Around a month after the Canadians had left Norway, the Gestapo went into action against the resistance forces in Os. The Germans arrested about 90 people, about half the number they were looking for. The rest managed to go into hiding when they got word of the raids. One man died from the injuries he suffered while being tortured by the Gestapo, and several others were badly injured.
The raid on the underground had no direct connection with the Canadians, although the Germans probably had additional motivation because they knew that the crew of the crashed plane must have had help from the locals. A radio-operator who worked for the underground at Søre Neset, where the Canadians had landed, was arrested. The raids, conducted in two rounds about a week apart, were one of the largest Gestapo operations in Norway during the war.
Magnus Hauge was arrested on November 17. He remained a prisoner until the end of the war. Jakob Hjelle was one of the lucky ones. He heard about the raids in time to get away into the woods. He stayed in hiding for the rest of the occupation. Johan Viken went to England shortly after the Canadians escaped, and returned by plane in March 1945.
Another with luck on his side was Einar Evensen. He was not at home on the day the Gestapo went to Bjørnarøy to arrest him. By chance, he was in Bergen, where he was warned by another man from Oyane. Along with several Milorg members, he went into hiding in Fusa. Later, he and 30 others went to the Masfjorden (also known as Matre) Mountains, which are located on the borders of Hordaland, Sogn, and Fjordane, where the Linge Company had a base known as Bjørn West.
When the Gestapo did not find Einar Evensen, his mother Pernille Evensen was arrested as a hostage, but she was released a month later.
Lars Orrebakken was among those who managed to make it into hiding. He joined the groups in the Matre Mountains. Ivar Dyngeland also joined them there.
Magnus K. Røttingen and Torvald Jakobsen stayed hidden for a while, but ventured out into the open again when it became clear that the Germans were not looking for them, even though they had transported weapons and supplies from Austevoll to Os. They were never caught, even though they had a couple of close calls. Haldor Øvredal continued to help people in hiding through the end of the war.
One of the men who rowed the Canadians to Strøno, Hans H. Holmefjord, fled to Austevoll when the Gestapo conducted their raids. He went to Granvin, where he ended up on a small farm where a wireless operator had his station. The radio-operator was Finn Olsvik, who had come on the Vigra on the trip that picked up the Canadians. But one day the farm was surrounded by a troop of German soldiers. There was an exchange of fire, and one resistance member was killed. Holmefjord was arrested and remained in prison for the rest of the occupation, but the Germans never learned that he had been involved in the rescue of the crew of the Wellington. Both Finn Olsvik and the owner of the farm managed to avoid being captured.
Nils Røttingen, the Norwegian-American who was used as a translator when the Canadians were picked up from Bjørnatrynet, was never arrested.
Hanna Bjørnen, sister of Ingeborg, was arrested at their home in Bjørnen. Three Germans came to the house and asked, among other things, where the “American” airmen were. She denied knowing anything. She also remained in German custody until the end of the war.
Mowinckel Nilsen decided to leave the Os district. He left Jakob Hjelle in charge of both companies. Hjelle remained in command for the remaining months of the war. By the end of the war, the two companies totaled 215 men.
Mowinckel Nilsen was taken by boat north to Skjoldbukta on Nordåsvatnet in Fana. He moved into a large boathouse and hid himself in one of the boats. Things went well until one day the the owner of the boathouse arrived. The owner was shocked at first, but understood the situation quickly when Mowinckel Nilsen spoke with him. The owner gave Mowinckel Nilsen a small electric oven and a supply of food to last until New Year's.
Mowinckel Nilsen went to Bjørn West on January 10, 1945. The base there had grown to two companies totalling 260 men, and Mowinckel Nilsen commanded one of the companies. Many of the men were underground members whom he had trained in weapons handling. At the very end of the war, the Germans attacked in force. Bjørn West was defended bravely, but they lost six fighters, and the Germans executed one old farmer.
The raid on the underground had no direct connection with the Canadians, although the Germans probably had additional motivation because they knew that the crew of the crashed plane must have had help from the locals. A radio-operator who worked for the underground at Søre Neset, where the Canadians had landed, was arrested. The raids, conducted in two rounds about a week apart, were one of the largest Gestapo operations in Norway during the war.
Magnus Hauge was arrested on November 17. He remained a prisoner until the end of the war. Jakob Hjelle was one of the lucky ones. He heard about the raids in time to get away into the woods. He stayed in hiding for the rest of the occupation. Johan Viken went to England shortly after the Canadians escaped, and returned by plane in March 1945.
Another with luck on his side was Einar Evensen. He was not at home on the day the Gestapo went to Bjørnarøy to arrest him. By chance, he was in Bergen, where he was warned by another man from Oyane. Along with several Milorg members, he went into hiding in Fusa. Later, he and 30 others went to the Masfjorden (also known as Matre) Mountains, which are located on the borders of Hordaland, Sogn, and Fjordane, where the Linge Company had a base known as Bjørn West.
When the Gestapo did not find Einar Evensen, his mother Pernille Evensen was arrested as a hostage, but she was released a month later.
Lars Orrebakken was among those who managed to make it into hiding. He joined the groups in the Matre Mountains. Ivar Dyngeland also joined them there.
Magnus K. Røttingen and Torvald Jakobsen stayed hidden for a while, but ventured out into the open again when it became clear that the Germans were not looking for them, even though they had transported weapons and supplies from Austevoll to Os. They were never caught, even though they had a couple of close calls. Haldor Øvredal continued to help people in hiding through the end of the war.
One of the men who rowed the Canadians to Strøno, Hans H. Holmefjord, fled to Austevoll when the Gestapo conducted their raids. He went to Granvin, where he ended up on a small farm where a wireless operator had his station. The radio-operator was Finn Olsvik, who had come on the Vigra on the trip that picked up the Canadians. But one day the farm was surrounded by a troop of German soldiers. There was an exchange of fire, and one resistance member was killed. Holmefjord was arrested and remained in prison for the rest of the occupation, but the Germans never learned that he had been involved in the rescue of the crew of the Wellington. Both Finn Olsvik and the owner of the farm managed to avoid being captured.
Nils Røttingen, the Norwegian-American who was used as a translator when the Canadians were picked up from Bjørnatrynet, was never arrested.
Hanna Bjørnen, sister of Ingeborg, was arrested at their home in Bjørnen. Three Germans came to the house and asked, among other things, where the “American” airmen were. She denied knowing anything. She also remained in German custody until the end of the war.
Mowinckel Nilsen decided to leave the Os district. He left Jakob Hjelle in charge of both companies. Hjelle remained in command for the remaining months of the war. By the end of the war, the two companies totaled 215 men.
Mowinckel Nilsen was taken by boat north to Skjoldbukta on Nordåsvatnet in Fana. He moved into a large boathouse and hid himself in one of the boats. Things went well until one day the the owner of the boathouse arrived. The owner was shocked at first, but understood the situation quickly when Mowinckel Nilsen spoke with him. The owner gave Mowinckel Nilsen a small electric oven and a supply of food to last until New Year's.
Mowinckel Nilsen went to Bjørn West on January 10, 1945. The base there had grown to two companies totalling 260 men, and Mowinckel Nilsen commanded one of the companies. Many of the men were underground members whom he had trained in weapons handling. At the very end of the war, the Germans attacked in force. Bjørn West was defended bravely, but they lost six fighters, and the Germans executed one old farmer.