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From top: Welrod Mk IIA, Mills hand grenade M36 MkI, Commando Knuckle knife - called BC41 |
Weapons
used in Norway used during WW2 by
the Norwegian resistance "Hjemmefronten"
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During the 2nd World War England supported Norway with Military training and equipment. The Norwegian king had escaped to England 1940. The résistance grow over the time of occupation. The German soldiers considered the freedom fighters to be terrorists! The Nazis used very brutal lethal methods also against innocent civilians. Several of these weapons are still available in Norway. |
For more details and pictures
about fighting knives please go to the article in English about
Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting knives.
Weapons from England
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From top: Welrod Mk IIA, Mills hand grenade M36 MkI, Commando Knuckle knife - called BC41 |
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The Welrod silent pistol |
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Very little is known about this pistol, which more resembles a repeating rifle than a pistol if you look at the mechanism. The first prototypes were called Model I.
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A number of test examples were evaluated the following months. These tests resulted in what we know as Mk II. 500 were ordered for Station XII Very soon the production changed to Mk II which you can see here on the pictures. |
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A manual from 1943 explains the technique to shoot with this pistol: For these deliberate shot, extreme accuracy is required. It can only be obtained by correct trigger squeeze, that is by gradual squeeze of the whole hand. With training and practice it will be found quite possible to get very accurate groups at the distances mentioned. The gun should be held with the thumb and forefinger as close up to the muzzle as possible, the pistol grip being held by the right hand no harder than is necessary to compress the safety catch. For standing shots, the left elbow should be held as close in to the body as possible. |
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Above the single shot Welrod Mk IIA pistol in 7,65 mm Browning (32 ACP) The pistol is equipped with a permanent silencer. The bolt has to be twisted and pulled back for each shot like a bolt action rifle. This eliminates the mechanical sound to a minimum. The gun is very silent. One of these was used by Reidar Nielsen on an operation in Norway towards a radar station. This pistol has been used in Norway. Below the Welrod Mk IIA pistol with open bolt. |
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This Welrod was made by BSA GUNS Ltd. in England in the later part of 1943 and has a matching serial number of the gun and the magazine 43xx. It is marked with the typical 5 corned star.
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For
more information about Welrod guns we recommend Anders Thygesen’s
excellent article in Guns Review or his website
http://www.timelapse.dk/welrod.php
There are some unconfirmed reports about Welrod guns used
during both during the Falklands War and Operation Desert Storm
Odds and ends.
The Sleeve Gun
This is only a copy of the Sleeve gun.
Courtesy of Richard Karlsson
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There are not many guns existing of this gun. It was like the Welrod Mk II also made by BSA GUNS Ltd. in England. This weapon appeared very late during WW2. It is not known if any of these actually were ever used in a combat situation. Some found their way to Norway. Sleeve gun with serial No 8 can be seen in Bergenhus Festningsmuseeum in Norway. It
exists in the S.O.E. catalogue: There
it was written:
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Mills hand grenade M36 MkI made by SG&Co 1943 from Norway
Sten Mk II
The Mark II Sten housing can be turned on the axis of the
receiver
so that it acts as a dust cover for the magazine and ejection ports
Sten Mk V from Norway
Read more about Sten and Submachine guns here
| Liberator | |
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Liberator Each pistol had such an instruction manual – without any text, only drawings.
This is a perfect "START UP" weapon |
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The rare British Commando Knuckle knife BC41 was also used in Norway.
The Fairbairn Sykes Fighting knives below were however more commonly used |
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Fairbairn-Sykes Commando knives 1st Pattern, 2nd Pattern white, 2nd Pattern black and 3rd Pattern black |
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A Brigade of Norwegian soldiers was also equipped in Sweden with Swedish guns.
Swedish semi-automatic rifle Ag m/42 model Ljungman for Norway
Swedish Suomi submachine gun m/37-39
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The unmarked variation of Swedish Submachine gun m/37-39 from Norway. |
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| The unmarked variation of Swedish pistol m/1940. |
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very rare
variation of Swedish pistol m/40 is very often wrongly claimed to been
designed for SOE in Norway and Denmark. The fact is that they were produced for the Swedish Inteligence Service during WW2. |
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For more details and pictures
about pistol m/1940 please go to the article in English about
Pistols of Swedish Military Secrete
Service.
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Here are some
pictures from some of our meetings.
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SOE Equipment from Norway |
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BC 41 knives and F-S Fighting knives of the first pattern together with more equipment. |
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A nice selection of sharp weapons. |
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SOE Special weapons |
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Let us look into this wooden box. |
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Nail |
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Pencil with nail |
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Pen with blade |
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SOE Jack Knife (as it should be withou any marks!) |
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Optics |
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Guns from top to bottom: Lanchester SMG Thompson M1 Sten Mk 2 Sten Mk 3 Kongsberg M1914 Pistol Husqvarna m/1940 Pistol Husqvaran m/1907 |
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The VERY clumsy Lanchester Submachine gun with bayonet.
and Kongsberg M1914 in Jump hat and parachute
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Explosives |
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The pictures above were taken at a lecture given by Kurt Johannessen from Oslo, Norway at one of our meetings. The items belong to Curt Johannessen and our members. |
13th of May 1945 Oslo in Norway
Crownprins Olav with Max Manus in front as bodyguard with Swedish Submachine
gun m/37-39
Max Manus was famous for being one of the
most brilliant saboteurs during World War II.
After the war he wrote several books about his adventures and started the
successful office supply company Max Manus AS.
After the war Max Manus had one of the largest private collections of STEN submachine guns.
