Peter Deinboll
Encyclopedia
Peter Vogelius Deinboll, DSO
, MC
(29 July 1915 – 1944) was a Norwegian engineer, and resistance
member during World War II
.
as a son of Peter Blessing Deinboll and Sigfrid Hildur Deinboll, née Nagell. His parents hailed from Nærøy
and Haugesund
. Peter Deinboll had a degree in chemistry
from the Norwegian Institute of Technology
, and worked at the railway workshop at Thamshavn
. He lived at Orkanger
.
reached Norway, he participated in Norwegian Campaign
battles. He fled to the in the United Kingdom in 1941 and was enrolled into the Special Operations Executive
. In 1942 he led a series of sabotage operations directed against the transport of pyrite
s from the mines at Løkken Verk
to Germany. He disappeared during air transport between United Kingdom and Norway, 8 November 1944.
station at the Thamshavn Line was blown up. The second operation lasted from September 1942 until early 1943, when the German transport ship Nordfahrt (5,000 ton) was sunk at Thamshavn. The third operation, in October–November 1943, resulted in the blowing-up and destruction of five locomotives, and damaging others. Locomotives were not easy to replace, because the track width of the Thamshavn Line was not used by other railways in Europe. A fourth operation carried out by group Feather II led to further destruction of material. An electric locomotive which had been damaged by the Deinboll group had been sent to Oslo to be repaired at Skabo
, but was eventually blown up by the sabotage group Oslogjengen
in September 1944.
Deinboll was decorated with the War Cross with Sword, the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch
, the Distinguished Service Order and Bar
and the Military Cross
.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(29 July 1915 – 1944) was a Norwegian engineer, and 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...
.
Personal life
He was born in SulitjelmaSulitjelma
Sulitjelma is a village in Fauske municipality in Nordland, Norway. The village has 481 residents . Sulitjelma is situated in a lush inland valley only 140 meters amsl along the shore of the Langvatnet lake. There are many old mines in the area. Sultitjelma are virtually sourrounded by mountains...
as a son of Peter Blessing Deinboll and Sigfrid Hildur Deinboll, née Nagell. His parents hailed from Nærøy
Nærøy
Nærøy is a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. Nærøy is part of the Namdalen region. Norway's smallest town, Kolvereid, is the administration centre of the municipality...
and Haugesund
Haugesund
is a town and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.-Location:Haugesund was separated from Torvastad as a town and municipality of its own in 1855. The rural municipality of Skåre was merged with Haugesund on January 1, 1958. Haugesund is a small municipality, only 73 km²...
. Peter Deinboll had a degree in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
from the Norwegian Institute of Technology
Norwegian Institute of Technology
The Norwegian Institute of Technology, known by its Norwegian abbrevation NTH was a science institute in Trondheim, Norway. It was established in 1910, and existed as an independent technical university for 85 years, after which it was merged into the University of Trondheim as an independent...
, and worked at the railway workshop at Thamshavn
Thamshavn Station
Thamshavn Station is a former railway station on the Thamshavn Line, located at Thamshavn, a port area just northeast of Orkanger in the municipality of Orkdal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located along the present day European route E39 highway....
. He lived at Orkanger
Orkanger
Orkanger is village and former municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the present-day municipality of Orkdal at the end of the Orkdalsfjorden, and arm of the Trondheimsfjord. Orkanger is the administrative and commercial centre of the municipality of Orkdal...
.
World War II
When World War IIWorld 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...
reached Norway, he participated in Norwegian Campaign
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...
battles. He fled to the in the United Kingdom in 1941 and was enrolled into the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
. In 1942 he led a series of sabotage operations directed against the transport of pyrite
Pyrite
The mineral pyrite, or iron pyrite, is an iron sulfide with the formula FeS2. This mineral's metallic luster and pale-to-normal, brass-yellow hue have earned it the nickname fool's gold because of its resemblance to gold...
s from the mines at Løkken Verk
Løkken Verk
Løkken Verk is a village in the municipality of Meldal in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located south of Svorkmo , east of Bjørnli, and north of the municipal center of Meldal....
to Germany. He disappeared during air transport between United Kingdom and Norway, 8 November 1944.
Thamshavn sabotage
Denboll was in charge of three of the sabotage operations directed against transport of pyrite from Løkken. The first operation took place in April–May 1942, when a transformerTransformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
station at the Thamshavn Line was blown up. The second operation lasted from September 1942 until early 1943, when the German transport ship Nordfahrt (5,000 ton) was sunk at Thamshavn. The third operation, in October–November 1943, resulted in the blowing-up and destruction of five locomotives, and damaging others. Locomotives were not easy to replace, because the track width of the Thamshavn Line was not used by other railways in Europe. A fourth operation carried out by group Feather II led to further destruction of material. An electric locomotive which had been damaged by the Deinboll group had been sent to Oslo to be repaired at Skabo
Skabo Jernbanevognfabrikk
Skabo Jernbanevognfabrikk was a mechanical workshop focusing on design and construction of railcars. It was established by Hans Skabo in Drammen, Norway in 1864; it became the first rail car factory in the country when it took delivery of the cars for Kongsvingerbanen...
, but was eventually blown up by the sabotage group Oslogjengen
Oslogjengen
Oslogjengen was a sabotage group operating in Oslo from May 1944 to May 1945, during the last year of the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. The group had its basis in both the British Special Operations Executive and the Norwegian Milorg, was coordinated by Gunnar Sønsteby, and had around ten...
in September 1944.
Deinboll was decorated with the War Cross with Sword, the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch
St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch
St. Olav's Medal with Oak Branch is a Norwegian military award, which was instituted by King Haakon VII of Norway on 6 February 1942. In Norway, the medal is considered as a separate award from the civilian St...
, the Distinguished Service Order and Bar
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.