View source for Battles of Narvik

{{short description|Series of battles during World War II}}
{{Infobox battle
| conflict          = Battles of Narvik
| place             = [[Narvik (town)|Narvik]]
| image             = Allied soldiers during the battle of Narvik.jpg
| image_upright = 1.0
| caption           = Allied soldiers during the Battle of Narvik.
| date              = 9 April 1940 – 8 June 1940
| coordinates       = 68°25′14″N 17°33′36″E
| result            = Allied victory
| combatant1        = {{flag|Nazi Germany|name=German Reich}}
| combatant2        = {{flag|Norway}}<br />{{flag|United Kingdom}}<br />{{flag|French Third Republic|name=France}}<br />{{flagdeco|Poland|1928}} [[Polish Armed Forces in the West|Poland]]
}}
{{Scandinavia in World War II}}
{{Campaignbox Norwegian Campaign}}
{{Campaignbox Arctic Naval Operations of WWII}}

The '''Battles of Narvik''' were fought from 9 April to 8 June 1940, as a naval battle in [[Ofotfjord]] and as a land battle in the mountains surrounding the north Norwegian town of [[Narvik (town)|Narvik]], as part of the [[Norwegian Campaign]] of the [[World War II|Second World War]].

The two naval battles in Ofotfjord on 10 April and 13 April were fought between the British [[Royal Navy]] and the German ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'', while the two-month land campaign was fought by [[Norway|Norwegian]], [[French Third Republic|French]], [[United Kingdom|British]], and [[Polish government-in-exile|Polish]] troops against German mountain troops, shipwrecked ''Kriegsmarine'' sailors, and German [[paratrooper]]s (''[[Fallschirmjäger (World War II)|Fallschirmjäger]]'') from the [[1st Parachute Division (Germany)|7th Air Division]]. Although defeated at sea off Narvik, losing control of the town of Narvik and being pushed back towards the Swedish border, the Germans eventually prevailed because of the Allied [[Operation Alphabet|evacuation from Norway]] in June 1940 following the [[Battle of France]].

Narvik provided an [[Ice-free port|ice-free harbour]] in the North Atlantic for [[Swedish iron mining during World War II|iron ore]] transported by rail from [[Kiruna]] in [[Sweden]]. Both sides in the war had an interest in securing this iron supply for themselves and denying it to the enemy, thereby setting the stage for one of the biggest battles since the [[Invasion of Poland]].<ref name="bbc">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/A1148483 Narvik Naval Battle] – A BBC article</ref>

Prior to the German invasion, British forces had considered Narvik as a possible landing point for an expedition to help Finland in the [[Winter War]]. Such an expedition also had the potential of taking control of the Swedish mines and opening up the Baltic for the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]].<ref>Brown 2000: 3</ref>

==German invasion==
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Naval battle preceding the first naval battle of Narvik
| partof            = the [[Second World War]]
| image             = File:Lapland1940.png
| image_size        = 300px
| caption           = Lapland 1940 Iron ore dug at Kiruna and Malmberget, was railed to Luleå and Narvik (borders 1920–1940).
| date              = 9 April 1940
| place             = [[Narvik (town)|Narvik]], [[Norway]]
| result            = German victory
| combatant1        = {{flag|Norway}}
| combatant2        = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Nazi Germany|Germany]]
| commander1        = {{nowrap|{{flagicon|Norway|navy}} [[Per Askim]]<br>{{flagicon|Norway|navy}} [[Odd Isaachsen Willoch|O. Isaachsen Willoch]]{{KIA}}<hr>{{flagicon|Norway}} [[Konrad Sundlo]]{{Surrender}}}}
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany|navy}} [[Friedrich Bonte]]<hr>{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Eduard Dietl]]
| strength1         = 2 coastal defence ships
| strength2         = 10 destroyers
| casualties1       = 2 coastal defence ships sunk<br />281 dead
| casualties2       = One cargo ship scuttled (no fatalities)
}}

On 1 March 1940, [[Adolf Hitler]] ordered the invasion of Norway, codenamed ''[[Operation Weserübung]]'' as a preventive manoeuvre against a planned, and openly discussed, Franco-British occupation of Norway.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Norway/UK-NWE-Norway-2.html|title=HyperWar: The Campaign in Norway [Chapter II|website=www.ibiblio.org}}</ref> This operation would involve most of the ''[[Kriegsmarine]]''. Participating units were divided into five groups, which were to occupy six of the main Norwegian ports.<ref name=derry27>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Norway/UK-NWE-Norway-3.html|title=HyperWar: The Campaign in Norway [Chapter III]|website=www.ibiblio.org}}</ref>

Group I departed [[Bremerhaven]] on 6 April. It consisted of 10 [[German World War II destroyers|German destroyers]] of the [[German World War II destroyers#Zerstörer 1934A|1934A]] and [[German World War II destroyers#Zerstörer 1936|1936]] classes [[German destroyer Z2 Georg Thiele|''Georg Thiele'']], [[German destroyer Z9 Wolfgang Zenker|''Wolfgang Zenker'']], [[German destroyer Z11 Bernd von Arnim|''Bernd von Arnim'']], [[German destroyer Z12 Erich Giese|''Erich Giese'']], [[German destroyer Z13 Erich Koellner|''Erich Koellner'']], [[German destroyer Z17 Diether von Roeder|''Diether von Roeder'']], [[German destroyer Z18 Hans Lüdemann|''Hans Lüdemann'']], [[German destroyer Z19 Hermann Künne|''Hermann Künne'']], [[German destroyer Z21 Wilhelm Heidkamp|''Wilhelm Heidkamp'']] ([[flagship]]) and [[German destroyer Z22 Anton Schmitt|''Anton Schmitt'']], commanded by ''Kommodore'' [[Friedrich Bonte]]. Each of the warships carried around 200 soldiers (a total of 1,900 mountain troops (''[[Gebirgsjäger]]'') from the 139th Mountain Regiment (''Gebirgsjägerregiment'') of the [[3rd Mountain Division (Wehrmacht)|3rd Mountain Division]] commanded by General [[Eduard Dietl]]).<ref name="Jaklin31">Jaklin 2006: 31</ref> The troop-carrying destroyers were escorted most of the way by the battleships {{Ship|German battleship|Scharnhorst||2}} and {{Ship|German battleship|Gneisenau||2}}.<ref name= derry27/>

In the early morning of 9 April, the destroyers of Group I passed the [[Vestfjorden (Norway)|Vestfjorden]] and arrived at the [[Ofotfjorden]] leading to Narvik, in fog and heavy snow. In Ofotfjord, they captured three Norwegian patrol boats ([[HNoMS Senja (1937)|''Senja'']], [[HNoMS Michael Sars|''Michael Sars'']] and ''[[HNoMS Kelt|Kelt]]''). Before capture ''Kelt'' managed to send a message to the coastal defence ship [[HNoMS Norge|HNoMS ''Norge'']], alerting the local Norwegian naval commander of the incoming vessels.<ref>Kristiansen 2006: 35</ref> The German ships ''Wolfgang Zenker'', ''Erich Koellner'' and ''Hermann Künne'' landed their soldiers in [[Herjangsfjord]] (a northern branch of Ofotfjorden) in order to capture a Norwegian regimental supply base at [[Elvegårdsmoen]].<ref name="navalevents2">{{cite web |url=http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4004-13APR02.htm |title=Naval Events, April 1940, Part 2 of 4 |author=Don Kindell |date=17 September 2008 |work=Naval-History.Net |access-date=14 January 2010}}</ref> ''Hans Ludemann'' and ''Hermann Künne'' also landed their troops in order to engage the nearby Norwegian forts (which turned out to be non-existent). ''Diether von Roeder'' remained in Ofotfjord in order to ensure German control of the sea. ''Erich Giese'' was delayed by engine trouble and did not join the main force for some time.

