Hugo Munthe-Kaas
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Hugo Conrad Munthe-Kaas
DSM DSM or dsm may refer to: Science and technology * Deep space maneuver * Design structure matrix or dependency structure matrix, a representation of a system or project * Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ** DSM-5, the fifth ed ...
(3 February 1922 – 19 March 2012) was a
Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe *Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway *Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including the ...
intelligence agent and resistance fighter 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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. He received seventeen decorations for his war service. From the 1970s he was active in the Progress Party, where he was a city council member in
Oslo 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 ...
and deputy MP. He was an honorary party member.


Military career


Early life and World War II

Munthe-Kaas was the son of Otto H. Munthe-Kaas and younger brother of Otto Ulrik Munthe-Kaas, both
military officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...
s. His father was, before World War II, head of the military camp at
Setermoen Setermoen is the administrative centre of Bardu Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The village is located along the Barduelva river, about east of the village of Sjøvegan and about south of Bardufoss. The local council proclaim ...
, and was head of the II Field Battalion in the 16th Infantry Regiment during 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 **Ger ...
. Hugo Munthe-Kaas had before the outbreak of the war, volunteered for the guard company in
Tromsø Tromsø (, , ; se, Romsa ; fkv, Tromssa; sv, Tromsö) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Tromsø (city), city of Tromsø. Tromsø lies ...
, where he served during the German attack. He then joined the war commissary in Tromsø and was accepted for service in the 16th Infantry Regiment, despite being two years too young for conscription. Munthe-Kaas served during the campaign in Northern Norway as an orderly in the courier service and as a
sniper A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...
in the
Battles of Narvik The Battles of Narvik were fought from 9 April to 8 June 1940, as a naval battle in the Ofotfjord and as a land battle in the mountains surrounding the north Norwegian town of Narvik, as part of the Norwegian Campaign of the Second World War. ...
. His service lasted until the Norwegian mainland capitulation on 10 June 1940. After the surrender of mainland Norway, Munthe-Kaas was demobilized and he continued secondary school in Tromsø in early 1941. In April that year he was recruited into the Norwegian resistance movement owing to the efforts of the journalist Sverre Larsen from the ''
Tromsø Tromsø (, , ; se, Romsa ; fkv, Tromssa; sv, Tromsö) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Tromsø (city), city of Tromsø. Tromsø lies ...
'' newspaper. In mid 1941 he went on to
Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...
to study at Trondheim Commerce School. In Trondheim he was again involved with the resistance and, among other things, he did intelligence work covering the German
U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...
base in the city, which allowed British planes to bomb the major transformer station at the port in early 1942. In April of the same year he came over to
Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
with the fishing boat ''Siglaos'', skippered by
Leif Andreas Larsen Leif Andreas Larsen DSO, DSC, CGM, DSM and Bar (9 January 1906 – 12 October 1990), popularly known as "Shetlands Larsen", was a highly decorated Norwegian sailor. He was arguably the most famous of the men who operated the Shetland bus esca ...
.


In the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Munthe-Kaas joined the exiled Norwegian forces. He was soon recruited by the British
Secret Intelligence Service The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...
for special assignments in Norway. He underwent training as a radio operator and a commando soldier. Based in the United Kingdom, through the war years he carried out several operations in occupied Norway, arriving both by air and submarine. For the British the need for intelligence information from Norway increased after the larger German ships was transferred to Norwegian waters. They realized that the threat to the
convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...
route to and from the
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was growing, and were particularly concerned with the threat that the German battleship ''Tirpitz'' posed after the ship moved north. It became important for the British to establish a network of stations from northern
Nordland Nordland (; smj, Nordlánnda, sma, Nordlaante, sme, Nordlánda, en, Northland) is a county in Norway in the Northern Norway region, the least populous of all 11 counties, bordering Troms og Finnmark in the north, Trøndelag in the south, N ...
to
Troms Troms (; se, Romsa; fkv, Tromssa; fi, Tromssa) is a former county in northern Norway. On 1 January 2020 it was merged with the neighboring Finnmark county to create the new Troms og Finnmark county. This merger is expected to be reversed by t ...
, so that intelligence information about German ship movements could be sent to the UK. Munthe-Kaas was assigned such a mission, contributing to the creation of a network of agents with radios in July 1942. During the night of 15 July 1942 he was delivered to
Langøya Langøya is the third largest island of Norway (outside of Svalbard), with an area of . The island is a part of the Vesterålen archipelago in Nordland county, Norway. The island includes the municipalities of Bø and Øksnes as well as parts ...
in
Vesterålen Vesterålen is a district and archipelago in Nordland county, Norway. It is located just north of Lofoten and west of Harstad. It is the northernmost part of Nordland county. Sortland is the largest town, situated near the center of the archipel ...
by a Norwegian
PBY Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served wit ...
. He established the radio station LIBRA and in the summer of 1942 worked to organize the intelligence network that monitored the movements of the ''Tirpitz'' in northern Norwegian waters. After the first successful operation in Norway, Munthe-Kaas, together with his father, who had been arrested, (but made sure Munthe-Kaas was transferred to the hospital ), went to neutral
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
and then traveled back to Britain. He was later followed by his father, who eventually became the Norwegian military attache in
Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
. In October 1942 Munthe-Kaas was involved in Operation ''Upsilon'', and in mid-November he was together with other Norwegian soldiers and 60 tons of equipment, brought over to
Mefjorden Mefjorden or Mefjord is a small fjord in Sandefjord Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The long fjord lies in-between two long, narrow peninsulas: Vesterøya and Østerøya. It is a narrow fjord with many minor islands and islets. Tour ...
on
Senja or is an island in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway, Europe. With an area of , it is the second largest island in Norway (outside of the Svalbard archipelago). It has a wild, mountainous outer (western) side facing the Atlantic, and a mild ...
by the French submarine ''Junon''. On his return to Britain, he began work at the Norwegian Military Academy in London in December 1942, where he continued until early 1943.


