HNoMS POL III - They were the first to see, the first to attack, and they suffered the first Norwegian death from operation weserübung

Til_Dovre_Faller · August 25, 2024, 5:46pm

HNoMS POL III

TYPE: Whaler/patrol vessel
BUILDING SITE: Akers Mekaniske Verksted, Oslo
BUILING NUMBER: 429
LAUNCHED: July1926
REQUISITIONED: 1939
IN COMMAND: 1939 to 8. April 1940
OWNER: Hvalfangerselskapet Polaris A/S, Sandefjord

ARMAMENT

Spoiler

1x 76 Millimeter Cannon
-Firerate: Unknown, but it was said to be slow
2x Machineguns

I have sources that tells me this had two macineguns equipped, i have not been able to verify this, but i am working on it. i have to dig and ask around on some forums. it can either be 12.7mm Colt water-cooled machineguns but it can also be the Colt M/29. I will come back to this.

TECHNICAL DATA
Displacement: 214 Gross tonnage
Length: 33.83 Meter
Width: 6.91 Meter
Depth: 3.93 Meter

MACHINERY
1x piston steam machine (steam reciprocating)
Type: Triple expansion 3-cylinder
Power: 137 Indicated Horse Powers
Speed: 11 Knots (20.37 Km/h)

CREW
Estimated crew: 15 Men

TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
1926: Built as a whaleboat - POL III - at Aker’s mechanical workshop for Melsom & Melsom. Larvik.
1939: Requisitioned by the Royal Norwegian Navy and put into service as a coast guard vessel.
1940: Seized by Kriegsmarine in Tønsberg. Towed to Oslo for repair. Eventually came into service as German guard boat NO-05 SAMOA
1941: Transferred to Admiral Arctic.
1941: In service as patrol boat V-6105 for 61. Vorpostenflotille based in Bodø.
1941: In service as guard boat NH-05.
1944: In service as patrol boat V-6501 for 65. Vorpostenflotille based in Hammerfest.
1945: Taken over by the Norwegian State. Possibly used as a minesweeper.
1947: Sold to A/S Skipsvedlikehold - Henrik Eriksen - Oslo.
1948: POL III
1949: Sold Johan Hareide, Ålesund. New name - JOHAN E
1950: New engine 42 mod. Crossly.
1978: Sold KS. Helgelandsföringen, Bodø. New name - ODD OSCAR

HISTORY
This is a very special vessel, this vessel was the very first to both see and come in contact with the German forces in April 1940, and had the first casualties. This is a whaleboat, which, like many others of the same type, was requisitioned by the defense and equipped with cannons and various other weapons and set to patrol Norwegian waters and for escorting. This ship is probably the most special of all the several hundred boats.

On the evening of 8 April 1940, a strong German naval force arrived from the Skagerak, heading for the Oslo Fjord. It consisted of the heavy cruisers “BLÜCHER” and “LÜTZOW”, the light cruiser “EMDEN”, the artillery training ship “BRUMMER”, the destroyers “ALBATROS” and “KONDOR” and also several smaller units. When the German rear admiral Kummetz, under cover of darkness, led this fleet towards Færder. the tiny Norwegian guard ship POL III lay in an outer guard line not far away. The commander on board was Captain Welding Olsen. By all available means, he had orders to stop any of the warships of the warring nations attempting to force their way into the fjord. An hour before midnight, Pol III had just turned at Færder and was heading towards Torbjørnskjær when the watch commander, Lieutenant Hans Bergan, observed two long vessels with extinguished lanterns standing inwards towards the fjord gap. He immediately alerted the commander, who came onto the bridge and charged full speed ahead towards the two black ship shadows. Captain Welding Olsen immediately telegraphed a message to the admiral staff that foreign warships were on their way into the fjord. Warning shots were fired with the tiny cannon that the Pol III was equipped with. Still with the foamy water cascading around the bow, the guard ship charged forward at full speed towards the dark shadows. In the darkness, another shadow appeared, and before anyone could prevent it, Pol III plunged into the fighter “Albatross”, which suffered a gaping hole in its side. As the two vessels began to separate, the Germans immediately opened fire with machine guns. Captain Welding Olsen received a series of shots in the leg and suffered severe blood loss. The crew of “Pol III” got off one or two shots with the slow ship’s cannon, but had to constantly duck down behind the machine casing to find cover against the German volleys, which were fired at very short range. “Pol III” was probably set on fire already at this time. The ship had to be evacuated, and the badly injured captain Welding Olsen, who was still standing on the bridge in the rain of bullets, had to be helped down into a barge on the starboard side. Long trails of blood were left behind him on the deck.

During the collision, two of the crew of “Pol III” had jumped into the fighter. The other thirteen got into the barge, which immediately went around. The Norwegians clung to the vault as best they could, but after a while the loss of blood put an end to Captain Welding Olsen’s strength. He let himself be said from the vault into the sea.

"“Don’t worry about me, boys, he is said to have said. - I’m done anyway. But when you come home, say hello from me!”

This is how the first Norwegian navy man who fell in Norway’s battle died in 1940. The first Norwegian who gave his life in the fight against the superior power. This different battle shows in a grotesque way what opportunities and means Norway had to defend itself. Fifteen men on a whaleboat with a small cannon on the “limbs” against three cruisers, an artillery ship and two destroyers.

IN GAME
Considering its special history, this would almost have to be added if we ever are to get Norwegian naval vessels in the game haha. Slow, old, prone and with a single 76mm cannon with a low firerate… still could be fun :D

Spoiler

Coastguard vessel POL III first ship to come into battle with the Germans on 9 April 1940 in the Oslo Fjord. The patrol boat POL III was the first Norwegian naval vessel to engage German naval forces. POL III had its patrol area at Færder lighthouse at the entrance to the Oslofjord. At 11 pm on the evening of 8 April 1940, POL III observed several unknown and blacked-out warships heading north. From the Norwegian vessel, the warships were illuminated with the searchlight and at At 23.06 the first warning shot was fired. The unknown warships did not stop, and POL III then sent up two red signal lights to report that enemy forces were pushing past the guard. The German torpedo boat “Albatross” turned to take care of the small whaleboat, but “Pol III” ran into the side of “Albatross”, which opened fire with automatic cannons. From POL III, the fire was returned with the slow 76 mm. The cannon. During the firing, the commander of POL III, Captain Leif Welding Olsen, was mortally wounded. He drowned when the crew left the vessel after it had been set on fire by “Albatross”. The boat stayed afloat. The next morning it was found adrift by the guard boat SKUDD 2 (another chartered whaleboat) and towed into Tønsberg. Captain Leif Welding Olsen was the first to fall defending Norway.

76MM CANNON (This is after the combat)

THE DAMAGE AFTER THE COMBAT

Spoiler