The main defence of Narvik were the old [[coastal defence ship]]s [[HNoMS Eidsvold|''Eidsvold'']] and her sister ship ''Norge''. Having been alerted by ''Kelt'', both Norwegian ships prepared for combat: the guns were loaded and life preservers issued to the crew. Around 04:15, the Germans spotted ''Eidsvold'', and ''Eidsvold'' immediately signalled the leading German destroyer with an [[aldis lamp]]. When the Germans failed to respond to the signal, a warning shot was fired across their bow.<ref name= hauge184>Hauge 1995: 184</ref>

The Germans had orders to occupy Norway peacefully if at all possible, so the German flagship ''Wilhelm Heidkamp'' stopped and signalled that it would send an officer to negotiate. A small launch ferried ''Korvettenkapitän'' Gerlach over to ''Eidsvold''. Gerlach was taken to the bridge to speak to Captain [[Odd Isaachsen Willoch]].<ref name=brennecke48>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aWqG313WZgwC&dq=gerlach+narvik&pg=PA48|title=The Hunters and the Hunted|first=Jochen|last=Brennecke|date=27 January 2003|publisher=Naval Institute Press|via=Google Books|page=48|isbn=9781591140917 }}</ref>

Gerlach tried to convince Willoch that the Germans had arrived 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 ''Eidsvold'' had communicated the events to Askim. Askim's response to the German demands and order to Willoch came immediately; Willoch and ''Eidsvold'' was to open fire.<ref>Bjørnsen 1977: 95</ref> Willoch responded to Askim; "I am attacking."<ref name=hauge184/> While this was going on, the German destroyer ''Wilhelm Heidkamp'' had positioned herself {{convert|700|m|yd|abbr=on}} off the port side of ''Eidsvold'' and trained her torpedo launchers on the Norwegian ship.<ref name=hauge184/>

Gerlach tried once again to convince Willoch to surrender, but Willoch refused. As Gerlach left ''Eidsvold'', he fired a red flare, indicating that the Norwegians intended to fight. At this point, Captain Willoch shouted: {{Lang|no|"På plass ved kanonene. Nå skal vi slåss, gutter!"}} ("Man the guns. We're going to fight, boys!").<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.luroy.folkebibl.no/artikkel_76_lokalhist.htm |title=Falne og omkomne under siste krig |access-date=2008-11-07 |author=Rune Bang |publisher=[[Lurøy Municipality|Lurøy]] lokalhistorie og fotoarkiv |language=no |archive-date=24 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724175429/http://www.luroy.folkebibl.no/artikkel_76_lokalhist.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Eidsvold'' turned towards the closest destroyer and accelerated, closing the distance to ''Wilhelm Heidkamp'' to {{convert|300|m|yd|abbr=on}} while the battery commander ordered the port battery (three {{convert|15|cm|in|1|abbr=on}} guns) to open fire.<ref>Hauge 1995: 184, 186</ref>

The Germans, afraid that ''Eidsvold'' might ram the destroyer, fired four torpedoes from ''Wilhelm Heidkamp'' at the old ship. Two of the torpedoes hit before the port guns could fire. The Norwegian ammunition magazine was ignited and ''Eidsvold'' was blown in two. The forward part of the ship sank in seconds, the stern followed in minutes, propellers still turning. At around 04:37, she was gone. 175 Norwegian sailors died in the freezing water, including Captain Willoch, with just eight surviving.<ref>O'Hara 2004: 30</ref>

Deeper inside the fjord, the explosions were heard aboard ''Norge'', but nothing could be seen until two German destroyers suddenly appeared out of the darkness and Captain Per Askim of ''Norge'' gave orders to open fire at 04:45. Four rounds were fired from the {{convert|21|cm|in|1|abbr=on}} guns (one from the fore gun and three from the aft) as well as seven or eight rounds from the starboard {{convert|15|cm|in|1|abbr=on}} guns, against the German destroyer ''Bernd von Arnim'', at a range of about {{convert|800|m|yd|abbr=on}}. Due to the difficult weather conditions, the guns' [[optical sight]]s were ineffective: the first salvo fell short of the target and the next ones overshot it.

The German destroyers waited until they were alongside the pier before returning fire. ''Bernd von Armin'' opened fire with her {{convert|12.7|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} guns as well as with machine guns, but the weather gave the Germans problems as well. The destroyer also fired three salvoes of two torpedoes each. The first two salvoes missed, but the last struck ''Norge'' midships and she sank in less than one minute. Ninety of the crew were rescued, but 101 perished in the battle which had lasted less than 20 minutes. The destruction of ''Norge'' signalled the end of Norwegian resistance in the port.

Much of the Norwegian garrison at Narvik awoke to the sound of gunfire and were unprepared to face the Germans. Many were surrounded and disarmed as they scrambled to occupy defensive positions. The commander-in-chief of the Narvik area, Colonel [[Konrad Sundlo]], is often cited as the reason for the quick capitulation.<ref name= HPW>Lunde, Henrik O. (2009). [https://books.google.com/books?id=HbosZxss7k0C&dq=EA+Steen+%281954%29.+Norges+Sj%C3%B8krig+1940%E2%80%931945&pg=PA578 Hitler's Pre-Emptive War] 175, 181–182</ref> Described by Kriegsmarine Admiral [[Erich Raeder]] as "an officer with reportedly pro-German feelings", he quickly withdrew from the area following the naval engagement and began negotiations with the Germans. After the initial loss of Narvik, Norwegian general [[Carl Gustav Fleischer]] sent out a communiqué, part of which read:

{{Blockquote|text=Colonel Sundlo initiated immediate negotiations for a cease-fire and withdrew the troops to Framnes. The Germans occupied the city and the Norwegian troops were surrounded between the Germans and the sea. The division commander, who was in East Finnmark, was notified about the situation by telephone and he ordered Colonel Sundlo's second in command, Major Omdal, to arrest Colonel Sundlo |author=Carl Gustav Fleischer{{Citation needed|date=February 2016}}|source=}}

Sundlo was charged with treason for the surrender of Narvik after the war, but these charges were dismissed. Instead he was found guilty of negligence for failing to adequately prepare for Narvik's defence, and on charges of cooperating with the Germans during [[Occupation of Norway|the occupation]].<ref name= HPW />

The morning of the German attack four Norwegian steamers were anchored in Narvik; the {{GRT|4,285}} ''Cate B'', the {{GRT|1,712|link=off}} ''Eldrid'', the {{GRT|1,758|link=off}} ''Haalegg'' and the {{GRT|4,306|link=off}} ''Saphir''. In addition to the Norwegian vessels, four foreign, neutral ships were present; the {{GRT|951|link=off}} Dutch steamer ''Bernisse'', and the three Swedish steamships ''Boden'' ({{GRT|4,264|link=off}}), ''Oxelösund'' ({{GRT|5,613|link=off}}) and ''Strassa'' ({{GRT|5,603|link=off}}). As well as neutral ships, the warring parties had vessels at Narvik, riding anchor in the same port. The British had five steamers in the harbour; the {{GRT|6,582|link=off}} ''Blythmoor'', the {{GRT|5,141|link=off}} ''Mersington Court'', the {{GRT|4,304|link=off}} ''North Cornwall'', the {{GRT|5,378|link=off}} ''Riverton'', and the {{GRT|4,887|link=off}} ''Romanby''. As the German flotilla seized Narvik, there were 11 German merchant steamers at the port town; the {{GRT|6,388|link=off}} ''Aachen'', the {{GRT|5,398|link=off}} ''Altona'', the {{GRT|4,902|link=off}} ''Bockenheim'', the {{GRT|5,386|link=off}} ''Hein Hoyer'', the {{GRT|4,879|link=off}} ''Martha Henrich Fisser'', the {{GRT|8,096|link=off}} ''Neuenfels'', the {{GRT|5,806|link=off}} ''Odin'', the {{GRT|7,849|link=off}} ''Lippe'', the {{GRT|4,339|link=off}} ''Frielinghaus'', the {{GRT|5,881|link=off}} ''Planet'', and the {{GRT|11,776|link=off}} [[replenishment oiler]]/maintenance ship {{SS|Jan Wellem|1935|2}}.<ref name=navalevents2/> ''Jan Wellem'', a converted former whale factory ship, awaited the arrival of the German warships, which she was tasked to refuel.<ref name=williamson>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1hDLLpQNG3AC&q=jan+wellem|title=Williamson 2003: 34|date=21 November 2003|publisher=Bloomsbury USA |isbn=9781841765044}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=weinberg>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xlsrAxuWekQC&dq=jan+wellem+basis+nord&pg=PA114|title=A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II|first=Gerhard L.|last=Weinberg|date=28 March 2005|publisher=Cambridge University Press|via=Google Books|pages=114–115|isbn=9780521618267 }}</ref><ref name=ohara>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z85Xh21qniEC&q=naval+tanker+jan+wellem&pg=PA32|title=The German Fleet at War, 1939–1945|first=Vincent P.|last=O'Hara|date=27 January 2004|publisher=Naval Institute Press|via=Google Books|page=32|isbn=9781591146513 }}</ref> Working in the harbour were the  Swedish tugs ''Diana'' ({{GRT|213|link=off}}) and ''Styrbjörn'' ({{GRT|167|link=off}}). As the German destroyers entered the harbour, the captain of ''Bockenheim'', who assumed that the intruding warships were British, beached and scuttled his vessel.<ref name=navalevents2/> In total, 25 ore ships had been riding at anchor in Narvik at the outset of the fighting, 10 of which were German.<ref>Waage 1963: 56</ref>

