Norwegian participation in the occupation of Germany after the Second World War had been discussed with the British while the Norwegian government-in-exile stayed in the United Kingdom during WW2. It was originally planned that each Brigade would spend 6 months in Germany.
The Advance Party of the first Norwegian contingent (Brigade 471 – the first two numbers were the year, the last number meaning it was the first of 1947) sailed from Norway on the 10th January 1947, arriving in Cuxhaven on the 13th January. All components of Brigade 471 were in place by March 1947, a total of approximately 4,200 personnel.
Because of difficulties in translation at this time, it is not really possible to accurately follow the timeline of those Brigades who followed on from 471. An approximate timeline (open to correction) is as follows;
Brigade 471 – Advance Party arrived January 1947, fully in place by March 1947
Brigade 472 – June 1947 to January 1948
Brigade 481 – January 1948 to July/August 1948
Brigade 482 – July/August 1948 to January/February 1949
Brigade 491 – January/February 1949 to July/August 1949
Brigade 492 – August 1949 to February 1950
Brigade 501 – February 1950 to August 1950
Brigade 502 – August 1950 to March 1951
Brigade 511 – March 1951 to October 1951
Brigade 512 – October 1951 to April/May 1952
Brigade 521 – April/May 1952 to October 1952
Brigade 522 – October 1952 to April 1953
Brigade 522 was the last Norwegian contingent to serve in Germany in that capacity. As far as can be seen, all equipment was RTU to Norway, RTU to those units who loaned equipment, or disposed of in other ways.
More details have been received in regard to the Norwegian Brigade. They were received some time ago but other factors prevented them being uploaded until now. The text below gives details of the initial deployment of the Norwegian Brigade, and its subsequent moves. It also gives the names of the Barracks with the British names, where they are known. As with all details posted on the site, they are open to correction and additions.
NORWEGIAN BRIGADE (INITIAL DEPLOYMENT)
Brigade HQ Northeim
1st Infantry Battalion Seesen
2nd Infantry Battalion Bad Gandersheim
3rd Infantry Battalion Einbeck
Reconnaissance Squadron Northeim
Artillery Field Regiment Holzminden
Engineer Company Holzminden
Signals Company Northeim
Transport Company Northeim
Military Police Company Northeim
Brigade Maintenance and Repair Workshop Gottingen
Medical Units Northeim (Norwegian Military Medical Teams were also based in BMH Hanover)
Names of Barracks (British in Brackets)
Gandersheim – Trandur (Coventry) Barracks
Gottingen – Starum (Stopford) Barracks
Holzminden – Hegra (Cheshire) Barracks
Hoxter – Bergenhus (Hove) Barracks
Northeim – Akershus (Fusilier) Barracks
NORWEGIAN BRIGADE DEPLOYMENT (POST JULY 1948)
Brigade HQ Braunschwieg – Vika (Charles) Barracks
Goslar – Heimdal (Hastings) Barracks
Goslar – Oscarsborg (Seaforth) Barracks
Goslar – Sagatun (Manchester) Barracks
Gottingen – Nordleida (Border) Barracks
NORWEGIAN BRIGADE DEPLOYMENT (POST DECEMBER 1948)
Brigade HQ Schleswig
1st Infantry Battalion Flensburg
2nd Infantry Battalion Husum
3rd Infantry Battalion Itzehoe Note 1
Reconnaissance Squadron Rendsburg
Artillery Field Regiment Flensburg
Engineer Company Neumunster
Signals Company Schleswig
Transport Company Rendsburg
Stores Company Neumunster
Military Police Company Schleswig
Brigade Maintenance and Repair Company Neumunster
Medical Units Rendsburg (Norwegian Military Medical Teams were also based in the Civilian Hospital in Schleswig)
FINAL DEPLOYMENT POST BRIGADE 511 (SOUTH JUTLAND LAND COVERING FORCE)
Brigade Headquarters Schleswig
1st Infantry Battalion Rendsburg
2nd Infantry Battalion Holtenau Kiel
Field Regiment Flensburg
Anti Aircraft Battery Husum
Anti Tank Battery Flensburg Murwick
Engineer Company Rendsburg
Signals Company Schleswig
Transport/Stores Company Schleswig
Maintenance and Repair Company Schleswig Land
Medical Units Schleswig (Norwegian Medical Teams were also based in the local Civilian Hospital)
JPW