During the Nazi occupation of Norway from 1940-45, Os Kommune [13] in Hordaland, where the Wellington landed, was a part of what the Germans referred to as Fortress Norway – their attempt to extend military defences thoughout the country, especially along the coast. Os, which at that time had about 4,000 inhabitants, forms the southern part of the Bergen peninsula with Bjørnafjord to the south and west. In peacetime, the Marstein light flashes at the entrance to Korsfjord, guiding ships and boats on the proper course into the inland waterways from the sea. Selbjørnsfjord cuts into the coast a short distance south of Bjørnafjord. The island fishing community of Austevoll is between two navigable fjords, Korsfjord and Selbjørnsfjord. Bjørnafjord is between mainland Os and Austevoll, and is used by coastal shipping.
The Germans built strong defences in Os and around Bjørnafjord to protect against a potential Allied landing and invasion of the Bergen peninsula. The German defences included both maritime bases and land-based defences. Naval vessels were always visible on Bjørnafjord because it was a training area for both submarines and surface ships. The Germans controlled the shipping lanes in Selbjørnsfjord and Korsfjord.
The Germans took the old military camp of Ulven in Os on the first day of the occupation, April 9, 1940, and transformed it into a German fort by fall. Part of it was used as a training ground for soldiers. At Haugsneset, a few hundred metres from Osøyri [14] , the largest town in Os, and west along Rottingatangene, the German installed coastal artillery and anti-aircraft guns. Anti-aircraft batteries were also located in Mobersvika, near Osøyri. The Rottingatangene installation was manned by 150 soldiers. At the south end of Bjørnafjord was Reksteren Island, which had two more defensive positions: Svarvahella in the north and Flygandsvær in the south. Bjørnafjord was surrounded by heavy artillery, which the Germans called Artillery Group Korsfjord. When the German guns opened fire, the earth shook, the windows rattled and people stopped what they were doing.
The Germans efforts to build defences in the area intensified in 1943. In the fall of that year, they came to Hetleflåten farm, which is three kilometres from Osøyri on the road to Bergen and gave the farmer three days to leave the farm. There they set up 21 centimeter cannons, which fired 125 kilogram shells. They were used to cover Korsfjord, and their range reached 28 kilometres west to Marstein light. A spotter's position was established in the mountains above the cannon positions to calculate direction and distance. They also set up anti-aircraft artillery nests in the surrounding hills.
A hundred soldiers were stationed at the farm. There was also a 200-man coastal artillery position at Tosdal.
In Hatvik, the inhabitants were forced out of their homes in April 1943 and a month later the Germans also evicted people who had been farming in the hills above the town. Hatvik became a u-boat base.
Norwegians who got close enough, including a postman who also served a a source for Allied intelligence, counted up to 14 vessels at the Hatvik base. The Germans had 500 men, sometimes more, manning the Hatvik base. There was a landmine field between Solstrand and the farms above the town and some of the roads leading to be base were mined.
The shoreline near Hatvik and Osøyri was fortified heavily through the war years. An Os resident who escaped to Sweden in early 1945 said the work had gone on over a period of three years using Russian and Norwegian forced labour. The entire area around Hatvik was filled with bunkers, barbed wire, and landmines. The Germans also had garrisons at Halhjem, in Lønningdal and elsewhere in Os.
For two years in the middle of the war there was a prison camp for Russians at Haugsneset. There was a similar camp at Tosdal, and in the middle of April 1943, 85 Russians were moved from Haugsneset to Lepsøy, where they would work on building a German base, among other things.
The Germans did not stick to their bases. German guards patrolled regular routes and had guards at bridges and intersections. Bicycle patrols were a daily sight.
In reaction to all the German activity in Os, underground resistance efforts started early in the area. In Autumn 1940, the local underground group established contact with similar groups in Bergen. The initial leader of the Os underground group unfortunately did not last long. He tried to travel to England through Bremnes with two of his close associates, but the boat sank in in a storm.
New people took over. Intelligence work was always an important part of the resistance, and communications channels were kept open as much as possible. Underground members watched strategic locations around Os. Couriers conveyed intelligence to Bergen where a radio operator would send on the information to London.
The Germans built strong defences in Os and around Bjørnafjord to protect against a potential Allied landing and invasion of the Bergen peninsula. The German defences included both maritime bases and land-based defences. Naval vessels were always visible on Bjørnafjord because it was a training area for both submarines and surface ships. The Germans controlled the shipping lanes in Selbjørnsfjord and Korsfjord.
The Germans took the old military camp of Ulven in Os on the first day of the occupation, April 9, 1940, and transformed it into a German fort by fall. Part of it was used as a training ground for soldiers. At Haugsneset, a few hundred metres from Osøyri [14] , the largest town in Os, and west along Rottingatangene, the German installed coastal artillery and anti-aircraft guns. Anti-aircraft batteries were also located in Mobersvika, near Osøyri. The Rottingatangene installation was manned by 150 soldiers. At the south end of Bjørnafjord was Reksteren Island, which had two more defensive positions: Svarvahella in the north and Flygandsvær in the south. Bjørnafjord was surrounded by heavy artillery, which the Germans called Artillery Group Korsfjord. When the German guns opened fire, the earth shook, the windows rattled and people stopped what they were doing.
The Germans efforts to build defences in the area intensified in 1943. In the fall of that year, they came to Hetleflåten farm, which is three kilometres from Osøyri on the road to Bergen and gave the farmer three days to leave the farm. There they set up 21 centimeter cannons, which fired 125 kilogram shells. They were used to cover Korsfjord, and their range reached 28 kilometres west to Marstein light. A spotter's position was established in the mountains above the cannon positions to calculate direction and distance. They also set up anti-aircraft artillery nests in the surrounding hills.
A hundred soldiers were stationed at the farm. There was also a 200-man coastal artillery position at Tosdal.
In Hatvik, the inhabitants were forced out of their homes in April 1943 and a month later the Germans also evicted people who had been farming in the hills above the town. Hatvik became a u-boat base.
Norwegians who got close enough, including a postman who also served a a source for Allied intelligence, counted up to 14 vessels at the Hatvik base. The Germans had 500 men, sometimes more, manning the Hatvik base. There was a landmine field between Solstrand and the farms above the town and some of the roads leading to be base were mined.
The shoreline near Hatvik and Osøyri was fortified heavily through the war years. An Os resident who escaped to Sweden in early 1945 said the work had gone on over a period of three years using Russian and Norwegian forced labour. The entire area around Hatvik was filled with bunkers, barbed wire, and landmines. The Germans also had garrisons at Halhjem, in Lønningdal and elsewhere in Os.
For two years in the middle of the war there was a prison camp for Russians at Haugsneset. There was a similar camp at Tosdal, and in the middle of April 1943, 85 Russians were moved from Haugsneset to Lepsøy, where they would work on building a German base, among other things.
The Germans did not stick to their bases. German guards patrolled regular routes and had guards at bridges and intersections. Bicycle patrols were a daily sight.
In reaction to all the German activity in Os, underground resistance efforts started early in the area. In Autumn 1940, the local underground group established contact with similar groups in Bergen. The initial leader of the Os underground group unfortunately did not last long. He tried to travel to England through Bremnes with two of his close associates, but the boat sank in in a storm.
New people took over. Intelligence work was always an important part of the resistance, and communications channels were kept open as much as possible. Underground members watched strategic locations around Os. Couriers conveyed intelligence to Bergen where a radio operator would send on the information to London.