The German destroyers were now short of fuel and had only one fuel tanker in support, the ex-whale factory ship ''Jan Wellem'' that had been despatched to Narvik, according to some sources from the secret German naval base [[Basis Nord]] at [[Zapadnaya Litsa (naval base)|Zapadnaya Litsa]] in the [[Soviet Union]], where she had been based since 4 February 1940.<ref name=weinberg/><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OiKxyqNp8SUC&q=jan+wellem+basis+nord&pg=PA114|title=The Lure of Neptune: German-Soviet Naval Collaboration and Ambitions, 1919–1941|first=Tobias R.|last=Philbin|date=27 January 1994|publisher=Univ of South Carolina Press|via=Google Books|pages=102, 110, 113–114|isbn=9780872499928 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | last=Kovalev | first=Sergey | title=The Basis Nord Mystery | journal=Oil of Russia International Quarterly Edition | issue=2 | year=2004 | url=http://www.oilru.com/or/16/204/ | access-date=5 February 2009 | archive-date=29 January 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129224528/https://oilru.com/or/16/204/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> Another source indicates that she departed [[Murmansk]] in the evening of the 6 April<ref name=navalevents1>{{cite web|url=http://www.royalnavy-history.net/xDKWW2-4004-13APR01.htm |title=Naval Events, April 1940, Part 1 of 4 |author=Don Kindell |date=17 September 2008 |work=Naval-History.Net |access-date=10 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724044508/http://www.royalnavy-history.net/xDKWW2-4004-13APR01.htm |archive-date=24 July 2011 }}</ref> and that Basis Nord was never even established.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qXt8iTfDNacC&q=von+Baumbach+1940&pg=PA127|title=Hitler's Secret Pirate Fleet: The Deadliest Ships of World War II|first=James P.|last=Duffy|date=1 May 2005|publisher=U of Nebraska Press|via=Google Books|page=128|isbn=0803266529 }}</ref> She had arrived off Narvik from the north on 8 April, and had been stopped by the Norwegian patrol boat ''Kvitøy''. ''Jan Wellem'' was allowed entry to Narvik by the regional Norwegian naval command, where she was inspected. Her captain claimed that she was carrying {{convert|8500|ST|t|abbr=on}} of fuel oil and 8,098 crates of food provisions and that she was on her way to Germany.<ref>Berg 1997: 35</ref> A second tanker, the {{GRT|6,031|link=off}} ''Kattegat'' which had sailed to Norway from [[Wilhelmshaven]],<ref name=navalevents1/> had been sunk in the [[Glomfjord]] in the evening of 9 April. ''Kattegat'' had been stopped by the Norwegian fishery protection ship [[HNoMS Nordkapp|HNoMS ''Nordkapp'']], the Norwegian ship first trying to take the tanker as a [[Prize (law)|prize]], but due to the large German crew could not control it all the way to [[Bodø (town)|Bodø]], in the end sinking ''Kattegat'' by firing four {{convert|47|mm|in|2|abbr=on}} rounds into the tanker's water line.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z85Xh21qniEC&dq=German+tanker+%22kattegat%22&pg=PA32|title=The German Fleet at War, 1939-1945|first=Vincent P.|last=O'Hara|date=27 January 2004|publisher=Naval Institute Press|via=Google Books|page=32|isbn=9781591146513 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VjDG09h86OwC&dq=German+tanker+%22kattegat%22&pg=PA47 |title=Dildy 2007: 47 |isbn=9781846031175 |last1=Dildy |first1=Doug |date=24 April 2007 |publisher=Bloomsbury USA }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

''Kattegat'' had been delayed from reaching Narvik in time by the British 8 April mining operations off Norway ([[Operation Wilfred]]).<ref>Sivertsen 2000: 23</ref> A third tanker—''Skagerrak''—had also been despatched to Norway, in support of the German landings at [[Trondheim]], but she was intercepted by the British cruiser {{HMS|Suffolk|55|6}}, on 14 April, after she had been redirected by German naval command to a waiting position at sea.<ref>Brown 2000: 44</ref><ref>{{csr|register=MSI|id=5606831|access-date=13 January 2010}}</ref> When the British warship tried to board ''Skagerrak'' her crew scuttled her at {{coord|68|15|N|02|00|E|display=inline}}. Both ''Kattegat'' and ''Skagerrak'', which were sister ships, were inspected at Kopervik by the Norwegian torpedo boat {{HNoMS|Stegg|1921|6}}, on 5 and 7 April respectively. The captain of ''Kattegat'' told the Norwegians that he was headed to Narvik for further orders, and the captain of ''Skagerrak'' claimed Murmansk as their destination, and inspections revealed that both tankers had a full load of fuel oil. ''Skagerrak'' also carried {{convert|165|ST|t|abbr=on}} of food provisions, which was claimed as supplies for German merchant ships. The food crates were labelled "''Wehrmacht''".<ref name="Berg 1997: 49">Berg 1997: 49</ref><ref>Sivertsen 2000: 23–24</ref> According to the German plan the destroyers were supposed to have been refuelled by two tankers, ''Kattegat'' and ''Jan Wellem'', each receiving some {{convert|600|ST|t|abbr=on}} of fuel oil.<ref name="Berg 1997: 49"/>

The flotilla was then to be on its way back to Germany by the evening of 9 April. The plan failed because only ''Jan Wellem'' made it to Narvik. Refuelling with just one tanker was difficult; only two destroyers could be refuelled simultaneously, taking seven or eight hours. At arrival in Narvik, the destroyers were almost out of fuel.<ref>Hauge 1995: 189</ref> Making the refuelling more challenging was the fact that ''Jan Wellem'' had only improvised refuelling arrangements and inferior pumping equipment.<ref name=williamson/><ref name=ohara/> While two destroyers were being refuelled at a time, a third was on guard in fjord, the remaining seven being spread around in the nearby area.<ref name="Williamson 2003: 35">Williamson 2003: 35</ref> By 04:00 on 10 April, ''Jan Wellem'' had managed to fully refuel three of the German destroyers, and was in the process of refuelling two more.<ref name=ohara/>

In the meantime, British forces had tried to engage the ''Kriegsmarine'', but for the most part, unsuccessfully. On 8 April, the British [[G and H-class destroyer|G-class destroyer]] {{HMS|Glowworm|H92|6}} engaged the [[heavy cruiser]] {{Ship|German cruiser|Admiral Hipper||2}} and two destroyers, and was lost, ramming and damaging ''Hipper'' in the battle. On the 9 April morning, the British [[battlecruiser]] {{HMS|Renown|1916|6}} [[Action off Lofoten|exchanged artillery salvos]] with the German  battleships ''Scharnhorst'' and ''Gneisenau'', which were screening the destroyers. During the battle one of the artillery shells from ''Renown'' damaged the fire control system on ''Gneisenau'', the British battlecruiser was also hit two times and slightly damaged. After that the German battleships withdrew from the battle at high speed.<ref>Dania i Norwegia 1940, Osprey Publishing p. 34</ref> The destroyers' main mission had been completed, however, as they had succeeded in landing the invasion force.

