Birger Edvin Martin Strømsheim, (11 October 1911 – 10 November 2012) was a Norwegian resistance member during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, especially noted for his role in the heavy water sabotage 1942–1943.

Background

Strømsheim was born at Ålesund, Norway, He worked as a building contractor. After the German occupation of Norway, together with his wife Aase Liv Strømsheim (1912-97), he fled in 1941 by boat to

Shetland Shetland (until 1975 spelled Zetland), also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about to the ...

, determined to join the war effort. After the war, he returned to civilian life. Strømsheim lived at Nordberghjemmet in Oslo where he worked for a factory of Fjeldhammer Brugbut. He also had a role in preparations for the ''

stay-behind A stay-behind operation is one where a country places secret operatives or organizations in its own territory, for use in case of a later enemy occupation. The stay-behind operatives would then form the basis of a resistance movement, and act as ...

'' effort in Norway. Strømsheim died 10 November 2012, in

Oslo, Norway Oslo ( or ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of towns and cities in Norway, most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a Counties of Norway, county and a Municipalities of Norway, municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a populat ...

, at the age of 101. He was buried at the cemetery of Nordstrand Church (''Nordstrand kirkegård'') in Oslo.

World War II

Heavy water sabotage

Strømsheim served in the Norwegian Independent Company 1 () during

. As a member of the '' Gunnerside'' team he parachuted in

Telemark Telemark () is a Counties of Norway, county and a current electoral district in Norway. Telemark borders the counties of Vestfold, Buskerud, Vestland, Rogaland and Agder. In 2020, Telemark merged with the county of Vestfold to form the county o ...

on 16 February 1943. After five days of struggling through snowstorms on skis, the team managed to join forces with the ''

Grouse Grouse are a group of birds from the order (biology), order Galliformes, in the family (biology), family Phasianidae. Grouse are presently assigned to the Tribe (biology), tribe Tetraonini (formerly the subfamily Tetraoninae and the family Tetr ...

'' team, previously deployed in the area. The combined team succeeded in the destruction of

heavy water Heavy water (deuterium oxide, , ) is a form of water (molecule), water in which hydrogen atoms are all deuterium ( or D, also known as ''heavy hydrogen'') rather than the common hydrogen-1 isotope (, also called ''protium'') that makes up most o ...

equipment and stock at Vemork in February 1943. Strømsheim was one of four who entered the actual factory building. Operation Gunnerside was later claimed by

Special Operations Executive Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a British organisation formed in 1940 to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in German-occupied Europe and to aid local Resistance during World War II, resistance movements during World War II. ...

leadership to be the most successful act of sabotage of the Second World War. The leader of Gunnerside, Joachim Rønneberg, described Strømsheim as “beyond doubt the best member of the party”. Strømsheim was awarded Norway's St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch after his return to United Kingdom in 1943. It was presented to him by King Haakon at a ceremony at the training school STS 26 in Scotland, near

Nethy Bridge Nethy Bridge ( or ') is a small village in Strathspey in the Highland council area of Scotland. The village lies south of Grantown-on-Spey within the historical parish of Abernethy and Kincardine, and the Cairngorms National Park. History O ...

Operation Fieldfare

As a member of a four-man team from Norwegian Independent Company 1, Strømsheim participated in establishing a cabin that was used as base for sabotage actions against German supply lines in valley of

Romsdal Romsdal is a Districts of Norway, traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal, located between Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. The district of Romsdal traditional comprises the areas that are part of Aukra Municipality, Molde Municipal ...

Awards

For his war contributions Strømsheim was decorated with the Defence Medal with rosette and Haakon VIIs 70th Anniversary Medals, as well as the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch and foreign awards.

References