Odd Isøy
Encyclopedia
Odd E. Isøy was a Norwegian resistance
member. Among others, he single-handledly placed explosives on the crane of the 3,215 ton Norwegian cargo ship MS Belpamela.
Isøy was a member of Milorg
and their group for sabotage missions, Aks 13000
. Of the 102 sabotage missions performed by Aks 13000, Isøy participated in 15, the highest number for a single person according to Per Røed. Per Røed himself is an exception here.
One of the notable missions in which Isøy participated was the sabotage against the garage belonging to the company Freia
. The goal was to blow up the workshop for repairing aircraft parts with 40 kilograms (88.2 lb) of dynamite and some plastic explosive
s. The dynamite was split in two packs, and Odd Isøy brought one pack to Freia via bicycle. The team—Kjell Bull-Hansen
, Odd Isøy, Arnold Guttormsen, Per Nitteberg, Bjørn Pedersen and Tor Pedersen—then gathered at Isøy's family's home, not far from Freia, in the evening. Bull-Hansen and Isøy was to enter the garage with a ladder and through the roof. The other team members were guarding the perimeter. After the fuse had been lit, four guards from the Luftwaffe
showed up, one of whom was shot to death by Guttormsen or Nitteberg. When retreating, Isøy managed to stop a tram which was heading towards the soon-to-explode garage. Although the saboteurs did not have time to perform a broader evacuation of civil inhabitants in the area, there was no collateral human damage. The garage was utterly destroyed.
On 10 December 1944, Isøy participated in a sabotage mission near Oslo Vestbanestasjon
. Isøy, Røed and Joar Olsen
was to blow up fifteen railroad tank cars at Filipstad
; two other persons were to be used as guards. However, the two guards became busy when a handful of railway workers were discovered on the location. After placing the explosives, Røed was intercepted as he almost stumbled upon a German guard. Because of this, the sabotage team retreated in silence, and not long after German specialists arrived and removed the explosives. Intelligence later showed that next to the fifteen tanks was a train filled with ammunition, possibly even V-2 parts. Had all of this exploded, it would be disastrous.
In late 1944 he participated in the sabotage against the civil vigilance office in Møllergata 16. This was especially dangerous, since it neighbored Møllergata 19
. Bull-Hansen and Isøy performed the sabotage while Per Røed coordinated. By foot Isøy carried 10 kilograms (22 lb) of dynamite, and Bull Hansen 15 kilograms (33.1 lb); in addition both carried 20 litres of gasoline each. They did not meet opposition when placing the explosives, but when calling the police a few minutes before the explosion to ensure the clearing of the streets and vicinity, Per Røed had to use a telephone in a cover-up apartment, compromising their hideout. However, they managed to escape before forces arrived, and besides no human lives were lost. After this, Bull-Hansen and Isøy attended a training camp in Sweden between 29 January and 23 March 1945. They went by boat from Strömstad
to Tønsberg
and by train from Tønsberg
to Oslo
, but Nazi patrollers discovered an error in Isøy's travel document, which was really entirely forged. The two were thrown off the train at Drammen Station
and placed in Statspolitiet custody. The two ran away from the police at Bragernes Torg, but a chase ensued where Bull-Hansen was shot to death by a Hirdman. Isøy replaced Bull-Hansen as team leader within Aks 13000.
The next significant mission came on 26 April 1945, when tips arrived that the 3,215 ton German-controlled Norwegian cargo ship MS Belpamela of Oslo had survived rocket attacks from 36 British and Norwegian de Havilland Mosquito
s from 143
, 235
, 248
and 333
squadrons’ at Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted on 2 April and been towed from Sandefjord
to the Port of Oslo to undergo repair. While Per Røed, Svein Blindheim and other high-ranking Aks 13000 men discussed a sabotage, Isøy approached the tipper's home by himself. The tipper, who was captain of Belpamela, arranged the hiring of Isøy at the ship on the same day, under the codename Arvid Eriksen. After being shown his cabin, he left the shipyard and fetched 4.5 kilograms (9.9 lb) of plastic explosives in a cover-up apartment as well as other gear. About one and a half hour later he returned, prepared and placed the explosives, split into two parts, without significant trouble. Around 18:00 one part exploded; the other part was then discovered in haste and thrown off the ship. Belpamela did not return to service for the rest of the war. She shipwrecked off Newfoundland on 11 April 1947, while carrying a cargo of locomotives.
