Torvtak - Artillery post

TORVTAK – ARTILLERY POST

The Trønder Battalion, under Major Bøckman’s command at Fjordbotneidet, received support from Battery 8a with two 75mm Berghaubits cannons from 3rd Mountain Artillery Battalion. Battery 8a assumed their position, but due to the chaotic situation, and bad weather, they were inactive during the major battle between the Trønder Battalion and the Germans at Gratangsbotn on the 25th of April. However, in the days that followed, Battery 8a opened fire upon, among other places, Eliborg boarding school in Elvenes, which the Germans had been using as a local headquarters. The Alta Battalion also received artillery support when they, from the 26th of April until the 28th, deployed to Gratangsbotn and drove German forces south towards Kvernmo, Leigas, Øse and Bjørnfjell.

During the days when the cannons were posted at Torvtak, they were bombed by German air strikes. The artillery support company’s bivouac was hit. A soldier from Hamarøy, Andreas Martin Johansen, was killed during this bomb attack.