lofoten campaign

An elderly lady friend of my wife is looking for information on an uncle who served in the campaign on the Lofotens in Norway.
She thinks he was involved on the raid in Vagsoy and in no. 2 commando
This uncle apparently rescued a wounded German officer and was himself wounded in the battle.
She believes that the German officer asked to meet this uncle some time after and presented him with his own iron cross for his actions that day.
I know that the chances of anyone from that action being alive today are remote but perhaps anecdotal evidence would remain.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

I have read about such an incident very recently - but can't remember in which book!

If you are able to offer a name of this lady's uncle it will help me narrow my search...

Nick

NIC wrote:
I have read about such an incident very recently - but can't remember in which book!

If you are able to offer a name of this lady's uncle it will help me narrow my search...

Nick

Many thanks for your reply, since then I have received the following e-mail

Uncle Albert?s details are 3134056 Cpl. Albert M. O?Hare, 2 Troop, 3 Commando. I do not know his date of birth, but the year he was born was 1915.

It is my belief that they went on the raid to Vaagso in Norway and it was while there that the incident of his reconnoitering in a burning, bombed warehouse, he came across the young, unconscious German officer, trapped under the rubble. He endeavoured to get him free and in doing so, was injured in the leg himself. He did however manage to drag both of them out ? the officer still unconscious ? and somehow got them both over to the British lines and each ended up in their respective hospitals. A few days later U. Albert?s CO sent for him as he was wanted by the German officer in the POW hospital to thank him for saving his life.

That was when he offered U. Albert the Iron Cross and the armband. As I said, U., knew what they meant to a German officer and respectfully declined, but the officer said ?to you it is an Iron Cross, to me it is a wooden cross? and U. Albert accepted.

There are photos in Aunt Anne?s album of him both going to Norway on the ship and returning from Norway (Vaagso). Stephen has the Album at the moment so I cannot confirm which year it was but Indeed shall do as soon as I get them back from him. Aunt Anne has written details alongside the photos so I shall let you know. I truly greatly appreciate your offer to help me scan the actual newspaper cuttings from the album if Stephen cannot do them Liz. They are glued into the album though. When the incident happened, U. Albert got sent home on a short leave to recuperate and to my knowledge that was the only time he was injured so if I could only get his Service record including his medical records I could ascertain the dates. If you really, really need the date of birth, I could phone Aunt Anne????
What exactly this lady wants I do not know .
.
Possibly just confirmation that it happened
In any event I am grateful to you,
many thanks, nils

Nils,
That is exactly the incident I read about recently - but I still can't remember the book...

Nick

NIC wrote:Nils,
That is exactly the incident I read about recently - but I still can't remember the book...

Nick

Nick, was it written by Robin Hunter?

There have been previous email enquiries via our CVA Contact List on this. Albert has been identified in a photo within our gallery by his niece Christina. Our site has been updated with his details and Christina has been advised regarding general service details, but nothing specific was known about the incident she mentions:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/node/1070

Regards

Pete