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. Among others, he single-handledly placed explosives on the crane of the 3,215 ton Norwegian cargo ship MS Belpamela.
World War II
During the occupation of Norway by Nazi GermanyOccupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
Isøy was a member of Milorg
Milorg
Milorg was the main Norwegian resistance movement in World War II....
and their group for sabotage missions, Aks 13000
Aks 13000
Aks 13000 or Aks 13 was a sabotage squad which existed from 1944 to 1945, during parts of the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany in World War II. It was a part of the Norwegian resistance movement, specifically Milorg....
. Of the 102 sabotage missions performed by Aks 13000, Isøy participated in 15, the highest number for a single person according to Per Røed. Per Røed himself is an exception here.
One of the notable missions in which Isøy participated was the sabotage against the garage belonging to the company Freia
Freia (chocolate)
Freia is a Norwegian chocolate candy manufacturing company. The company is famous for Freia Melkesjokolade and Kvikk Lunsj, as well as for other candy and dessert products.-History:...
. The goal was to blow up the workshop for repairing aircraft parts with 40 kilograms (88.2 lb) of dynamite and some plastic explosive
Plastic explosive
Plastic explosive is a specialised form of explosive material. It is a soft and hand moldable solid material. Plastic explosives are properly known as putty explosives within the field of explosives engineering....
s. The dynamite was split in two packs, and Odd Isøy brought one pack to Freia via bicycle. The team—Kjell Bull-Hansen
Kjell Bull-Hansen
Kjell Bull-Hansen was a Norwegian resistance member who was killed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany.-Pre-war life:He was born in Oslo and lived in Vestre Aker, at Tåsen...
, Odd Isøy, Arnold Guttormsen, Per Nitteberg, Bjørn Pedersen and Tor Pedersen—then gathered at Isøy's family's home, not far from Freia, in the evening. Bull-Hansen and Isøy was to enter the garage with a ladder and through the roof. The other team members were guarding the perimeter. After the fuse had been lit, four guards from the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
showed up, one of whom was shot to death by Guttormsen or Nitteberg. When retreating, Isøy managed to stop a tram which was heading towards the soon-to-explode garage. Although the saboteurs did not have time to perform a broader evacuation of civil inhabitants in the area, there was no collateral human damage. The garage was utterly destroyed.
On 10 December 1944, Isøy participated in a sabotage mission near Oslo Vestbanestasjon
Oslo Vestbanestasjon
Oslo West Station or Oslo V, is a former railway station located in Vika in Oslo, Norway. It was the terminus of the Drammen Line between 1872 and 1980, until the Oslo Tunnel opened. The station remained in use until 1989, when all traffic was moved to the new Oslo Central Station...
. Isøy, Røed and Joar Olsen
Joar Olsen
Joar Ervin Olsen was a Norwegian resistance member who was killed during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany....
was to blow up fifteen railroad tank cars at Filipstad
Filipstad, Norway
Filipstad is a neighborhood in the borough Sentrum in Oslo, Norway. It serves as a container port for Oslo.The neighborhood grew from a single property, named after the pharmacist Philip Moth around 1650 - the last element is stad m 'farm'...
; two other persons were to be used as guards. However, the two guards became busy when a handful of railway workers were discovered on the location. After placing the explosives, Røed was intercepted as he almost stumbled upon a German guard. Because of this, the sabotage team retreated in silence, and not long after German specialists arrived and removed the explosives. Intelligence later showed that next to the fifteen tanks was a train filled with ammunition, possibly even V-2 parts. Had all of this exploded, it would be disastrous.
