Memory track of War; Skavmodalen - Gratangsbotn

TRØNDER BATTALION I/IR 12

The 643 privates and officers of the Trønder battalion were from

Southern Trøndelag, Trondheim and Nordmøre, hence the name.

Most were born between 1914 and 1918, and they were drafted for neutrality duty in the period before Christmas 1939. The battalion arrived in Vadsø on the 15th of January, and was then sent to guard the approximately 200

Kilometer long border between Norway and Finland/Soviet-Russia. They were brought from Kirkenes to Salangen in two ships, landing on the 17th of April. The battalion was then moved from Sjøvegan to Tennevoll over the next six days. In the afternoon of the 23rd of April, the main troops marched from Tennevoll, up Rødbergan and over Fjordbotneidet, to battle against German troops headed from Bjerkvik towards Setermoen along Rv 50.

THE ALTA BATTALLION

The Alta battalion arrived at Sjøvegan on the 20th of April with approximately 830 privates and officers. They moved through to Lavangen on the 23rd and 24th of April, where they were housed at the same farms that had earlier housed the Trønder battalion. The 766 soldiers marched up Rødbergan, following the footprints of the Trønder battalion, that same morning. Their mission was to cover the Trønder battalion’s right flank at Fjordbotneidet towards Gratangsbotn. After the Trønder battalion was defeated, the Alta Battalion came into direct combat with German troops during the afternoon of the 26th of April and continued fighting in Gratangsbotn until the 28th of April; they then advanced towards Gratangseidet and continued their efforts against the German troops until hostilities ceased the 10th of June.