A Return to Vaagso

Extract from Commando Association newsletter 11
Published September 1950.
RETURN TO VAAGSO
Members will be interested to learn that a party of approxiimately 75 R.M. officers recently carried out a training exercise in the Vaagso area in Norway. 
In addition to Col. J. Moulton, D.S.O., O.B.E., and Lt.-Col. Palmer, D.S.O., Royal Marine officers well known to us, the following Army Commando officers were invited to accompany the party: Lt.-Col. Jack Churchill, D.S.O., M.C., Capt. Dennis O'Flaherty, D.S.O., and.Lt.-Col. Arthur Komrower, D.S.O., who has been kind enough to send us a very interesting account of the proceedings.
"We embarked on H.M.S. 'Suvla,' an L.C.T., at Rosyth on Thursday, May 18th. The idea of the trip was to study beforehand the information about Vaagso and then to work out a plan and to see how it would have fitted in with the ground, on the spot.
We arrived off West Fjord early on Saturday morning and then turned in to guard the Fjord. This was the only part of the crossing which was at all rough, and even then it bore no resemblance to the buffeting we got in '41.
The passage charted on the map was to go round the Island to the North and go in from the East side, but at the request of the Army Officers, the Ship's Captain agreed to use the same channel as we used previously. However, as we were approaching the island of Maaloy we suddenly found that the channel between this island and South Vaagso had been brdiged and we had to 'about turn' and go the other route.
On arrival we were met by Capt. Harald Madsen, who was the Norwegian Pilot of the 'Kenya' on the original raid and who accompanied us on the voyage. The people all seemed very pleased to see us and bore no grudge for the damage done in the raid.
The 'Ulversund Hotel' showed only the foundations of the building, but the 'Hazen Hotel' had been completely rebuilt in stone and brick and is now a very fine place. The Factory opposite the , Ulversund ' had also been rebuilt with a block of shops and flats by its side.
When walking down the street, Dennis O'Flaherty was hailed by a young fellow who turned out to be the son of one of the inhabitants in whose house Dennis had a fight with a German. The father had recognized him through the window.
We also came across a lady who had looked after Lt. M. Hall, who lost his arm in this raid, until he was picked up by our own stretcher bearers.
There are many more interesting points related in Col. Komrower's report, but we regret to say that lack of space prevents us from printing these.
Copies of the full report have been duplicated, and will gladly be supplied to all members desiring these.

Notes 
If anyone has a copy of Colonel Komrower's full account please contact the website team.
 

Ask Questions / Add Information / Add Photos

Use the Archive Forum for research enquiries, or to add information or photos. [register now]
Read some frequently asked questions here [FAQ's].
Contact the Archive via the [contact form].
 
All content is researched and administered by the Commando Veterans Archive.