Torfinn Bjørnaas
Encyclopedia
Torfinn Bjørnaas was a Norwegian
resistance member
.
He was born in Sulitjelma
, but the family soon moved to Løkken Verk
. He served his compulsory military service in His Majesty The King's Guard
in 1936, and attended Trondheim Technical School and a Technische Hochschule in Germany. He visited Norway in the spring of 1940, and while he was here World War II reached Norway with the German invasion
. Bjørnaas participated in the subsequent fighting
to repel the invaders, but Norway capitulated. Bjørnaas tried to reach Northern Norway via Sweden, then England, but both to no avail. In the spring of 1941, Bjørnaas and others fled to England via India. He went through training for the Norwegian Independent Company 1
in England and Scotland, and was later dispatched to Norway to conduct sabotage. He was best known for the Thamshavn Line locomotive sabotage in 1943, but also had sabotage missions in Sulitjelma and Terningmoen. He is also known for missing an assassination attempt on Henrik Rogstad in 1945, an attempt to which the central leadership of Milorg
had given the green light.
He was decorated with the War Cross with Sword, the St. Olav's Medal with Oak Branch, the Defence Medal 1940–1945 and the Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal. He was a member of the Linge Club, for Norwegian Independent Company 1 veterans. A square in Løkken Verk, Torfinn Bjørnaas' plass, has been named after him.
Bjørnaas spent his professional career in Orkla Grube Aktiebolag
at Løkken Verk. He was active in the Home Guard, and was an active sport shooter in the club Løkken IF
and the National Rifle Association of Norway. He died in September 2009.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
resistance member
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:...
.
He was born in Sulitjelma
Sulitjelma
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...
, but the family soon moved to 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....
. He served his compulsory military service in His Majesty The King's Guard
Hans Majestet Kongens Garde
Hans Majestet Kongens Garde is a battalion of the Norwegian Army. The battalion has two main roles; it serves as the Norwegian King's bodyguards, guarding the royal residences and Akershus Fortress in Oslo, and is also the main infantry unit responsible for the defence of...
in 1936, and attended Trondheim Technical School and a Technische Hochschule in Germany. He visited Norway in the spring of 1940, and while he was here World War II reached Norway with the German invasion
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...
. Bjørnaas participated in the subsequent fighting
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...
to repel the invaders, but Norway capitulated. Bjørnaas tried to reach Northern Norway via Sweden, then England, but both to no avail. In the spring of 1941, Bjørnaas and others fled to England via India. He went through training for 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...
in England and Scotland, and was later dispatched to Norway to conduct sabotage. He was best known for the Thamshavn Line locomotive sabotage in 1943, but also had sabotage missions in Sulitjelma and Terningmoen. He is also known for missing an assassination attempt on Henrik Rogstad in 1945, an attempt to which the central leadership of Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
had given the green light.
He was decorated with the War Cross with Sword, the St. Olav's Medal with Oak Branch, the Defence Medal 1940–1945 and the Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal. He was a member of the Linge Club, for Norwegian Independent Company 1 veterans. A square in Løkken Verk, Torfinn Bjørnaas' plass, has been named after him.
Bjørnaas spent his professional career in Orkla Grube Aktiebolag
Orkla Group
Orkla Group is a Norwegian industrial conglomerate operating in the Nordic region, Eastern Europe, Asia and the US. The company's main divisions are branded consumer goods, aluminium solutions, materials, associates and financial investments.-Operations:...
at Løkken Verk. He was active in the Home Guard, and was an active sport shooter in the club Løkken IF
Løkken IF
Løkken Idrettsforening is a Norwegian sports club from Løkken Verk, Sør-Trøndelag. It has sections for association football, speed skating and Nordic skiing....
and the National Rifle Association of Norway. He died in September 2009.