In late 1944 he participated in the sabotage against the civil vigilance office in Møllergata 16. This was especially dangerous, since it neighbored Møllergata 19
Møllergata 19
Møllergata 19 is an address in Oslo, Norway where the city's main police station and jail was located. The address gained notoriety during the German occupation from 1940 to 1945, when the Nazi security police kept its headquarters here...
. Bull-Hansen and Isøy performed the sabotage while Per Røed coordinated. By foot Isøy carried 10 kilograms (22 lb) of dynamite, and Bull Hansen 15 kilograms (33.1 lb); in addition both carried 20 litres of gasoline each. They did not meet opposition when placing the explosives, but when calling the police a few minutes before the explosion to ensure the clearing of the streets and vicinity, Per Røed had to use a telephone in a cover-up apartment, compromising their hideout. However, they managed to escape before forces arrived, and besides no human lives were lost. After this, Bull-Hansen and Isøy attended a training camp in Sweden between 29 January and 23 March 1945. They went by boat from Strömstad
Strömstad
Strömstad is a locality and the seat of Strömstad Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 6,110 inhabitants in 2005.Strömstad is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a city.- History :...
to Tønsberg
Tønsberg
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, southern Norway, located around north-east of Sandefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tønsberg....
and by train from Tønsberg
Tønsberg Station
Tønsberg Station on the Vestfold Line, is the main railway station in the town of Tønsberg in Vestfold, Norway. The station is located in the downtown area, to the east of the hill Slottsfjellet. It is located at an altitude of above mean sea level, and is from Oslo Central Station...
to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, but Nazi patrollers discovered an error in Isøy's travel document, which was really entirely forged. The two were thrown off the train at Drammen Station
Drammen Station
Drammen is a railway station located in downtown Drammen in Buskerud, Norway. The station is the terminus of both the Randsfjord Line, the Drammen Line and the Vestfold Line...
and placed in Statspolitiet custody. The two ran away from the police at Bragernes Torg, but a chase ensued where Bull-Hansen was shot to death by a Hirdman. Isøy replaced Bull-Hansen as team leader within Aks 13000.
The next significant mission came on 26 April 1945, when tips arrived that the 3,215 ton German-controlled Norwegian cargo ship MS Belpamela of Oslo had survived rocket attacks from 36 British and Norwegian de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
s from 143
No. 143 Squadron RAF
No. 143 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as a fighter unit in World War I and reformed as an RAF Coastal Command fighter and anti-submarine unit in World War II.-Formation and World War I:No...
, 235
No. 235 Squadron RAF
No. 235 Squadron RAF was an anti-submarine squadron of the Royal Air Force in World War I and in World War II served as a squadron in RAF Coastal Command-Formation and World War I:...
, 248
No. 248 Squadron RAF
No. 248 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force, active immediately after World War I, and again during World War II.-Post-World War I:...
and 333
No. 333 Squadron RAF
No. 333 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron of the Second World War. After the war it became 333 Squadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force.-Formation:...
squadrons’ at Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted on 2 April and been towed from Sandefjord
Sandefjord
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...
to the Port of Oslo to undergo repair. While Per Røed, Svein Blindheim and other high-ranking Aks 13000 men discussed a sabotage, Isøy approached the tipper's home by himself. The tipper, who was captain of Belpamela, arranged the hiring of Isøy at the ship on the same day, under the codename Arvid Eriksen. After being shown his cabin, he left the shipyard and fetched 4.5 kilograms (9.9 lb) of plastic explosives in a cover-up apartment as well as other gear. About one and a half hour later he returned, prepared and placed the explosives, split into two parts, without significant trouble. Around 18:00 one part exploded; the other part was then discovered in haste and thrown off the ship. Belpamela did not return to service for the rest of the war. She shipwrecked off Newfoundland on 11 April 1947, while carrying a cargo of locomotives.