Arne Kjelstrup, MM (30 October 1913 – 5 May 1995) was a Norwegian resistance member during

World War II 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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, especially noted for his role in the heavy water sabotage 1942–1943, and for being military leader of

Milorg Milorg (abbreviation of militær organisasjon – military organization) was the main Norwegian resistance movement during World War II. Resistance work included intelligence gathering, sabotage, supply-missions, raids, espionage, transport ...

section D-161 (

Kongsberg Kongsberg () is a historical mining town and municipality in Buskerud, Viken county, Norway. The city is located on the river Numedalslågen at the entrance to the valley of Numedal. Kongsberg has been a centre of silver mining, arms produ ...

Numedal Numedal () is a valley and a traditional district in Eastern Norway located within the county of Buskerud. It traditionally includes the municipalities Flesberg, Nore og Uvdal and Rollag. Administratively, it now also includes Kongsberg. G ...

) during the anti-demolition operation '' Sunshine'' 1944–1945.

Personal life

Kjelstrup was born in

Rjukan Rjukan () is a town and the administrative centre of Tinn municipality in Telemark, Norway. It is situated in Vestfjorddalen, between Møsvatn and Lake Tinn, and got its name after Rjukan Falls west of the town. The Tinn municipality council gra ...

. He later moved with his parents to

Bærum Bærum () is a municipality in the Greater Oslo Region in Norway that forms an affluent suburb of Oslo on the west coast of the city. Bærum is Norway's fifth largest municipality with a population of 128,760 (2021). It is part of the electoral ...

, where he worked as a plumber at the outbreak of World War II. After the war Kjesltrup married Tulla Irgens, who had participated in the Operation ''Starlight'', the Kongsberg-Numedal-Nore subsection of

Operation Sunshine Operation Sunshine was an anti-demolition operation in occupied Norway from October 1944 to May 1945. It was planned by Norwegian military personnel in the United Kingdom in cooperation with British forces, and part of an effort to protect essent ...

. Kjelstrup took further education in Stockholm, and settled in Bærum, working in the plumbing business.

World War II

Following the

German invasion of Norway German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **G ...

in April 1940 Kjelstrup participated in the defence of Norway as a soldier. He was hit by a German bullet, but saved his life because he was carrying a pair of wire cutters that the bullet hit before entering his body. The bullet stayed in his body for the duration of his life. When the battles were over he travelled to Sweden, and after a long journey, via Moscow, Odessa, Istanbul, Suez, Durban, Cape Town, Trinidad, Halifax and Liverpool he ended up in London, where he became a member of the

Norwegian Independent Company 1 Norwegian Independent Company 1 (NOR.I.C.1, pronounced ''Norisén'' (approx. "noor-ee-sehn") in Norwegian) was a British Special Operations Executive (SOE) group formed in March 1941 originally for the purpose of performing commando raids during ...

( no, Kompani Linge). He was recruited a member of the ''Grouse'' team which was parachuted onto the Hardangervidda plateau on 18 October 1942, along with

Jens-Anton Poulsson Jens-Anton Poulsson Distinguished Service Order, DSO, (27 October 1918 – 2 February 2010) was a Norwegian military officer. During World War II he was a Norwegian resistance movement, Norwegian resistance member, especially noted for his role in ...

(leader of the group),

Knut Haugland Knut Magne Haugland, DSO, MM, (23 September 1917 – 25 December 2009) was a resistance fighter and noted explorer from Norway, who accompanied Thor Heyerdahl on his famous 1947 '' Kon-Tiki'' expedition. Early life and World War II Haugland, b ...

and

Claus Helberg Claus Helberg (31 January 1919 – 6 March 2003) was a Norwegian resistance fighter and mountain guide. He was a member of Company Linge, a resistance commando unit that was best known for carrying out Norwegian heavy water sabotage during World W ...

. The team landed at Fjarefit in Songadalen, and relocated to

Møsvatn Møsvatn (or Møsvann) is the tenth-largest lake in Norway with a surface area of 78.31 km2. It lies primarily Møsstrond, Vinje in Vestfold og Telemark. The lake lies in the watershed of the Skien river (''Skiensvassdrag'') and discharge ...

where they prepared to receive British troops, the

Operation Freshman Operation Freshman was the codename given to a British airborne operation conducted in November 1942 during World War II. It was the first British airborne operation conducted using Airspeed Horsa gliders, and its target was the Vemork ''No ...

. The Freshman operation was a failure, as the two gliders plus one of the towing planes crashed. The Grouse team spent several winter months hidden at Hardangervidda, waiting for the replacement operation,

Gunnerside Gunnerside is a village in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the B6270 road, east of Muker and west of Grinton. The village lies between the River Swale and its tributary, Gunnerside Beck, in the Swal ...

. The combined Grouse and Gunnerside team finally succeeded in the destruction of heavy water equipment and stock at Vemork in February 1943 After the sabotage Kjelstrup stayed in Norway together with

Knut Haukelid Knut Haukelid ( May 17, 1911 - March 8, 1994) was a Norwegian military officer. He was a Norwegian resistance movement soldier during World War II, most notable for participating in the Norwegian heavy water sabotage. Early life Knut Anders Ha ...

, and participated in building up

troops in the Western Telemark district (the ''Bonzo'' group). He later returned to the United Kingdom via Sweden. As a sergeant in the Linge company he joined various military courses, receiving training in explosives and sabotage. In 1944 he participated in

led by major

Leif Tronstad Leif Hans Larsen Tronstad DSO, OBE (27 March 1903 – 11 March 1945) was a Norwegian inorganic chemist, intelligence officer and military organizer. He graduated from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1927 and was a prolific research ...

. This was an anti-demolition operation to prevent destruction by the Germans of vital industry in Norway towards the end of the war. Kjelstrup was a leader of the

Nore The Nore is a long bank of sand and silt running along the south-centre of the final narrowing of the Thames Estuary, England. Its south-west is the very narrow Nore Sand. Just short of the Nore's easternmost point where it fades into the cha ...

section (Operation Starlight), which could mobilize a military force of 900 soldiers at the end of the war. He lived his later life in

, and died on 5 May 1995, just days before the 50-year anniversary of the

liberation of Norway The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany during the Second World War began on 9 April 1940 after Operation Weserübung. Conventional armed resistance to the German invasion ended on 10 June 1940, and Nazi Germany controlled Norway unt ...

Honors

* - St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch (1943) * -

Defence Medal 1940–1945 The Defence Medal 1940–1945 () is the award rewarded to those military and civilian personnel who participated in the fight against the German invasion and occupation of Norway between 1940 and 1945. The Defence Medal 1940–1945 can be awarde ...

* - Haakon VIIs 70th Anniversary Medal * -

1939–1945 Star The 1939–1945 Star is a military campaign medal instituted by the United Kingdom on 8 July 1943 for award to British and Commonwealth forces for service in the Second World War. Two clasps were instituted to be worn on the medal ribbon, Batt ...

* - Military Medal * -

Legion of Honor 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 ...

* -

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

Biography

* The biography covers only 1940-1945

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kjelstrup, Arne 1913 births 1995 deaths People from Rjukan Norwegian Army personnel of World War II Norwegian expatriates in the United Kingdom Norwegian resistance members Norwegian Special Operations Executive personnel People from Bærum