Bjarne Thorsen
Encyclopedia
Bjarne Winter Thorsen was a Norwegian resistance
member during World War II
and later a naval officer.
reached Norway on 9 April 1940, with the German invasion
, Thorsen was a student in secondary school. As early as 1940, he got together with friends and decided to take up resistance work. The group was self-initiated, but they lacked contacts, knowledge and materials to actually conduct intelligence work. Two of them were sent to the United Kingdom: Bjarne Thorsen and Leif Utne
. Utne travelled via Sweden
, while Thorsen crossed the Norwegian Sea
on the vessel Duen. After five weeks of training in radio, telegraphy, and secret codes, he returned to Norway with a transmitter. He landed on Sotra
and went from there to Bergen
. The radio communication post "Theta
" was established on 4 December 1941, with its headquarters at the famous seaside location Bryggen
. The radio was operated out of a secret room in a house owned by the Dahm family; Jan Dahm
came to be the main operator. Thorsen returned to England when "Theta" was up and running. He had to return in early 1942 with new radio gear to make tracking by German intelligence harder. In total, he crossed the Norwegian Sea six times during this period.
Among other things, "Theta" identified the presence of the German battleship Tirpitz
in Norwegian waters, a highly important contribution to the Battle of the Atlantic. Tirpitz was located near Trondheim
, far from Bergen, but "Theta" got the information from a scout travelling with the Hurtigruten
. The message was sent on 17 January 1942, and spurred a series of Royal Air Force attacks on the battleship. "Theta" later sent information about the German cruiser Prinz Eugen
. Kristian Ottosen
was also a member of the group running "Theta", as was Helmer Dahl
. After a request from Edward Victor Appleton
, Thorsen helped Dahl and his family flee to the United Kingdom in April 1942 on the vessel Borghild.
The Abwehr
quickly became suspicious of "Theta" and tried to pinpoint its exact location. They managed to interfere with a transmission, attempting to trick the resistance members with a fake message. German authorities finally unveiled "Theta" in October 1942, while conducting a razzia towards Bryggen, but most of the members managed to flee. Kristian Ottosen had already been captured, imprisoned, and tortured for information. Another member died in German captivity, while a third group member died elsewhere as a pilot. Thorsen continued his Allied war service as a telegrapher, and also attended the Norwegian Naval Academy
.
He was decorated with the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch
, reportedly as the youngest Norwegian. He also received the King's Medal for Courage.
. He reached the rank of commander. He also spent some time working for the Governor of Svalbard
.
From the 1980s, he was a part of a project group aiming to register imprisoned Norwegian war sailors. In 1990, he published the book Usynlige soldater, about the Secret Intelligence Service
agents of Norway, together with Bjørn Rørholt
. It was considered as providing hitherto unknown information. Thorsen lived in Eiksmarka
, and died in February 2001.
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
member during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and later a naval officer.
World War II
When World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
reached Norway on 9 April 1940, with the German invasion
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
, Thorsen was a student in secondary school. As early as 1940, he got together with friends and decided to take up resistance work. The group was self-initiated, but they lacked contacts, knowledge and materials to actually conduct intelligence work. Two of them were sent to the United Kingdom: Bjarne Thorsen and Leif Utne
Leif Utne
Leif Utne was a Norwegian resistance member during World War II and later a physician.-Early life:Utne was born in Bergen as the son of a physician...
. Utne travelled via Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, while Thorsen crossed the Norwegian Sea
Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea is a marginal sea in the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Norway. It is located between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea and adjoins the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast. In the southwest, it is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a...
on the vessel Duen. After five weeks of training in radio, telegraphy, and secret codes, he returned to Norway with a transmitter. He landed on Sotra
Sotra
Sotra is the name of an archipelago in Hordaland, Norway, just west of Bergen. The largest island is Store Sotra, while the second-largest and most populated is Litlesotra. The latter and part of Store Sotra are part of Fjell, while southern Sotra is part of Sund. Roughly 25,000 people live on Sotra...
and went from there to Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
. The radio communication post "Theta
Theta (SIS radio group)
"Theta" was a radio communications group that operated in Bergen, Norway during the German occupation of Norway, communicating with the British Secret Intelligence Service . The group was operative from December 1941 to June 1942.-Background:...
" was established on 4 December 1941, with its headquarters at the famous seaside location Bryggen
Bryggen
Bryggen , also known as Tyskebryggen is a series of Hanseatic commercial buildings lining the eastern side of the fjord coming into Bergen, Norway. Bryggen has since 1979 been on the UNESCO list for World Cultural Heritage sites. The name has the same origin as the Flemish city of Brugge.The city...
