Finn Lambrechts, Sjef Luftforsvaret - Kjevik 1955 (cropped)

Finn Lambrechts DFC (16 June 1900 – 8 December 1956) was a Norwegian military officer, a lieutenant general of the

Royal Norwegian Air Force The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) ( no, Luftforsvaret, , The Air Defence) is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian Armed Forces on 10 November 1944. The RNoAF's peacetime establishment is approximatel ...

. He served as

Chief of Defence of Norway The Chief of Defence (''Forsvarssjefen'') is the highest-ranking officer of the Norwegian Armed Forces, second only to the King of Norway. Even though he holds the same rank as the King of Norway, according to the Norwegian Constitution the King ...

( no, sjef for Forsvarsstaben) from 1955 to 1956.

Personal life

Lambrechts was born in

Kristiania Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

, the son of county manager Sigurd Lambrechts and Augusta Mowinckel. On 24 June 1929, he married

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

-born Anita Brøgger.

Career

Early career

Lambrechts graduated as naval officer in 1921, and from the navy's pilot school in 1924. He published the book ''Lærebok i luftnavigasjon'' in 1935, and worked as a pilot for the

Norwegian Air Lines Det Norske Luftfartselskap A/S (literally "The Norwegian Aviation Company") or DNL, trading internationally as Norwegian Air Lines, was an airline and flag carrier of Norway. Founded in 1927, it operated domestic and international routes from 193 ...

from 1935 to 1939.

Second World War

Jørgensen, Lützow-Holm, Hansteen, Lambrechts, RAF and RAAF officers 1943 AWM

During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he served as a pilot and aviation officer in Great Britain with the No. 333 Squadron RAF. He was pilot of the first operation using the

amphibious aircraft An amphibious aircraft or amphibian is an aircraft (typically fixed-wing) that can take off and land on both solid ground and water, though amphibious helicopters do exist as well. Fixed-wing amphibious aircraft are seaplanes ( flying boats ...

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to land agents on the Norwegian coast on 1 May 1942.

Post war

After the war, Lambrechts served as

air attaché The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

in Stockholm from 1945 to 1946. He was promoted to lieutenant general and head of the

in 1951. From 1955 to 1956, he served as

( no, sjef for Forsvarsstaben).

Honours and awards

Lambrechts was decorated Knight of the French

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

. He was awarded the Norwegian

War Cross with Sword The War Cross with Sword (Norwegian Bokmål: ''Krigskorset med sverd, '' Norwegian Nynorsk: ''Krigskrossen med sverd'') is the highest ranking Norwegian gallantry decoration. It is awarded for extraordinary brave actions or extraordinary leadersh ...

and the British Distinguished Flying Cross for achievements during the Second World War.

References

Royal Norwegian Air Force generals Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service personnel of World War II Royal Norwegian Air Force personnel of World War II 1900 births 1956 deaths Chiefs of Defence (Norway) Norwegian military attachés {{norway-mil-bio-stub