Operation Archery

Operation Archery Part of World War II Commandos in action during the raid Date 27 December 1941 Location Vågsøy, Norway Result Allied victory Belligerents United Kingdom Norway Nazi Germany Commanders and leaders John Durnford-Slater Jack Churchill Martin Linge  † Kurt Woytasch Strength 1 cruiser 4 destroyers Unknown number of aircraft 570 men Coastal artillery Unknown number of ships air support 150 infantry 50 sailors 1 tank (Panzer I Befehlswagen) 100 men of the German Labour Corps Casualties and losses 22 killed 57 wounded 1 cruiser lightly damaged 8 aircraft lost 55–85 killed 98 captured 10 ships sunk Civilian casualties 1 killed

Operation Archery, also known as the Måløy Raid, was a British Combined Operations raid during World War II against German positions on the island of Vågsøy, Norway, on 27 December 1941.

The raid was conducted by British Commandos of No. 3 Commando, two troops of No.2 Commando, a medical detachment of No.4 Commando, a demolition party from 101 Troop (canoe) of No. 6 Commando and a dozen Norwegians from Norwegian Independent Company 1. The action was supported by Royal Navy gunfire, led by the light cruiser HMS Kenya, with the destroyers HMS Onslow, Oribi, Offa and Chiddingfold. The submarine HMS Tuna was in support as the force navigational check. For troop transport the Prince Charles and Prince Leopold were used. Also in support were Royal Air Force bombers and fighter-bombers.

Objectives

The commando force of 570 troops was divided into five with these objectives.

1. Secure the area north of the town of Måløy in South Vågsøy and engage any enemy reinforcements;
2. Subdue and secure Måløy town;
3. Eliminate the enemy on Måløy Island which dominated the town;
4. Eliminate the enemy strongpoint at Holvik west of Måløy;
5. Provide a floating reserve offshore.

Central to the operation was the destruction of fish-oil production and stores which the Germans used in the manufacture of high explosives. Another intention was to cause the Germans to maintain and increase forces in Norway which otherwise might be employed on the Eastern Front.

Raid

The dawn landing was preceded by a very effective naval bombardment and objectives went according to plan except in the town of Måløy itself. Opposition there was much stiffer than expected as, unknown to the British, a Gebirgsjäger (mountain rangers) unit of experienced troops from the Eastern Front was there on leave.

Their experience in sniping and street fighting caused the operation to develop into a bitter house-to-house battle. This caused the commander, John Durnford-Slater, to call in the floating reserve and troops from Vågsøy Island. A number of local citizens assisted the commandos by acting as porters for ammunition, grenades and other explosives, and in carrying away the wounded.

At around 14:00, the commandos started their withdrawal having destroyed four factories, the fish-oil stores, ammunition and fuel stores, the telephone exchange and various military installations. Much of the town was in flames. The naval assault force of one cruiser and four destroyers had meanwhile sunk 10 vessels, some found in the act of being scuttled to prevent capture. Technical difficulties had prevented the German coastal artillery from being fully effective, with one of their three 13 cm guns scoring only a single hit on the cruiser.

Outcome

No Royal Navy ships were lost, but the navy suffered four men killed and four wounded. The Commandos sustained 17 killed and 53 wounded, the commander of the exiled Norwegians, Capt. Linge, was killed in an attack on the local German headquarters, and the Royal Air Force had eight planes downed. (A single Norwegian civilian was killed during the raid, probably by shrapnel.) The commandos accounted for at least 120 defenders killed and returned with 98 prisoners and a complete copy of the German Naval Code. Captain O'Flaherty seen here was hit by sniper fire. He lost one eye and subsequently became a Brigadier wearing an eyepatch. Several Quislings and over 70 loyal Norwegians were also brought back. In conjunction with this raid, Operation Anklet was mounted by No. 12 Commando on the Lofoten Islands as a diversion.

The raid was enough to persuade Adolf Hitler to divert 30,000 troops to Norway and to upgrade coastal and inland defences. Hitler thought that the British might invade northern Norway to put pressure on Sweden and Finland.

Play media

1941 US newsreel about the raid

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  Aircraft from No. 114 Squadron RAF attacking Herdla Airport in preparation of the landings at Vagsøy

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  A wounded soldier is being helped onto a Landing Craft Assault

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  Commandos with captured German troops

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  Commandos watch as an ammunition dump burns

References

• "SUPPLEMENT to The London Gazette Of FRIDAY the 2nd of July 1948 RAID ON MILITARY AND ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES IN THE VICINITY OF VAAGSO ISLAND. ibiblio.org
• Combined Operations: Operation Archery
• I Was There! – We Went to Vaagso with the Commando Men, The War Illustrated, 20 January 1942.
• Newsreel coverage of the raid