OPERATION DOOMSDAY

[Gil Boyd]

As we approach the 9th May, I always think back to the sad loss of Stirling aircraft used on Operation Doomsday which was to free the Norwegian People from German Tyranny, and the soldiers and aircrew who died aboard them, many from 2 PARA.

Three Stirling aircraft crashed into the mountains around Stavanger where there now stands a big memorial to all those killed. Here is a piece of footage worth watching:
Operation Doomsday - Liberation of Norway May 1945 on Vimeo

This picture of 30,000 German Mauser rifles piled up at Solar Airfield near Stavenger makes you realise the size of the surrender in May to August 1945 in Norway alone, without any machine guns or pistols.

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[mrclark303]

Impressive haul Gil, the Norwegians used capture German weapons for decades with reservists (reworking K98's to .30.06), the Norwegian Air force guards could still be found with Mp40/38's well into the 1980's I believe.
I dare say the Mp40/38's survived the longest as 9mm was readily available from NATO stocks without issue.

[tiriaq]

Should you ever be near Trenton, Ontario, go to the Air Force Museum at CFB Trenton. They have a Halifax bomber which was shot down over Norway in the spring of 1945, just before the end of the war, after having made a supply drop to the Norwegian resistance. It was recovered from a lake, and has been completely restored. All the crew survived the ditching, but all but one died of hypothermia.

[mrclark303]

I remember seeing the video stills from that aircraft when it first located back in the 1990's and being bowled over at its fantastic condition. I would love to see her in her restored condition. great catch for Canada!