==First naval Battle of Narvik==
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict = First naval battle of Narvik
|partof = the [[World War II|Second World War]]
|image = [[File:UK-NWE-Norway-2.jpg|300px]]
|caption = A map of the Narvik area
|date = 10 April 1940
|place = [[Narvik (town)|Narvik]], [[Norway]]
|result = British victory
|combatant1 = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
|combatant2 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Nazi Germany|Germany]]
|commander1 = {{nowrap|{{flagicon|United Kingdom|naval}} [[Bernard Warburton-Lee|B. Warburton-Lee]]{{KIA}}}}
|commander2 = {{nowrap|{{flagicon|Nazi Germany|naval}} [[Friedrich Bonte]]{{KIA}}}}
|strength1 = 5 destroyers
|strength2 = 10 destroyers
|casualties1 = 2 destroyers sunk<br />1 destroyer heavily damaged
|casualties2 = 2 destroyers sunk<br />1 ammunition supply ship sunk<br />6 cargo ships sunk<br />4 destroyers damaged<br />163 casualties
}}

The day after the German invasion, the Royal Navy took an opportunity to defeat the ''Kriegsmarine''. The 2nd Destroyer Flotilla—under Commodore [[Bernard Warburton-Lee]] and comprising five [[G and H-class destroyer|H-class destroyers]] ({{HMS|Hardy|H87|6}} ([[leader]]), {{HMS|Hotspur|H01|2}}, {{HMS|Havock|H43|2}}, {{HMS|Hunter|H35|2}} and {{HMS|Hostile|H55|2}}—moved up the fjord in the early morning. The German destroyers ''Hermann Künne'' and ''Hans Lüdemann'' were anchored alongside the tanker ''Jan Wellem'' and refuelling when the British destroyer attack began at 04:30.<ref name=navalevents2/><ref name=ohara/> The German [[Radar picket|picket ship]] (''Diether von Roeder'') had left its post to refuel, and as the British flotilla approached Narvik, they surprised and engaged a German force at the entrance to the harbour and sank the two destroyers ''Wilhelm Heidkamp'' (killing Commodore Bonte) and ''Anton Schmitt'', heavily damaged ''Diether von Roeder'' and inflicted lesser damage on two others. They also exchanged fire with German invasion troops ashore but did not have a landing force aboard and therefore turned to leave. Before the destroyers left the scene, ''Hostile'' fired her torpedoes at the merchant ships in the harbour. In total, eleven merchant ships (six German, one British, two Swedish and two Norwegian) were sunk during the British sortie into the harbour.<ref name=navalevents2/><ref name= "Williamson 2003: 35"/>

The British flotilla was then engaged by three more German destroyers (''Wolfgang Zenker'', ''Erich Koellner'' and ''Erich Giese'') emerging from the Herjangsfjord, led by Commander [[Erich Bey]] and then two more (''Georg Thiele'' and ''Bernd von Arnim'') coming from Ballangen Bay, under Commander [[Fritz Berger (officer)|Fritz Berger]]. In the ensuing battle, two British destroyers were lost: the flotilla leader HMS ''Hardy'', which was beached in flames and HMS ''Hunter'', which was torpedoed and sunk. A third—HMS ''Hotspur''—was also damaged badly by a torpedo. ''Hotspur'' and the remaining British destroyers left the battlefield, damaging ''Georg Thiele'' as they did so. The German destroyers—now short of fuel and ammunition—did not pursue and the British ships were able to sink the {{GRT|8,460|link=off}} ammunition supply ship {{SS|Rauenfels|1928|2}} which they encountered on their way out of the fjord.<ref>{{csr|register=MSI|id=5606783|access-date=2 February 2009}}</ref> Soon, the German naval forces were blocked in by British reinforcements, including the cruiser {{HMS|Penelope|97|6}}. During the night of 11–12 April, while manoeuvring in Narvik harbour, ''Erich Koellner'' and ''Wolfgang Zenker'' ran aground. ''Wolfgang Zenker'' damaged her propellers and was restricted to a speed of {{convert|20|kn|mph km/h|lk=in|abbr=on}}. ''Erich Koellner'' was much more badly damaged, so the Germans planned—when she was repaired enough to move—to moor her at [[Tårstad]] in the same capacity as ''Diether von Roeder'', as an immobile defence battery.<ref name=navalevents2/>

As the British destroyers left the [[Vestfjorden (Norway)|Vestfjorden]] outside Narvik, two German submarines—{{GS|U-25|1936|2}} and {{GS|U-51|1938|2}}—fired torpedoes at them but German torpedoes at the time had severe problems with their [[Fuze|magnetic detonator systems]]—possibly due to the high northern latitude: all of them failed and either did not detonate at all or detonated well before reaching their targets.

Both the German naval commander—''Kommodore'' [[Friedrich Bonte]] (on ''Wilhelm Heidkamp'')—and the British commander—Captain [[Bernard Warburton-Lee]] (on ''Hardy'')—were killed in the battle. Warburton-Lee was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]], Bonte the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]].<ref name="bbc"/><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/operations/1940/m6.html| title=First Battle of Narvik| work=German Naval History.com| access-date=25 January 2011}}</ref>

==Second naval Battle of Narvik==
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict = Second naval battle of Narvik
|partof = the [[World War II|Second World War]]
|image = [[File:HMS Warspite, Norway 1940.jpg|300px]]
|caption = ''Warspite'' engaging shore batteries during the Second Battle of Narvik.
|date = 13 April 1940
|place = [[Narvik (town)|Narvik]], [[Norway]]
|result = British victory
|combatant1 = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
|combatant2 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Nazi Germany|Germany]]
|commander1 = {{flagicon|United Kingdom|naval}} [[William Whitworth (Royal Navy officer)|William Whitworth]]
|commander2 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany|naval}} [[Erich Bey]]
|strength1 = 1 battleship<br />9 destroyers<br />1 aircraft carrier<br />a small number of aircraft
|strength2 = 8 destroyers<br />2 U-boats
|casualties1 = 3 destroyers damaged<br />2 aircraft shot down<br />28 killed<br />55 wounded
|casualties2 = 8 destroyers sunk or scuttled<br />1 U-boat sunk<br>128 killed<br />67 wounded
}}

The Royal Navy considered it imperative, for morale and strategic purposes, to defeat the Germans in Narvik, so [[Vice Admiral]] [[William Whitworth (Royal Navy officer)|William Whitworth]] was sent with the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Warspite|03|6}} and nine destroyers; four [[Tribal-class destroyer (1936)|Tribal-class]] ({{HMS|Bedouin|F67|6}}, {{HMS|Cossack|F03|2}}, [[HMS Punjabi|''Punjabi'']], and {{HMS|Eskimo|F75|2}}) and five others ([[HMS Kimberley|HMS ''Kimberley'']], {{HMS|Hero|H99|2}}, {{HMS|Icarus|D03|2}}, [[HMS Forester (H74)|''Forester'']] and [[HMS Foxhound (H69)|''Foxhound'']]), accompanied by [[aircraft]] from the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Furious|47|6}}. These forces arrived in the Ofotfjord on 13 April to find that the eight remaining German destroyers—now under the command of ''Fregattenkapitän'' [[Erich Bey]]—were virtually stranded due to lack of fuel and were short of ammunition.

Before the battle, ''Warspite'' launched her catapult plane (a [[Floatplane|float]]-equipped [[Fairey Swordfish]], L&nbsp;9767), with the crew ordered to search for German ships and to bomb any targets of opportunity.<ref name="Dickens1974" /> After spotting and reporting several of the German destroyers, the crew spotted the U-boat {{GS|U-64|1939|2}}, anchored just 50 yards off-shore in the [[Herjangsfjord]] near [[Bjerkvik]]. The Swordfish attacked and dropped two 100 lb anti-submarine bombs: one was a near-miss, but one hit and sank the submarine.<ref name="Dickens1974">Dickens 1974: 119-123</ref> Most of the crew survived and were rescued by German mountain troops. This was the first [[U-boat]] sunk by an aircraft during the war and the only instance of an aircraft launched from a battleship sinking a U-boat.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uboat.net/boats/u64.htm|title=The Type IXB U-boat U-64 – German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net|website=uboat.net}}</ref>
 
In the ensuing battle, three of the German destroyers were sunk by ''Warspite'' and her escorts and the other five were scuttled by their crews when they ran out of fuel and ammunition. The first lost was ''Erich Koellner'', which tried to ambush the Allied forces but was spotted by ''Warspite''{{'}}s Swordfish and subsequently torpedoed and shelled by the destroyers and battleship. The destroyer's commander, [[Alfred Schulze-Hinrichs]], and the surviving members of his crew, were captured by Norwegian forces. Then ''Wolfgang Zenker'', ''Bernd von Arnim'', ''Hans Ludemann'' and ''Hermann Künne'' engaged the British forces but only managed to lightly damage HMS ''Bedouin'' and ''Wolfgang Zenker'' tried to torpedo ''Warspite''. The British launched a force of ten Swordfish from ''Furious'' to attack the German destroyers with 250lb bombs. They scored no hits and two aircraft were shot-down; the crew of one were lost, the crew of the other were picked up by ''Punjabi'' after making a forced-landing on the shore.<ref name="Dickens1974 131 134">Dickens 1974: 131–134</ref>

[[File:HMSEskimoBowTorpedoDamageMay1940.jpg|thumb|left|HMS ''Eskimo'' after losing her bow.]]
[[File:Hermann kunne on fire 13apr1940.jpg|thumb|left|''Hermann Künne'' on fire.]]

