Norwegian Independent Company 1: Difference between revisions

'''Norwegian Independent Company 1''' (NOR.I.C.1, pronounced as ''Norisén'' in Norwegian) was a British [[Special Operations Executive|SOE]] group formed in March 1941 originally for the purpose of performing commando raids induring occupiedthe [[Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany]]. It was organized under the leadership of Captain [[Martin Linge]]. It soon became a pool of talent for a variety of special operations in Norway.<ref>[http://www.snl.no/Kompani_Linge ''Kompani Linge'' (Store norske leksikon)]</ref>

The original English administrative title did not have much resonance in Norwegian and they soon became better known as '''Kompani Linge''' (''Linge's Company''). Martin Linge's death early in the war came to enhance the title, which became formalised as '''Lingekompaniet''' in his honor.

Their initial raids in 1941 were to [[Lofoten]] ([[Operation Claymore]]) and [[Måløy]] ([[Operation Archery]]), where Martin Linge was killed. Their best known raids were probably the [[Norwegian heavy water sabotage]]. Other raids included the [[Thamshavnbanen sabotage]]. In the capital area, the [[Oslogjengen]] carried out several sabotage missions. In cooperation with [[Milorg]], the Norwegian resistance organisation, communication lines with [[London]] were gradually improved during the war, so that by 1945, 64 radio operators were spread throughout Norway.<ref>[http://dokkeveien.uib.no/digitalskolen/motstand/Linge.htm ''Kompani Linge'' (Digitalskolen, Historisk institutt © Universitetet i Bergen)]</ref>

According to Max''Mitt Manusliv'', the autobiography of [[Max Manus]] (1995. N.W. Damm), the Linge Company was for a time counted amongst the most decorated military forces in the [[United Kingdom]] during [[World War Two]]. The veterans from the company were also amongst the first to welcome [[Haakon VII of Norway|King Haakon]] home. A total of 530 Norwegians served in NOR.I.C.1, of whom 57 lost their lives.