swedish iron ore
Swedish iron ore during World War II
Swedish iron ore was an important economic factor in the European Theatre of World War II. Both the Allies and the Third Reich were keen on the control of the mining district in northernmost Sweden, surrounding the mining towns of Gällivare and Kiruna...
.
As part of the Royal Norwegian Navy's efforts to protect and defend Norway's neutrality in the Second World War Norge and Eidsvold, the largest and most heavily armed Norwegian warships in service, had been based in Narvik. The 4,000 ton vessels and their commanders and crews were under orders to fire at any intruder, Narvik was under any and all circumstances to be defended by force. During the night of 8/9 April 1940 reports started coming in of German attacks further south in Norway, in the Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
, at Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
and at Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
. It was still, however, unclear of who would reach Narvik first, the Germans or the British. It was known to the Norwegian commanders that the Royal Navy operated with a large force just off Northern Norway and it was therefore anticipated that these naval forces might attack Narvik to destroy the numerous German cargo ships in the port. In all there were 25 civilian ships of various nationalities in the port of Narvik in the morning of 9 April 1940. For several weeks the Norwegian coastal defence ships had been preparing for war, carrying out intense gunnery exercises with live ammunition. The situation had been steadily become more and more tense since the Altmark Incident
Altmark Incident
The Altmark Incident was a naval skirmish of World War II between the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany, which happened on 16 February 1940. It took place in what were, at that time, neutral Norwegian waters...
on 16 February 1940.
In the early hours of 9 April Willoch moved his warship out of Narvik Harbour to a position north of the Framnesodden peninsula. Soon after radio messages were received from the patrol boat Kelt further out in the Ofotfjord
Ofotfjord
Ofotfjord or Narvik Fjord, an inlet of the Norwegian sea north of the Arctic circle, is Norway's 12th longest fjord, long, and the 18th deepest, with a maximum depth of . Along the shores of this fjord is the major town of Narvik...
, relayed from Norge, that nine German destroyers were sailing towards Narvik. The tenth destroyer had been delayed and was lagging behind the rest of the German force. By 0400hrs visibility was so poor that the crew of the Eidsvold could not see land although they were only around 500 metres (546.8 yd) from shore, at which point Willoch ordered that his ship was to raise anchor. At 0415hrs the first two German ships were spotted.
As the German naval force of 10 destroyers attempted to enter Narvik Harbour Willoch challenged them, signalling
Signal lamp
A signal lamp is a visual signaling device for optical communication . Modern signal lamps are a focused lamp which can produce a pulse of light...
the lead destroyer. When the intruding ships failed to reply to the light signals Eidsvold fired a warning shot
Warning shot
A warning shot is a military term describing harmless artillery shot or gunshot intended to call attention and demand some action of compliance...
from one of her 76 mm (3 inch) guns. In response to the warning shot the German flotilla commander, Kapitän zur See
Captain at Sea
Captain at Sea, is a naval rank corresponding to command of a ship-of-the-line or capital ship....
Friedrich Bonte
Friedrich Bonte
Friedrich Bonte was the German naval officer commanding the destroyer flotilla that transported invasion troops to Narvik during the German invasion of Norway in April 1940.-Naval career:...
, despatched an emissary to the Eidsvold. The German officer told Willoch that the Germans were "coming as friends", but that the Norwegians had to hand over their warships to the German armed forces. Captain Willoch asked for time to consult his commander, Captain Per Askim, the commander of Norge. This request was refused by the Germans, but while Willoch had been talking to the German officer the radio officer on board the Eidsvold had communicated the events to Askim. Askim's response to the German demands and order to Willoch came immediately; Willoch and the Eidsvold was to open fire. Willoch responded to Askim; "I am attacking". While this was going on the German destroyer Wilhelm Heidkamp had positioned herself 700 metres (765.5 yd) off the port side of Eidsvold and trained her torpedo launchers on the Norwegian ship.
When the order came from Askim the German officer was about to leave to Eidsvold to return to his own vessel, but he was called back by the Norwegians and informed that the demands were not going to be met and that the Norwegian warship was to resist the German encroachment. The German officer did not reply to the Norwegian statements, but when the German launch
Launch (boat)
A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding...
set off away from the Eidsvold the people on board fired a red signal flare. As the Germans moved away in their launch Willoch commanded his port battery to open fire and a drum signal was initiated. Willoch shouted to the crewmen around him: . Seconds later, as Eidsvold had closed the distance to Wilhelm Heidkamp to 300 metres (328.1 yd), but before the large-calibre guns of the Eidsvold could open fire, three torpedoes struck her. Just before the torpedoes hit the ship's battery commander had given the order; "Port battery, salvo
Salvo
A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute.Troops armed with muzzleloaders required time in which to refill their arms with gun powder and shot...
". One of the German torpedoes hit the main ammunition hold, tearing apart Eidsvold, killing many crewmen and leaving the initial survivors swimming in water only just above freezing. Eidsvold broke in two and sank in 15 seconds, the stern disappearing last at 0437hrs. Only six seamen survived the sinking of Eidsvold; Willoch was not among them.
Honours
Willoch was awarded with the Haakon VII Coronation Medal, he was a Knight of the Icelandic Order of the FalconOrder of the Falcon
The Order of the Falcon or Hin íslenska fálkaorða is a national Order of Iceland, established on July 3, 1921 by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland.-History and appointments:...
and a Chevalier of the French Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.