Finally, when the German destroyers were low on ammunition, they retreated, except for ''Hermann Künne'', which had not received the order. ''Hermann Künne'' was fired upon by the pursuing HMS ''Eskimo'', but she took no hits. Out of ammunition but undamaged, ''Hermann Künne'' was scuttled by her crew in ''Trollvika'' in the Herjangsfjord. After scuttling the ship, the crew placed demolition depth charges on the ship, attempting to sink her in Trollvika's shallow waters. ''Eskimo'', still in hot pursuit, launched a torpedo which hit ''Hermann Künne'', setting her on fire. Whether the German ship's own depth charges or the torpedo from ''Eskimo'' was the source of the explosion is unclear.<ref name="PeterDickens">Dickens 1997: 138</ref> ''Eskimo'' was in turn ambushed by ''Georg Thiele'' and ''Hans Ludemann'', losing her bow but surviving. ''Diether von Roeder'' and ''Erich Giese'', both suffering engine problems, fired upon the British forces while still docked, damaging ''Punjabi'' and ''Cossack'' but they were both sunk before they could cause further damage. That was the last German counter-attack.

Shore batteries and installations were also very badly damaged by ''Warspite''{{'}}s guns. On the Allied side, the damage to HMS ''Eskimo'' kept her in Norway until 31 May 1940. German submarines again suffered torpedo failures, when {{GS|U-46|1938|2}} and {{GS|U-48|1939|2}} fired at the departing ''Warspite'' on 14 April. The remaining German destroyers (''Wolfgang Zenker'', ''Georg Thiele'', ''Bernd von Arnim'' and ''Hans Lüdemann'') retreated into Rombaksfjord and were scuttled soon after. The only German ship which survived within the port area was the submarine ''U-51''.

The Germans lost over 1,000 men, a [[U-boat]], and eight destroyers.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Atlantic/OOB_WWII_Narvik_Second.htm | title=Order of Battle, Second Battle of Narvik, 13 April 1940 | first=Dan| last=Muir| work=NavWeaps.com| access-date =25 January 2005| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20041228102802/http://www.navweaps.com/index_oob/OOB_WWII_Atlantic/OOB_WWII_Narvik_Second.htm| archive-date= 28 December 2004 | url-status= live}} – British and German Order of Battle.</ref> With the losses from the previous battle this constituted 50% of the Kriegsmarine's destroyer strength. The shipwrecked crew of ''Erich Giese'' and several other German destroyers reported that they were fired on during the engagement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/kriegsrecht/schiffbruechige.htm|title=Tötung von Schiffbrüchigen|website=www.wlb-stuttgart.de}}</ref>

[[File:Bernd von Arnim scuttled.jpg|thumb|right|The wreck of the scuttled ''Bernd von Arnim'' in the [[Rombaken|Rombaksfjord]].]]

About 2,600 German survivors from the battle were organised into an improvised marine unit, the ''Gebirgsmarine'', and fought with the 139th ''[[Gebirgsjäger]]'' Regiment in the subsequent land battle.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/operations/1940/m7.html| title=Second Battle of Narvik| work=German Naval History.com| access-date=25 January 2011}}</ref> Although unsuited for combat in the mountainous terrain around Narvik, the shipwrecked sailors manned the two [[10.5 cm FlaK 38|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|1|abbr=on}} ''FlaK'' gun]]s and the 11 light [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft guns]] salvaged from the ships sunk during the naval battles and conducted defensive operations.<ref name="Jaklin31"/> The sailors were armed from the stocks captured at the Norwegian army base Elvegårdsmoen, more than 8,000 [[Krag-Jørgensen]] rifles and 315 machine guns intended for the mobilisation of Norwegian army units in the Narvik area.<ref>Waage 1963: 110</ref>

==Later naval operations==
After the naval battles of Narvik, the port and its surroundings remained in German hands, as no Allied forces were available to be landed there. Naval operations were limited at this stage to [[Naval gunfire support|shore bombardment]], as Narvik was not a primary Allied objective.

Among others, the [[Polish Navy|Polish]] destroyers [[ORP Grom (1936)|''Grom'']], [[ORP Burza|''Burza'']] and [[ORP Błyskawica|''Błyskawica'']] took part in these operations, during which ''Grom'' was sunk by German aircraft on 4 May 1940, with the loss of 59 sailors.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

==Land battle==
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of Narvik
| partof            = the [[World War II|Second World War]]
| image             = [[File:Narvik.jpg|300px]]
| caption           = Narvik during the Second World War
| date              = 9 April–8 June 1940<br />({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=04|day1=09|year1=1940|month2=06|day2=08|year2=1940}})
| place             = [[Nordland]] and [[Troms]], [[Norway]]
| result            = Allied victory and subsequent withdrawal
| combatant1        = {{flag|Norway}}<br />{{flagcountry|French Third Republic}}<br />{{flag|United Kingdom}}<br />{{flagdeco|Poland|1928}} [[Polish government-in-exile|Poland]]
| combatant2        = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Nazi Germany|Germany]]
| commander1        = {{nowrap|{{flagdeco|Norway}} [[Carl Gustav Fleischer]]<br>{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Raoul Magrin-Vernerey|R. Magrin-Vernerey]]<br>{{flagdeco|United Kingdom}} [[William Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork|William Boyle]]<br>{{flagdeco|Poland|1928}} [[Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko|Z. Bohusz-Szyszko]]}}
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Eduard Dietl]]
| strength1         = {{flagicon|Norway}} [[6th Division (Norway)|Norwegian 6th Division]]<br />{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} Three battalions of [[Chasseurs Alpins]]<br />Two battalions of [[13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion]]<br />342e CACC (15 [[Hotchkiss H35]] tanks)<br>{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Four British battalions<br />{{flagdeco|Poland|1928}} Four battalions of the [[Polish Independent Highland Brigade]]<br />Total: 24,500 men
| strength2         ={{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} 2,000 ''Gebirgsjäger'' (mostly from [[Austria]]<ref name= "Scheuch1">vgl. Manfred Scheuch: ''Österreich im 20. Jahrhundert''. Christian Brandstätter, Wien-München 2000. {{ISBN|3-85498-029-9}} (Abschnitt „1938–1945 Österreich unter der Hitlerherrschaft“, S. 120)</ref>)<br />2,600 sailors<br /> 1,000 ''Fallschirmjägers''
Total: 5,600 men
| casualties1       = 
| casualties2       = 
}}
[[File:The French Army in the Norwegian Campaign, 1940 HU91803.jpg|left|thumb|French [[French Foreign Legion|Légionnaires]] landing at [[Bjerkvik]] after fierce bombardment by British ships, 13 May. French troops massed in boats under machine gun fire from the rocks and shore.]]

During the [[Norwegian Campaign]], Narvik and its surrounding area saw significant fighting, initially from 9 April between German and Norwegian forces, subsequently between Allied and German forces, conducted by the [[6th Division (Norway)|Norwegian 6th Division]] of the [[Norwegian Army]] as well as by an [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] expeditionary corps until 9 June 1940. Unlike the campaign in southern Norway, the Allied troops in Narvik would eventually outnumber the Norwegian troops. Five nations participated in the fighting. From 5–10 May, the fighting in the Narvik area was the only active theatre of land war in the Second World War.

