View Full Version : True Heroes of Telemark
Golf1echo
03-02-2015, 07:58
I found this series a well done description of an incredible mission to destroy heavy water production and supply in Norway during WWII. The account gives a nice glimpse into the fieldcraft of sustained Winter operations of the time... and willpower needed to survive Norwegian Winters.
" Real Heroes of Telemark" Ray Mears
Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8c7JgF_5Os
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlokTnZWZuo
Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfc7pwjyUSs
:lifter
I note where the leader mentioned the mental aspect of the long stay in the back country.
Wonder if by early January the four men would have traded their reindeer moss for a bag of grits.
I also note the fact that they stashed half their food at the infil site and, as good skiers, could make 30k's without a load on a good day. I would have thought somewhere around the first hunting cabin they would have sent two men with basic survival gear back to fetch the food.
Through # 2, will get to # 3 tomorrow.
An interesting trip for the 4 military men recreating the trip and nice memories from the 3 men who did the real mission. And now the other 6 have jumped in and linked up with the original 4.
Golf1echo
03-04-2015, 09:45
I note where the leader mentioned the mental aspect of the long stay in the back country.
Wonder if by early January the four men would have traded their reindeer moss for a bag of grits.
I also note the fact that they stashed half their food at the infil site and, as good skiers, could make 30k's without a load on a good day. I would have thought somewhere around the first hunting cabin they would have sent two men with basic survival gear back to fetch the food.
Through # 2, will get to # 3 tomorrow.
An interesting trip for the 4 military men recreating the trip and nice memories from the 3 men who did the real mission. And now the other 6 have jumped in and linked up with the original 4.
I'll bet they would have traded the moss for almost anything. They enjoyed it a bit more when it came from the Reindeer stomachs (reduced acids). Looks like they had plenty of spruce tea but little else. I don't know if there were so many ops that their rations were a reflection of that or the moldy cheese had probiotic capabilities?
2-3 K's a day in the early storm suggests either an average or hunkering down much of the time, perhaps they were chasing fuel? Reading between the lines that Lake water was a poignant experience for them...perhaps they never wanted to go back to that infil site? On the Elk Mountain Traverse website in the insta gram section there is an account of being able to identifying all the racers afterward by the frost bite they had on one side of their face due to ground blizzard conditions...that was just a 12 hour race. Finding the sledge sure benefited them! When I first saw Ray's overwhite cover on his open pit shelter I wondered but have since been back to Hale and forgot how ticklish that falling snow can be when it hits your face (part 3).
The small hut they built to evade detection is one of the most eloquent solutions I have ever seen (part 3). All in all a very scrappy bunch who were both skilled and had a lot of things go their way.
In another post you brought up the importance of nutrition ( calories/energy) to sustained cold weather operations. I find their success particularly impressive with that aspect in mind.
Interesting nutritional info. on mil. rations : http://hprc-online.org/comrad/#
I noticed one of the Norwegian soldiers said it as they woke early in the dark, cold, open country, that he had done that as a boy and it was quite normal to him... Makes me curious what you see with soldiers that are not familiar with a Winter culture?
On a side note, currently snow is great in the Colo. high country, anyone interested might find Ski Cooper of particular interest...not just for the legacy left by the 10th Mt Div. or affordable tickets but the terrain is the best I've seen for learning! http://skicooper.com/
Great Op, very interesting reenactment. Raises many questions though.
Since they apparently had good comms, why didn't they get resupplied by airdrop while they were "waiting"? The RAF/SOE was dropping supplies all over Europe at the time - and they knew where these guys were. (well enough to send in gliders to their AO). Why didn't they also initially drop in a sled along with their gear - the Norwegian's at least, would have understood its value in movement..
Did the nazi's ELINT detect them - and did they try to DF their position?
Also, for the movie production it is unfortunate that they didn't bring along a Type 3 Mk 2 wireless suitcase radio (rather than a suitcase full of sand) to replicate the comm path back to the UK. Those sets are around, they are being used - and I bet one of those 4 guys in the video was CW qualified..
Great story - required "viewing"... Tough, skilled guys.
Didahdidahdit
Ray a ears has a good book that covers the Raid.
http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Telemark-Ray-Mears/dp/0340830166
Norway has just produced a new miniseries covering it:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Heavy_Water_War
Hopefully it will be subtitled and Youtube'd.
I always did like the Kirk Douglas movie about that. Nice classic...