RMO (Norwegian resistance)
Encyclopedia
RMO was a Norwegian clandestine organization for naval intelligence during World War II
, led from Oslo
. The organization operated from Spring 1942 until the end of the war in the spring of 1945.
. Because of the German mass arrest
of Norwegian military officers in 1943, Rygg fled to Sweden, and the organization was subsequently led by Martin Siem
and Sigurd Sverdrup
.
s, maritime pilot
s and other sea workers or harbour workers. Siem and Sverdrup had earlier cooperated with Gunnar Sønsteby
, and this cooperation continued after RMO was formed. RMO used Sønsteby's courier network to bring messages to Stockholm, and Sønsteby's organization obtained reliable information on ships and traffic. In addition to Oslo, ROM had branches in cities such as Halden
, Kristiansand
, Stavanger
, Haugesund
, Bergen
, Trondheim
and Tromsø
. When Rygg moved to Stockholm in 1943, he was employed as second-in-command at the office MI II, the section for military intelligence at the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
, and from then on it was possible to coordinate XU
's and RMO's activities in the seaport towns. RMO also cooperated with the Milorg
department for naval intelligence EV 13. The initial Trondheim group was destroyed by the Gestapo
during 1943, but another group with contacts at Trondheim harbour and the submarine harbour was initiated in 1944. In Oslo RMO also had contacts at the Norwegian Maritime Directorate
, the Norwegian Hydrographic Service, the Lighthouse
administration, the Railways and the Telegraph
.
(NOR.I.C.1
) agents Max Manus
, Gregers Gram
and others.
and Zero. During the Cold War
agents from the war period might have been recruited to intelligence networks or Stay-behind
groups.
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...
, led from Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. The organization operated from Spring 1942 until the end of the war in the spring of 1945.
Establishment
RMO was established by Kapteinløytnant Andreas Rygg, as an initiative from naval attaché Hans Henriksen at the Norwegian legation in StockholmNorwegian legation in Stockholm
The Norwegian Legation in Stockholm played a significant role during the Second World War. Until 9 April 1940 the legation consisted of four persons, and at the end of the war about 1,100 persons were connected to the legation. Refugee cases were among the legation's most central tasks...
. Because of the German mass arrest
Mass arrest
A mass arrest occurs when the police apprehend large numbers of suspects at once. This sometimes occurs at illegal protests. Some mass arrests are also used in an effort combat gang activity. This is sometimes controversial, and lawsuits sometimes result...
of Norwegian military officers in 1943, Rygg fled to Sweden, and the organization was subsequently led by Martin Siem
Martin Siem
Ole Martin Siem was a Norwegian businessperson and World War II resistance member.He was born in Horten as a son of naval commander Ole Siem and Marie Augusta Ursin Holm . The family moved to Tromsø, where Siem finished secondary education in 1933...
and Sigurd Sverdrup
Sigurd Sverdrup
Sigurd Bernhard Sverdrup was a Norwegian World War II resistance member.He studied law during the early phase of World War II. He became a member of the resistance group 2A. Here he gained contact with Martin Siem, a worker at the mechanic yard Akers Mekaniske Verksted. Both were recruited to the...
.
Network
RMO's primary goal was to establish contacts in the cities along the Norwegian coast. The contact persons were typically harbourmasterHarbourmaster
A harbourmaster is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct operation of the port facilities.-Responsibilities:Harbourmasters are normally responsible for issuing...
s, maritime pilot
Maritime pilot
A pilot is a mariner who guides ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbours or river mouths. With the exception of the Panama Canal, the pilot is only an advisor, as the captain remains in legal, overriding command of the vessel....
s and other sea workers or harbour workers. Siem and Sverdrup had earlier cooperated with Gunnar Sønsteby
Gunnar Sønsteby
Gunnar Fridtjof Thurmann Sønsteby DSO was a member of the Norwegian resistance movement during the German occupation of Norway in World War II...
, and this cooperation continued after RMO was formed. RMO used Sønsteby's courier network to bring messages to Stockholm, and Sønsteby's organization obtained reliable information on ships and traffic. In addition to Oslo, ROM had branches in cities such as Halden
Halden
is a both a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The seat of the municipality, Halden is a border town located at the Tista river delta on the Iddefjord, the southernmost border crossing between Norway and Sweden.-History:...
, Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
, Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, 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...
, 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 , ....
, 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...
and Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
. When Rygg moved to Stockholm in 1943, he was employed as second-in-command at the office MI II, the section for military intelligence at the Norwegian legation in Stockholm
Norwegian legation in Stockholm
The Norwegian Legation in Stockholm played a significant role during the Second World War. Until 9 April 1940 the legation consisted of four persons, and at the end of the war about 1,100 persons were connected to the legation. Refugee cases were among the legation's most central tasks...
, and from then on it was possible to coordinate XU
XU
XU was a clandestine intelligence organisation working on behalf of Allied powers in occupied Norway during World War II...
's and RMO's activities in the seaport towns. RMO also cooperated with the Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
department for naval intelligence EV 13. The initial Trondheim group was destroyed by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
during 1943, but another group with contacts at Trondheim harbour and the submarine harbour was initiated in 1944. In Oslo RMO also had contacts at the Norwegian Maritime Directorate
Norwegian Maritime Directorate
Norwegian Maritime Directorate is a Norwegian government agency responsible for life, health, vessel and the environment for Norwegian registered ships and ships at Norwegian ports...
, the Norwegian Hydrographic Service, the Lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
administration, the Railways and the Telegraph
Telenor
Telenor Group is the incumbent telecommunications company in Norway, with headquarters located at Fornebu, close to Oslo. Today, Telenor Group is mostly an international wireless carrier with operations in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Asia, working predominantly under the Telenor brand...
.
Intelligence
Most of the information collected by RMO was of a static nature. Some also had operative value. Information from Oslo harbour provided by RMO was important for the sabotage missions against German ships in Oslo, carried out by SOESpecial 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...
(NOR.I.C.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...
) agents Max Manus
Max Manus
Maximo Guillermo "Max" Manus DSO, MC & Bar was a Norwegian resistance fighter during World War II.Manus was born in Bergen to a Norwegian father and a Danish mother...
, Gregers Gram
Gregers Gram
Gregers Winther Wulfsberg Gram MC MM was a Norwegian resistance fighter and saboteur. A corporal and later second lieutenant in the Norwegian Independent Company 1 during the Second World War, he was killed in 1944....
and others.
Post war
RMO was intact until the end of World War II. After the war the organization was supposed to be dissolved, along with other intelligence networks such as XUXU
XU was a clandestine intelligence organisation working on behalf of Allied powers in occupied Norway during World War II...
and Zero. During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
agents from the war period might have been recruited to intelligence networks or Stay-behind
Stay-behind
In a stay-behind operation, a country places secret operatives or organisations in its own territory, for use in the event that the territory is overrun by an enemy. If this occurs, the operatives would then form the basis of a resistance movement, or would act as spies from behind enemy lines...
groups.