The second half of the war

Munthe-Kaas was sent to Norway once more in March 1943, again with the ''Junon'', during ''Upsilon III''. The objective of the operation was to deliver a further 60 tons of supplies, and bring out two French and two Norwegian soldiers who had been left in Mefjorden during the previous raid. These four had managed to remain hidden with the help of residents in
Mefjordvær Mefjordvær is a fishing village in Senja Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The village is located about northwest of the village of Senjahopen, along the Mefjorden Mefjorden or Mefjord is a small fjord in Sandefjord Municipa ...
. The rescue of the four was considered a significant achievement and resulted in that Munthe-Kaas was rewarded a distinction, both from Norway, France and the United Kingdom. The repeated missions in occupied Norway posed a risk both for himself and for the intelligence service. As a result, Munthe-Kaas was transferred to another service in 1943. After the Military Academy, he continued with British military training and was transferred to the
Westminster Dragoons The Westminster Dragoons (WDs) was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army Army Reserve, located in central London. Its lineage is continued by one of the Royal Yeomanry's six squadrons. Formed in the aftermath of Second Boer War as part of th ...
, where he was a
tank commander A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engi ...
, but he was not sent on active service. In early 1944, Munthe-Kaas reported for duty with the
Royal Norwegian Navy The Royal Norwegian Navy ( no, Sjøforsvaret, , Sea defence) is the branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces responsible for naval operations of Norway. , the Royal Norwegian Navy consists of approximately 3,700 personnel (9,450 in mobilized state, 3 ...
in the United Kingdom, where he was stationed aboard the motor torpedo boat ''MTB 627'', which served in the English Channel. During the
Normandy Landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...
in June 1944 Munthe-Kaas' motor torpedo boat was part of the naval force which protected the invasion fleet against German attacks. He continued motor torpedo boat service until September, when he was again assigned to a mission in Norway. It was led by Major Paul M. Strande and bore the code-name ''Elg''. The base would be ready for combat in case of an Allied invasion in Norway, or in the case if the German forces in Norway decided to fight rather than surrender. Together with other Norwegian soldiers, Munthe-Kaas was paradropped over
Eastern Norway Eastern Norway ( nb, Østlandet, nn, Austlandet) is the geographical region of the south-eastern part of Norway. It consists of the counties Vestfold og Telemark, Viken, Oslo and Innlandet. Eastern Norway is by far the most populous region o ...
on 26 November 1944. Munthe-Kaas was assigned head of the area ''BA I'' and was at ''Elg'' until Germany's capitulation. At war's end, Munthe-Kaas had risen through the ranks to
lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
.


Post-war

After the end of the war in 1945, Munthe-Kaas became a civilian and worked at the herring oil factory in Tromsø, where his father was the manager for many years.Astrid Karlsen Scott: ''Silent patriot. Norway's most highly decorated World War II soldier and secret agent. A true story'', Olympia, Washington: Nordic Adventures, 2004, p. 241. However, he soon went back to the military, achieving a number of key positions in the army. He served as an intelligence officer in
Northern Norway Northern Norway ( nb, Nord-Norge, , nn, Nord-Noreg; se, Davvi-Norga) is a geographical Regions of Norway, region of Norway, consisting of the two northernmost counties Nordland and Troms og Finnmark, in total about 35% of the Norwegian mainlan ...
and later served in the same role in the
Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany The Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany ( no, Tysklandsbrigaden, 'the Germany Brigade') was a Norwegian expeditionary force stationed in the British zone of Allied-occupied Germany, from 1946 to 1953. At first it was based in the Hanov ...
. In 1949 he was stationed in
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, where he served as assistant military attaché at the Norwegian embassy. From 1950 to 1952 he was the Norwegian military attaché in the United Kingdom. Munthe-Kaas participated as part of the Norwegian military delegation, in the funeral procession of King
George VI of the United Kingdom George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...
in London on 15 February 1952. Upon returning to Norway he was appointed head of
Garnisonen i Sør-Varanger Garnisonen ("Garrison") is a city district in Linköping, which was previously the site of the two military units closed down in July 1997, Life Grenadier Regiment (I 4) and Svea Artillery Regiment (A 1). In 2000, the district was formed by div ...
and was from 1955 to 1960 assistant border commissioner. He also served abroad on several occasions, including as an assistant to the
Supreme Allied Commander Europe The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) is the commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) and head of ACO's headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The commander is ...
in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
in 1962. From 1963 to 1964 he participated in Norwegian UN troops in Congo.Scott, p. 242. In 1965 he was stationed at
Heistadmoen Heistadmoen is a Norwegian military encampment in Kongsberg, in Viken county, Norway. Heistadmoen currently provides able quarters for the Telemark and Buskerud Home Guard District (''Telemark og Buskerud Heimevernsdistrikt''). The camp is large a ...
, before he became chief of the army's paratrooper school at Trandum, where he served from 1969 until 1972.Scott, p. 245. He resigned from the Armed Forces in 1983.