. The radio was operated out of a secret room in a house owned by the Dahm family; Jan Dahm
Jan Dahm
Jan Dahm was a Norwegian resistance member during World War II. He was among the first group of people to be subject to court-martial during the German occupation of Norway, and later initiated and headed the Secret Intelligence Service group Theta, which operated in Bergen from December 1941 to...
came to be the main operator. Thorsen returned to England when "Theta" was up and running. He had to return in early 1942 with new radio gear to make tracking by German intelligence harder. In total, he crossed the Norwegian Sea six times during this period.
Among other things, "Theta" identified the presence of the German battleship Tirpitz
German battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
in Norwegian waters, a highly important contribution to the Battle of the Atlantic. Tirpitz was located near Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, far from Bergen, but "Theta" got the information from a scout travelling with the Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten or Hurtigruta is a Norwegian passenger and freight line with daily sailings along Norway's western and northern coast. Sometimes referred to in English as Norwegian Coastal Express, Hurtigruten ships sail almost the entire length of the country, completing the roundtrip journey in 11...
. The message was sent on 17 January 1942, and spurred a series of Royal Air Force attacks on the battleship. "Theta" later sent information about the German cruiser Prinz Eugen
German cruiser Prinz Eugen
Prinz Eugen was an Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser, the third member of the class of five vessels. She served with the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The ship was laid down in April 1936 and launched August 1938; Prinz Eugen entered service after the outbreak of war, in August 1940...
. Kristian Ottosen
Kristian Ottosen
Kristian Ottosen was a Norwegian non-fiction writer and public servant.While still a student, he was also active in the Norwegian resistance movement during World War II and was imprisoned as a Nacht und Nebel inmate...
was also a member of the group running "Theta", as was Helmer Dahl
Helmer Dahl
Helmer Hartmann Dahl was a Norwegian engineer.He graduated as an engineer from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1931, and was hired at the Chr. Michelsen Institute in 1935. From 1942 to 1945 he was in exile in the United Kingdom...
. After a request from Edward Victor Appleton
Edward Victor Appleton
Sir Edward Victor Appleton, GBE, KCB, FRS was an English physicist.-Biography:Appleton was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire and educated at Hanson Grammar School. At the age of 18 he won a scholarship to St John's College, Cambridge...
, Thorsen helped Dahl and his family flee to the United Kingdom in April 1942 on the vessel Borghild.
The Abwehr
Abwehr
The Abwehr was a German military intelligence organisation from 1921 to 1944. The term Abwehr was used as a concession to Allied demands that Germany's post-World War I intelligence activities be for "defensive" purposes only...
quickly became suspicious of "Theta" and tried to pinpoint its exact location. They managed to interfere with a transmission, attempting to trick the resistance members with a fake message. German authorities finally unveiled "Theta" in October 1942, while conducting a razzia towards Bryggen, but most of the members managed to flee. Kristian Ottosen had already been captured, imprisoned, and tortured for information. Another member died in German captivity, while a third group member died elsewhere as a pilot. Thorsen continued his Allied war service as a telegrapher, and also attended the Norwegian Naval Academy
Norwegian Naval Academy
- External links :*...
.
He was decorated with the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch
St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch
St. Olav's Medal with Oak Branch is a Norwegian military award, which was instituted by King Haakon VII of Norway on 6 February 1942. In Norway, the medal is considered as a separate award from the civilian St...
, reportedly as the youngest Norwegian. He also received the King's Medal for Courage.
Later career
After the war, Thorsen served in the Royal Norwegian NavyRoyal Norwegian Navy
The Royal Norwegian Navy is the branch of the Norwegian Defence Force responsible for naval operations. , the RNoN consists of approximately 3,700 personnel and 70 vessels, including 5 heavy frigates, 6 submarines, 14 patrol boats, 4 minesweepers, 4 minehunters, 1 mine detection vessel, 4 support...
. He reached the rank of commander. He also spent some time working for the Governor of Svalbard
Governor of Svalbard
The Governor of Svalbard represents the Norwegian government in exercising its sovereignty over the Svalbard archipelago .The position reports to the Norwegian Ministry of Justice, but it maintains all Norwegian interests in the area, including environmental protection, law enforcement,...
.
From the 1980s, he was a part of a project group aiming to register imprisoned Norwegian war sailors. In 1990, he published the book Usynlige soldater, about the Secret Intelligence Service
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
agents of Norway, together with Bjørn Rørholt
Bjørn Rørholt
Bjørn Arnold Rørholt was a Norwegian engineer, military officer, Secret Intelligence Service agent and resistance member during World War II.-Early life:...
. It was considered as providing hitherto unknown information. Thorsen lived in Eiksmarka
Eiksmarka
Eiksmarka is a suburb of the Norwegian municipality of Bærum with around 4,000 inhabitants, just west of Oslo. It is served by Eiksmarka station.It is an affluent area in the most expensive part of Bærum, north of the borough of Jar...
, and died in February 2001.