Orkla Mines/Thambshavn

There is to be a premier showing of the documentry concerning the SOE raids on the Orkla Mines. The showing is to take place within the mine complex on March 13/14th to invited guests including Lita Deinboll, Peter Deinboll's sister. The documentry has been put together by Christian Falch and his colleagues who have given a significant amount of time and energy to the making of the film with the focus on great attention to detail and accuracy.

http://www.gammaglimt.no/
Please cklick on Premiere på dokumentar

Much controversy surrounds the mines and mine owners to this day with accusations of collaboration during the war. Please see link for an overview:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thamshavn_Line_sabotage

Peter Deinboll was later lost on another operation into Norway (Redshank). The Stirling aircraft - LJ993 - NF-M 138Squadron (Op Crupper 11) was lost on the night of the 8/9th Nov 1944. The wreck has never been found and it is believed that the a/c was lost at sea. A second agent, Arne Gjestland, also perished. The seven RAF crew are commemorated at the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey (UK). Peter Deinboll's memorial is in Orkanger, Norway

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=no&u=http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Deinboll&ei=NUuKS7nMLY6i0gS27oDXCw&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CBYQ7gEwBQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dpeter%2Bdeinboll%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4ACAW_enGB368GB348

Lita Deinboll has written a book on the subject and it's titled, 'Bombing or Sabotage? A young girl's war experiences and a resistance family's fate (1997). The raids are also mentioned in various books connected to Norwegian SOE.

Congratulations and good luck to Christian Falch and his crew. At long last, a fitting tribute to those Norwegian SOE soldiers, who particpated in the raids against the mines, is to be broadcast. Their recognition for the remarkable operations that they carried out is long overdue. Hopefully, the documentry will be shown in the UK at some future point.

Bob Pearson

Aside from invitations that have been sent out, everyone is welcome to see the documentary on both days (March 13/14th) since this event is a part of the Kosmorama International Film Festival.

Cheers

Bob

Further to earlier mails; please see link for taster/teaser with regards to the premier of Orkla raids film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8Yoqq06n2g&feature=related

Thanks to Linzee Druce for the reminder!

Bob

The Saturday premiere screening of the film has been sold out and the Sunday screening is close to full. However, due to demand a third screening is to be shown by the Kosmorama Festival in Trondheim. This screening is to be shown on the 16th March. Please follow the link for further details:

http://www.trondheimkino.no/program/?what=8gwhh8

It's a small world when a friend of mine from England can enlighten me about the possibility to obtain a ticket in a cinema in Trondheim

I am just posting this as my Great Uncle Louis Alexander Ouellette perished the same night as the SOE LJ993 - NF-M 138Sq crew. His mission was Op.Puffin 2,Norway flying in a Stirling LK198 it was lost at sea without a trace. If anyone knows what the mission was it would be greatly appreciated. I wonder if there is a mission link between these two planes? They were both 138Sq flying out of Tempsford.

Hi i am currently stranded in the USA, but will reply in full upon return to the uk. Cheers bob

Back from the US...finally.

Op Puffin is not mentioned in the UK National Archives, but of immense interest are the log books of 138 Squadron. These can be found by typing in '138 Squardron' in the NA search engine. There are a number of files that will be of interest to you, particualrly AIR 27/956.

Also worth trying is RAF Hendon - http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/ These people are an absolue goldmine of info on ops/types/awards etc. Probably best to visit in person or telephone.

Try also http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/airfields/tempsford.html

http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s48.html

http://www.tempsford.20m.com/home.html

http://www.tempsford-squadrons.info/

http://www.harringtonmuseum.org.uk/HistoryTempsford.htm

http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Bedfordshire/TempsfordAircrewLost.html

The book 'Agents by Moonlight' wriiten by Freddie Clark is regarded by aircrews as the best. I have a copy and it is no exaggeration. The above sites are all good and they will certainly be interested in you as a direct relative. I visited RAF Tempsford some years back on Remembrance Sunday and it is one of the most atmospheric places I have ever visited, as no doubt the Tempsford folk will tell you.

Hope the above is of some help.

Kind regards,

Bob

Hello Bob,

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the links - the RAF Museum referred me to the National Archives and RAF Disclosures branch. I was able to pick up a copy of "Agents By Moonlight", which contained three references. This is an amazing book by the way, thanks for the tip.

I still have to look at:

- M Middlebrook & C Everitt, The Bomber Command War
Diaries (Viking, 1985) • J Foreman, Fighter Command War Diaries. Vol. 1: Sept 1939
– Sept 1940; Vol. 2: Sept 1940 – Dec 1941; Vol. 3 Jan 1942 – June 1943; Vol. 4: July 1943 – June 1944; Vol 5 July 1944 – May 1945 (Air Research Publications, 1996 & 2004).

- R Sturtivant & J Hamlin, Royal Air Force Training and Support Units since 1912 (Air-Britain, 2007).

- Operations Record Books (ORBs or RAF Forms 540 & 541)

I am also going to pick up "Flights of the Forgotten", which may yield more information.
Thanks again for everything.
Regards,
T. Ouellette