Awards

For his efforts during ''Upsilon III'', when a
Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
, Munthe-Kaas was honoured by the King in Council with the Norwegian War Cross with sword on 2 July 1943. The citation mentioned in particular the efforts to rescue two French and two Norwegian soldiers during the operation with the French submarine ''Junon''. The
diploma A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...
accompanying the War Cross was labeled "For particularly deserving effort in connection with secret military operations". France honoured him with the appointment of Chevalier (Knight) of the
Légion d'honneur 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 ...
and he was also awarded the
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 ...
with bronze palm. In 1943 he was awarded the British
Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action * Distinguishe ...
, an award that was presented by the First Sea Lord, John Cunningham. This was the highest British award available at the time for non-commissioned military personnel. For his service during the Second World War, Munthe-Kaas was also awarded the British
War Medal A war medal is a military decoration awarded in time of war, as opposed to a service medal. It may refer to, for example: *War Medal (Norway) *Campaign medal *Global War on Terrorism Service Medal *British War Medal, British Empire medal for servi ...
, Defence Medal and the
Atlantic Star The Atlantic Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 for award to British Commonwealth forces who took part in the Battle of the Atlantic, the longest continuous campaign of the Second World War. Two cla ...
, the Norwegian
War Medal A war medal is a military decoration awarded in time of war, as opposed to a service medal. It may refer to, for example: *War Medal (Norway) *Campaign medal *Global War on Terrorism Service Medal *British War Medal, British Empire medal for servi ...
, the Defence Medal with rosette and
Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal is a Norwegian military award, which was instituted by King Haakon VII of Norway on 27 October 1942. It was awarded in recognition of military personnel who served in the Norwegian armed forces in Britain on the ...
. In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Normandy landings, he was also presented with the French Médaille de la Reconnaissance for 1939–1945. Munthe-Kaas was also awarded a
United Nations Medal A United Nations Medal is an international decoration An international decoration is a military award which is not bestowed by a particular country, but rather by an international organization such as the United Nations or NATO. Such awards ar ...
for his ONUC-operation in the Congo. In all, Munthe-Kaas has been awarded 17 military decorations for his work during and after the Second World War. In 2008 he donated his awards to the Military Academy in Oslo."Vil inspirere kadettene", ''Forsvarets forum'', 4, 2008, p. 76.


Political career

Munthe-Kaas has also been politically active. He supported the
Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...
until 1977, when he joined the Progress Party. He was deputy chairman of the Progress Party from 1980 to 1982. He was deputy member of parliament for Akershus in the Norwegian parliament from 1981 to 1985. From 1984 he represented the Progress Party in the
Oslo 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 ...
City Council. He has also been county chairman in the Akershus Progress Party. Munthe-Kaas was an honorary member of the Progress Party."Hugo Munthe-Kaas 75", ''Nordlys'', 3 February 1997, p. 22. He died in 2012.


References


Literature

*Christensen, Dag, ''Hemmelig agent i Norge. Den utrolige beretningen om Hugo Munthe-Kaas - i britisk spesialtjeneste mot tyskerne''. Oslo, 1987. *Scott, Astrid Karlsen, ''Silent Patriot: Norway's Most Highly Decorated WWII Soldier a Secret Agent''. Nordic Adventures, Olympia, WA, 2004. {{DEFAULTSORT:Munthe-Kaas, Hugo 1922 births 2012 deaths Norwegian resistance members Secret Intelligence Service personnel Norwegian Army personnel of World War II Royal Norwegian Navy personnel of World War II Norwegian military attachés Recipients of the War Cross with Sword (Norway) Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United Kingdom) Westminster Dragoons officers Progress Party (Norway) politicians Akershus politicians Politicians from Oslo Deputy members of the Storting