At the outset, the position of the German commander—[[Eduard Dietl|Dietl]]—was not good: his 2,000 troops were outnumbered. After the German destroyers had been sunk, however, about 2,600 German sailors joined in the land battle. Another 290 German specialists travelled via Sweden posing as health care workers. During the last three to four weeks, the Germans were also reinforced by about 1,000 men air dropped over [[Bjørnfjell, Nordland|Bjørnfjell]], thus bringing the total number of Germans to around 5,600. Their position and outlook changed from good to dire several times. On occasions, the entire operation was controlled directly from the [[Oberkommando der Wehrmacht|German High Command]] in [[Berlin]]; [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]]'s mood was reportedly swinging heavily and he repeatedly contemplated withdrawal. Intelligence agents captured later in the war also stated that Dietl himself had been considering crossing the Swedish frontier with his troops to be interned, until the German agent [[Marina Lee]] infiltrated [[Claude Auchinleck|Auchinleck]]'s headquarters at [[Tromsø]] and obtained the British battle plan;<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/26/russian-ballerina-nazi-spy-marina-lee|title=The Russian ballerina Nazi spy who aided British defeat in Norway|author=Alan Travis|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=26 August 2010|location=London}}</ref> however, the accuracy of this allegation has been questioned.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/guywalters/100051670/nazis-and-beautiful-spies-how-tittle-tattle-becomes-history/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829084755/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/guywalters/100051670/nazis-and-beautiful-spies-how-tittle-tattle-becomes-history/|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 August 2010|title=Nazis and Beautiful Spies: How Tittle-Tattle becomes history|author=Guy Walters|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|location=London|date=26 August 2010}}</ref> The [[6th Division (Norway)|Norwegian force]]—under General [[Carl Gustav Fleischer]]—eventually reached 8,000–10,000 men after a few weeks. The total number of Allied troops in the campaign—in and around Narvik—reached 24,500 men.<ref>Jaklin 2006: 33</ref>

The early phase of the invasion was marked by the German advantage of surprise. Norwegian troops in northern Norway had been called out on a three-month neutrality watch during the winter of 1939/1940, and so they had trained together. From 9–25 April, the Norwegian forces suffered three catastrophes. First, the forces protecting Narvik were unable to resist the Germans due to the commanding officer—the later [[Nasjonal Samling|NS]] ''Hird'' commander Colonel [[Konrad Sundlo]]—refusing to fight the invaders; second, around 200 soldiers from the Narvik garrison who had escaped capture and were blocking the railway to Sweden were caught by surprise while resting at Bjørnfjell, most of the men being captured; third, I/IR12 (1st battalion of Infantry Regiment 12) sent to hold [[Gratangsbotn]] was attacked by surprise while in camp, suffering casualties that ruined its spirit and effectively knocked it out of the remainder of the campaign.

From [[Denmark]], a battalion-sized detachment of the [[Luftwaffe]]'s [[1st Fallschirm-Panzer Division Hermann Göring|Regiment General Göring]], commanded by ''[[Hauptmann]]'' Kluge was sent by sea to [[Oslo]], in April, being engaged alongside the [[German Army (1935–1945)|Army]] first in the advance to [[Trondheim]], then north up into the [[Arctic Circle]] to take the port of [[Bodø (town)|Bodø]] and relieve the pressure on the beleaguered élite [[Gebirgsjäger]] further north at Narvik.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Williamson|first=Gordon|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/59364241|title=The Hermann Göring Division|date=2003|publisher=Osprey Publishing|others=Stephen Andrew|isbn=1-84176-406-X|location=Oxford|pages=6|oclc=59364241}}</ref>

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-2005-1202-500, Norwegen, bei Narvik, Gebirgsjäger.jpg|thumb|left|German [[Gebirgsjäger]]s in the mountains at Narvik.]]

Due to mounting Norwegian pressure and difficulties with bringing up supplies to the forward lying troops, the Germans abandoned Gratangsbotn and withdrew from the hill [[Lapphaugen]] and the valley [[Gratangsdalen]], following the [[Battle of Gratangen]]. In the beginning of May, the Norwegians started an advance southwards towards Narvik. Once it became clear that the Allies would mount the main invasion of Narvik itself in mid-May, the Norwegian direction altered towards [[Bjørnfjell, Nordland|Bjørnfjell]]. The British arrived first and set up headquarters in [[Harstad (town)|Harstad]] on 14 April. In the following days, three battalions were deployed mainly at [[Sjøvegan]] in [[Skånland Municipality]] (where a naval base was established) and at [[Bogen, Evenes|Bogen]]. Later, they were deployed south of the [[Ofotfjord]], at [[Ballangen (village)|Ballangen]] and [[Håkvik]].
[[File:Norwegian soldiers on the Narvik front.jpg|thumb|right|Group of Norwegian soldiers on the Narvik front.]]
[[File:British troops with French Hotchkiss H39 tanks in Steinland, Norway, 1940. N229.jpg|left|thumb|British, Polish and French troops beside one of the 5 Hotchkiss H39 tanks of the  342e CACC in [[Tjeldsund Municipality|Steinsland]].]]
The initial British detachment was reinforced on 28 April by a French expeditionary force (''Corps expéditionnaire français en Scandinavie'', CEFS), led by General [[Antoine Béthouart]] and composed of [[Mountain warfare|mountain troops]]. Three battalions of [[Chasseurs Alpins|Alpine troops]] and two battalions of [[13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion]]<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Windrow|first1=Martin|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/7825707|title=Uniforms of the French Foreign Legion, 1831-1981|last2=Chappell|first2=Michael|date=1981|publisher=Blandford Press|isbn=0-7137-1010-1|location=Poole|pages=112|oclc=7825707}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Windrow|first=Martin|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/40882248|title=French Foreign Legion, 1914–1945|date=1999|publisher=Osprey Publishing|others=Mike Chappell|isbn=1-85532-761-9|location=Oxford|pages=22|oclc=40882248}}</ref> were deployed both north and south of the [[Ofotfjord]], but later, the north would be the main French area of operation. Four [[Polish Armed Forces in the West|Polish battalions]] arrived on 9 May. They were first deployed north of the Ofotfjord, but later redeployed to the area south of the [[fjord]]. In early June they were formed into the [[Polish Independent Highland Brigade|Polish Podhale Independent Highland Brigade]] under General [[Zygmunt Bohusz-Szyszko]] and part of CEFS.
[[File:The Norwegian Campaign, 1940 N159.jpg|thumb|French ''[[Chasseurs Alpins]]'' carry their skis on the march in Norway, May 1940.]]
In addition, the Allies had difficulty in deciding how best to retake Narvik and the [[Iron Ore Line|iron ore railway]]. There was no unified command for the troops facing the Germans at Narvik: the Norwegians and the Allies retained separate commanders and cooperation between them was not always smooth. Even within the British forces, the Army and Navy commanders—[[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[Pierse Joseph Mackesy|Pierse J. Mackesy]] and [[Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)|Admiral of the Fleet]] [[William Boyle, 12th Earl of Cork|William Boyle, Lord Cork]]—had difficulty cooperating: Cork advocated a swift and direct attack from the sea while Mackesy advocated a cautious approach from both sides of the Ofotfjord. Consequent to this, on 21 April, Lord Cork was given supreme command of all Allied forces.<ref>Derry 2004: 154.</ref>

[[File:Norwegian Army 7.5 cm field gun.jpg|thumb|A Norwegian [[Ehrhardt 7.5 cm Model 1901|M/01 {{convert|7.5|cm|in|2|abbr=on}} field gun]] in action north of Narvik.]]
In the second week of May, the Norwegian advances against the Germans east of [[Gratangseidet]] were the most significant movements on the Narvik front. In addition, on the Norwegians' right flank French alpine troops advanced up the [[Laberg, Salangen|Laberg valley]], supported by a company of Norwegian [[Ski warfare|ski troops]]. In the south, the Allies did not have much success, and in the north of the Ofotfjord, they were not making any progress. The Norwegians continued their successful [[Mountain warfare|mountain campaign]], and in mid-May the Allies took the initiative and achieved significant victories. Both [[Paris]] and [[London]] had been growing impatient with the slow progress in Narvik, and the French commander—Béthouart—had pressed for more action.

[[File:Norwegian Army Colt heavy machine gun at the Narvik front.jpg|thumb|Norwegian [[M1917 Browning machine gun|M/29]] heavy machine gun at the Narvik front.]]
[[File:The British Army in Norway April - June 1940 N160.jpg|thumb|French and Norwegian ski troops.]]
The cautious approach on land was abandoned and an [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious attack]] was launched at around midnight on 12 May. This was directed at [[Bjerkvik]] and was preceded by a naval bombardment from British warships in [[Herjangsfjord]]. Then [[Landing Craft Assault|landing craft]] put ashore [[French Foreign Legion]]naires, supported by five French [[Hotchkiss H35#The Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 39|Hotchkiss H39]] [[light tank]]s of the 342e CACC (''Compagnie Autonome de Chars de Combat/'' Independent Tank Company), which successfully attacked [[Bjerkvik]],<ref name=":0" /> the [[Elvegårdsmoen]] army camp and advanced northeast to where the Germans were withdrawing and south along the east side of [[Herjangsfjord]]. The plan also required Polish troops to advance toward Bjerkvik from land on the west side of the fjord, but heavy terrain delayed them and they did not arrive before Bjerkvik was taken. It had also been part of the plan for French and Norwegian troops to advance from the north in order to box the Germans in, but cooperation problems between the Norwegian and French commanders left a gap through which the Germans escaped. Despite this, the Allies had a clear path north of Narvik and planned to attack over [[Rombaken|Rombaksfjord]].

