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rifle. In addition to this, the average soldier was poorly trained, many having only received 48 days of basic training, although there also were soldiers with longer service (guardsmen, soldiers who had been mobilised at the outbreak of the war between Nazi
Germany and the United Kingdom, and some
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Adding to these already formidable problems came the fact that the geographical area the division had to cover was too large to make a proper concentration possible, and consequently the campaign tended to be a number of battalion sized actions fought over a large area.
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In 1940, the
Norwegian Army used the term "division" to signify a geographical area of military responsibility. In pre-war planning, each division was supposed to field one brigade and one or more local defence battalions
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In 1940, the 2nd division was able to mobilise a significant number of men to confront the German advance. However, the majority of the troops were poorly equipped even before the loss of critical equipment during the
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For the rest of the campaign in
Gudbrandsdalen, the brunt of the fighting had to be borne by British units, even though Norwegian units continued to contribute for the rest of the campaign.
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when the
Germans captured several of the division's depots and stores in the first 24 hours of the invasion, but in spite of this the division was able to mobilise the following formations:
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around 21 April, but this proved too late, for on the same day the
Germans decisively defeated the Norwegians at the battles of Lundehøgda and Bråstad and achieved a breakthrough to the
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The term "division" in the
Norwegian Army in 1940 did not mean the same as a division in British terms (a tactical formation consisting of two or more manoeuvre (infantry or armour)
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The
Norwegians were pushed back northwards, desperately trying to slow the German advance, and waiting for allied reinforcements. The first British units arrived at
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General
Hvinden Haug has been criticised by historians for without a fight abandoning prepared and supposedly easily defensible positions along the river Nitelva at
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192:"Stuka" dive-bombers, against which the Norwegian forces had no effective defence, routed the Norwegians at the third exit at Klekken near the city of
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By the middle of April, the
Germans started to advance out of Oslo to break the somewhat over-ambitiously named "iron ring" around the capital.
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Following the allied evacuation of
Southern Norway, General Hvinden Haug surrendered the remnants of his division at
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with command and staff units and supporting troops). The only Norwegian division living up to this in 1940 was the
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Norwegian troops managed to halt the Germans temporarily in Hakadalen, at Bjørgeseter and at Strandlykkja by Lake
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blocking two out of three main routes out of Oslo going north. However this proved futile as German tanks and
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thereby giving up the mustering places and remaining stores of the Norwegian Army at
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The division was later reinforced by 11th Infantry Regiment's two line battalions in
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6th Infantry regiment (two line battalions, one local defence battalion)
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5th Infantry regiment (one line battalion, one local defence battalion)
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Engineers regiment (three pioneer companies, two signals companies)
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of the Second World War. The division was commanded by General
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One improvised artillery regiment (named Hegstad after the CO)
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Two improvised infantry battalions (Thorkildsen and Larsen)
271:] (in Swedish). Historiska media. pp. 116–117.
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Military units and formations of Norway in World War II
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300:] (in Swedish). Historiska media. p. 197.
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2nd Dragoons regiment (five squadrons - dismounted)
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98:who had served as volunteers in the Finno-Soviet
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292:Tamelander, Michael; Zetterling, Niklas (2010).
263:Tamelander, Michael; Zetterling, Niklas (2010).
242:] (in Norwegian). Vol. 3. p. 277.
151:Due to the critical situation in Eastern Norway
327:"2nd Division, Royal Norwegian Army, 8.04.1940"
93:, the soldiers had to rely on the 1894 vintage
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114:The 2nd Division suffered great losses of
64:fielding two brigades (6 and 7 Brigades).
234:Hobson, Rolf; Kristiansen, Tom (2001).
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122:4th Infantry regiment (two battalions)
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36:during the early part of the
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240:Norwegian Defence History
80:9 April German invasion
236:Norsk Forsvarshistorie
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18:Norwegian 2nd Division
325:Niehorster, Dr Leo.
360:Divisions of Norway
159:was transferred to
91:Madsen machine guns
365:Norwegian campaign
298:The ninth of April
269:The ninth of April
87:heavy machine guns
71:landvernbataljoner
42:Jacob Hvinden Haug
38:Norwegian campaign
167:and at TonsĂĄsen.
153:the field brigade
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294:Den nionde april
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34:Nazi Germany
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201:Lillehammer
26:2. divisjon
349:Categories
336:2023-05-14
221:References
179:Gardermoen
175:Lillestrøm
100:Winter War
89:and light
215:Ă…ndalsnes
84:Colt M/29
22:Norwegian
194:Hønefoss
116:materiel
54:brigades
48:Overview
32:against
161:Valdres
155:of the
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186:Mjøsa
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