It had been anticipated in London that as the buildup of troops in Narvik slowly continued, a corps headquarters would be needed to exercise effective control.<ref>Derry 2004: 169.</ref> On 11 May, [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Claude Auchinleck]] arrived in Narvik, and on 13 May assumed leadership of the Allied land and air forces (under Lord Cork's overall command), which at this time was designated the North-Western Expeditionary Force.<ref>Derry 2004: 200-201.</ref> It was clear to the Allies that once Narvik was captured, its long-term retention would depend on permanently holding the town of [[Bodø (town)|Bodø]] to the south in [[Nordland]] which was on the route of the German advance from [[Trondheim (city)|Trondheim]]. Consequently, Auchinleck redeployed all British troops to concentrate on this southern enterprise, and appointed French [[Brigadier general|Brigadier-General]] Béthouart—an expert in both mountain and winter warfare—to command the French and Polish troops, which would be responsible for operations in the Narvik area in conjunction with Norwegian forces.<ref>Derry 2004: 201.</ref>

Again, the attack was stalled while the Allies waited for [[Close air support|air support]] to be fully established from [[Bardufoss Air Station|Bardufoss]]. At 23:40 on 27 May, a naval bombardment commenced from the north. Two French and one Norwegian battalions would be transported across the Rombaksfjord and advance on Narvik from the north. In the south, the Polish battalions would advance toward [[Ankenesstranda|Ankenes]] and inner [[Beisfjord]]. The maximum capacity of the landing barges was 290 men, and these troops could not be reinforced for 45 minutes. These first troops were able to get a foothold on Ornes by the time the rest of the French and the Norwegians were landed. The French moved west toward the city and east along the railway. The Norwegians moved toward [[Taraldsvik]] mountain, circled around and moved down toward the city. The [[Eduard Dietl|German commander]] decided to evacuate before 07:00 and retired along the [[Beisfjord]]. This was the first major Allied victory on land.<ref>[http://kristiansten-festning.no/narvik_landkrigen.htm The land battle (Norwegian)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906135021/http://kristiansten-festning.no/narvik_landkrigen.htm |date=6 September 2006 }}</ref>

==Operation Alphabet==
{{main|Operation Alphabet}}
[[File:Norwegian troops greenock.JPG|thumb|British troops returning to the United Kingdom at [[Greenock]] in June 1940]]

It seemed now that it was only a matter of time before the Germans would have to surrender. They were pushed from the north by the Norwegians, from the west by the French and from the southwest by the Poles. It appeared that [[Bjørnfjell, Nordland|Bjørnfjell]] would be the Germans' last stand, but events elsewhere in Europe came to their rescue. London had already secretly decided to evacuate on 24 May and that became apparent in the following days. On the night of 24/25 May, Lord Cork received orders to retreat, but under cover so the Germans would be prevented from interfering. The Allied commanders agreed that an attack on Narvik would disguise the retreat and allow the destruction of the iron ore harbour.

The Norwegian government and commanders were first told in early June and the news was met with disbelief and bitterness. The Norwegians still hoped to defeat the Germans alone and, as late as 5 June, one of the two Norwegian brigades was ordered to attack. The Norwegian government also explored the possibility of creating a neutral, but free Northern Norway. This plan proved futile, and on 7 June the King and government were evacuated to Britain. All Allied troops were evacuated from Narvik between 4 and 8 June.

Three [[Poland|Polish]] passenger ships, [[MS Sobieski|MS ''Sobieski'']], [[MS Batory|''Batory'']] and [[MS Chrobry|''Chrobry'']], took part in the evacuation operation. ''Chrobry'' was sunk on 14–15 May by German bombers. On 8 June, General Dietl retook Narvik, and on 10 June the last Norwegian forces in Norway surrendered.

==Operation Juno==
{{main|Operation Juno}}

[[File:Narvik001.jpg|thumb|Members of the [[Polish Independent Highland Brigade]] at Narvik.]]
On 7 June, the British aircraft carrier {{HMS|Glorious|77|6}} had taken on board 10 [[Gloster Gladiator]]s and eight [[Hawker Hurricane]]s from [[No. 46 Squadron RAF|46 Squadron]] and [[No. 263 Squadron RAF|263 Squadron]] [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF). These were flown off from land bases to keep them from being destroyed in the evacuation. ''Glorious'' left a larger [[convoy]] to proceed independently. The next day, while sailing through the [[Norwegian Sea]] to return to [[Scapa Flow]], the carrier and her escorts—the destroyers {{HMS|Acasta|H09|6}} and {{HMS|Ardent|H41|2}}—were intercepted by the German battlecruisers {{Ship|German battleship|Scharnhorst||2}} and {{Ship|German battleship|Gneisenau||2}}. The carrier and her escorts were sunk with the loss of more than 1,500 men. ''Scharnhorst'' was badly damaged by a torpedo from ''Acasta'' and both German vessels were hit by a number of medium shells. The damage to the German ships was sufficient to cause the Germans to retire to [[Trondheim]], which allowed the safe passage of the evacuation convoy through the area later that day.

==Aftermath==

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-L12208, Lazarettschiff "Wilhelm Gustloff".jpg|thumb|German soldiers wounded at Narvik being transported back to Germany on the [[MV Wilhelm Gustloff|''Wilhelm Gustloff'']] in July 1940.]]
[[File:Navrik wounded in Mearnskirk Hospital.jpg|thumb|British soldiers wounded at Narvik recuperating in [[Mearnskirk Hospital]], Glasgow, Scotland.]]
The British had drafted plans to land in Narvik before the German invasion; troops and supplies had been loaded onto ships when they executed their mining operation on 8 April. These had been hastily unloaded when German ships were spotted northbound because the British thought that the German ships were trying to break into the Atlantic to avoid being trapped in German ports and wanted all their ships available to intercept the German fleet. The confusion dogged the troops for weeks, men and equipment were shipped to Norway separately without clear landing sites and orders were changed while en route. It became apparent that the Allies were confused by the many small and large fjords and bays and could not decide where it would be best to start; British, French and Polish units rapidly relieved each other which added to the lack of local knowledge.

The cold and snow was a common enemy for all troops at Narvik but most of the Allies were poorly prepared for it. The Norwegians were the only ones fully equipped with skis and able to use them. The British tried skis but their troops were largely untrained and supply was scarce. German sailors faced the same problems, even within the ''[[Gebirgsjäger]]'' (mountain troops) and French mountain specialists, only a few units were equipped with skis and the Polish mountain brigade had no mountain training.

Most troops were untested in battle. The ''Gebirgsjäger'' had participated in the invasion of Poland and some of the troops that had been air dropped over Bjørnfjell had fought in the [[Netherlands]]. Some of the French Foreign Legionnaires came directly from fighting in [[North Africa]] and most of the Polish officers and many of the soldiers had participated in the defence of Poland, some even in the [[Spanish Civil War]] and were highly motivated.<ref>Dec 1981: 26–29</ref>

The Allies had sea and air superiority until the very last stage of the operation, but did not take full advantage. The Germans lost the naval battle, but achieved the main goal of their operation: the successful [[Operation Weserübung]] and [[Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany|occupation of Norway]]. Around Narvik, German naval losses were high: they lost 10 destroyers (50 percent of their entire destroyer force), one submarine, and several support ships. In exchange, they sank one aircraft carrier, four Allied destroyers and damaged several others. The reason for their defeat lay in the German plans, which made it impossible for their destroyers to retire quickly, even if they had had adequate supplies. This was compounded by the design of German destroyers: despite their relatively large size and armament, they had inadequate fuel and ammunition storage.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}} The British forces achieved an indisputable local naval victory but were unprepared to follow it up with any land operation. This allowed the Germans to consolidate their foothold in Norway and made the subsequent Allied counter-invasion more difficult.

===Post-war===
In 1964, a war museum opened in Narvik; since 2016, the collections have been displayed in the [[Narvik War Museum]]—located inside the [[Narvik War and Peace Centre]].<ref>Christine Baglo, [http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/nytt-krigsmuseum-i-narvik-1.710502 ''Nytt krigsmuseum i Narvik''] ''Dagsavisen'', 11 April 2016</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://warmuseum.no/the-narvik-centre-of-war-and-peace/|title=The Narvik War and Peace Centre|website=Narvik Krigsmuseum}}</ref>

Parts of the bow of the German destroyer ''Georg Thiele'' remain visible above the water in ''Rombaksbotn'' to this day. The wrecks at Narvik remain popular diving spots, although some are off-limits because they still contain undetonated ammunition.<ref>[http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?31946 ''George Thiele (Z-2)'' (+1940)] wrecksite.eu, accessed: 20 November 2010</ref> Three of the German destroyers were raised in 1964 and moved to Framnesodden, near Eidsvoid, to clear the shipping lane. The destroyers ''Anton Schmitt'', ''Diether von Roeder'', and ''Wilhelm Heidkamp'' rest in {{convert|12|m|ft|abbr=on}} of water there and were opened for diving. A number of other wrecks are also accessible, but most have been preserved as historic sites and it is forbidden to dive to them.<ref>[http://www.xray-mag.com/pdfs/xray05/xray05_part4.pdf Wrecks of Narvik – wreck diving in the Narvik area] accessed: 21 November 2010</ref>
{{clear}}

==Medals==
At least 1,200 French, British, and Polish participants in the battle were awarded the Norwegian [[War Cross (Norway)|War Cross]] for their contribution to the battle. Among the Norwegians who took part in the battle, only the top two military leaders were awarded the medal. Norwegian media has complained about this limited award.<ref>Sveinung Berg Bentzrød, [http://www.aftenposten.no/norge/Over-1200-glemte-helter-fra-2-verdenskrig-ble-lansert--ingen-blir-dekorert-612449b.html ''Over 1200 glemte helter fra 2. verdenskrig ble lansert – ingen blir dekorert''] ''Aftenposten'', 6 January 2017</ref>

All German forces (8,577 military personnel) who partook in the battles of Narvik were awarded with the [[Narvik Shield]].

== See also ==
* [[List of Norwegian military equipment of World War II]]
* [[List of British military equipment of World War II]]
* [[List of French military equipment of World War II]]
* [[List of German military equipment of World War II]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{Commons category|Battle of Narvik|Battles of Narvik}}
* {{cite book |title=I skjærgården og på havet – Marinens krig 8. april 1940 – 8. mai 1945 |trans-title=In the Archipelago and at Sea: The Navy's war 8 April 1940 – 8 May 1945 |last=Berg |first=Ole F. |year=1997 |publisher=Marinens krigsveteranforening |location=Oslo |isbn=82-993545-2-8|language= no}}
* {{cite book |last=Bjørnsen |first=Bjørn |author-link=Bjørn Bjørnsen |title=Det utrolige døgnet |trans-title=The Incredible Day |publisher=Gyldendal Norsk Forlag |location=Oslo |year=1977 |isbn=82-05-10553-7 |language=no}}
* {{cite book |title=The Hunters and the Hunted |last=Brennecke |first=Jochen |year=2003 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=978-1-59114-091-7}}
* {{cite book |title=Naval Operations of the Campaign in Norway, April–June 1940 |last=Brown |first=David |year=2000 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-0-7146-5119-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Dec |first=Władysław |year=1981 |title=Narwik i Falaise |trans-title=Narvik and Falaise |publisher=Wydawnictwo MON |language=pl |isbn=83-11-06583-7}}
* {{cite book |first=T. K. |last=Derry |editor-last=Butler |editor-first=J. R. M. |editor-link=James Ramsay Montagu Butler |series=History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series |title=The Campaign in Norway |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-NWE-Norway/index.html#contents |access-date=7 February 2016 |publisher=[[HMSO]] |edition=Naval & Military Press |location=London |year=2004 |orig-year=1st. pub. [[HMSO]] 1952 |isbn=1-845740-57-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Dickens |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Gerald Charles Dickens |editor-last=Sweetman |editor-first=Jack |title=Narvik: battles in the Fjords |orig-year=1974 |series=Classics of Naval Literature |year=1997 |location=Annapolis, MD |publisher=U.S. Naval Institute |isbn=1-55750-744-9}}
* {{cite book |title=Denmark and Norway 1940: Hitler's Boldest Operation |last=Dildy |first=Doug |year=2007 |publisher=Osprey |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1-84603-117-5}}
* {{cite book |title=Hitler's Secret Pirate Fleet: The Deadliest Ships of World War II |last=Duffy |first=James P. |year=2005 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |location= Lincoln, NA|isbn=978-0-8032-6652-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Hauge |first=Andreas |title=Kampene i Norge 1940 |trans-title=Norwegian Campaign 1940 |volume=2 |publisher=Krigshistorisk Forlag |location=Sandefjord |year=1995 |isbn=82-993369-0-2 |language=no}}
* {{cite book |last=Jaklin |first=Asbjørn |title=Nordfronten – Hitlers skjebneområde |trans-title=Northern Front: Hitler's Fateful Area |publisher=[[Gyldendal Norsk Forlag|Gyldendal]] |location=[[Oslo]] |year=2006 |isbn=978-82-05-34537-9 |language=no}}
* {{cite book |last=Kristiansen |first=Trond |title=Fjordkrigen – Sjømilitær motstand mot den tyske invasjonsflåten i 1940 |trans-title=Fjord War: Naval Operations against the German Invasion Fleet in 1940 |publisher=Forlaget Kristiansen |location=Harstad |year=2006|isbn=82-997054-2-8 |language=no}}
* {{cite book |last=Macintyre |first=Donald G. F. W. |title=Narvik |publisher=W. W. Norton |location=New York |year=1959 |oclc=394826}}
* {{cite book |title=The German fleet at war, 1939–1945 |last=O'Hara |first=Vincent P. |year=2004 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=978-1-59114-651-3}}
* {{cite book |title=The lure of Neptune: German-Soviet Naval Collaboration and Ambitions, 1919–1941 |last=Philbin |first=Tobias R. |year=1994 |publisher=University of South Carolina Press |location=Columbia, SC |isbn=978-0-87249-992-8}}
* {{cite book |title=Med Kongen til fornyet kamp – Oppbyggingen av Marinen ute under Den andre verdenskrig |trans-title=With the King to another Campaign – Reconstruction of the Exile Navy during the Second World War |editor-last=Sivertsen |editor-first=Svein Carl |year=2000 |publisher=Sjømilitære Samfund ved Norsk Tidsskrift for Sjøvesen |location=Hundvåg |isbn=82-994738-8-8 |language=no}}
* {{cite book |title=Kampene om Narvik |trans-title=The Narvik Campaign |last=Waage |first=Johan |year=1963 |publisher=Dreyers Forlag |location=Oslo |language=no |others=English and French trans. |oclc=464460476}}
* {{cite book |title=A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II |last=Weinberg |first=Gerhard L. |year=2005 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=978-0-521-61826-7}}
* {{cite book |title=German Destroyers 1939–45 |last=Williamson |first=Gordon |year=2003 |publisher=Osprey |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1-84176-504-4}}
* {{cite book |last=Ziemke |first=Earl F. |series=US Department of the Army Pamphlet |number=20–271 |title=The German Northern Theater of Operations 1940–1945 |publisher=Department of the Army |location=Washington, DC |year=1959 |oclc=631274418}}

{{World War II}}

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{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Narvik 1940}}
[[Category:1940 in Norway]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving Norway]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving Poland]]
[[Category:Naval battles of World War II involving Germany]]
[[Category:Battles of World War II involving France]]
[[Category:Battles involving the French Foreign Legion]]
[[Category:Naval bombing operations and battles of World War II]]
[[Category:Narvik]]
[[Category:Naval battles and operations of the European theatre of World War II]]
[[Category:Norwegian campaign]]
[[Category:Military operations directly affecting Sweden during World War II]]
[[Category:History of Nordland]]
[[Category:Naval battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom|Narvik]]
[[Category:April 1940 in Europe]]
[[Category:May 1940 in Europe]]
[[Category:June 1940 in Europe]]
[[Category:Attacks on naval bases]]
[[Category:Attacks on military installations in Norway]]
[[Category:Attacks on military installations in 1940]]