Iron Crosses awarded for mineclearing in Norway, 1945

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Amazing Discovery!

Gentlemen,

This is a very good discovery of awarding Iron Crosses for actions shortly after World War II in Norway. Now if we could only see some documents of Kriegsmarine personnal who were awarded either the Iron Cross 2nd Class or the Iron Cross 1st Class. Especially those who served on minesweepers!

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

[jt327gir]

Excellent documents and history! Thanks for sharing.

[Edward L. Hsiao]

After The Cease Fire

Gentlemen,

I just thought of something. What if the German military personnel who were stationed in Norway and were holders of both Second and First Classes of the Iron Cross earned during the War get as an decoration for mine removing or other activities after the War?


Sincerely,


Edward L. Hsiao

[Skyhawk]

Hi Simon,

Incredible history and research! It is amazing that an EK2 required 250 mines cleared! I think today, 100 euros or so for a nice EK2 is a better and safer deal! I hope you do write an article for the International Medal Collector magazine on this topic! As far as denazification, it looks like on the double award documents the swaz is missing, however there was no way to source EKs without a swaz. Based upon your research, what date approximimately was the last EK awarded in Norway? Would this not be the last EK awarded anywhere?

Best to All!

[Simon O.]

Re: Iron Crosses awarded for mineclearing in Norway, 1945

Thank you all for the kind responses. I'm not sure how late these awards continued but i have yet to see anything beyond september. AOK 20 started to draw down from late october, by then the bulk of the men had left norway and most of the senior commanders and commands had gone. There is another question here. Did everyone actually get their crosses? There was a finite number in stock at the end but was it enough? There is still another thick folder i have to photograph mostly award lists but there could be more information in there.

I have also discovered some other nuggets that will be of interest for example the original orders authorising the award of the lappland shield and detailed orders on exactly how various decorations should be de-nazified.

[tony james]

Simon
thanks for for the time and hard work you have invested in this project and sharing it with us.

[Volksgrenadier 44]

I enjoyed that Simon,,Thankyou

Ross

[A.H. Thomassen]

Outstanding research Simon


Mvh. AH

[Douglas 5]

Excellant information Simon : Interested in what you find on the Lappland Shield .
I knew a recepient and seen his .

Douglas

[Simon O.]

Gentlemen,

This is a very good discovery of awarding Iron Crosses for actions shortly after World War II in Norway. Now if we could only see some documents of Kriegsmarine personnal who were awarded either the Iron Cross 2nd Class or the Iron Cross 1st Class. Especially those who served on minesweepers!

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

Edward, amongst the lists are also LW and KM personnel, not from ships but land based units like the marine-festungs pionier

[CWP]

Awesome stuff, thanks for posting it.

[streptile]

Really amazing stuff Simon! Thank you for doing the research and posting it.

I love the "denazified" documents.

[byterock]

Any into on 'Minesweeper Badge ' awards in those docs.

I always understood that they where given out well after the war as well to those units that assisted in the removal of mines in cooperation with the United Nations.

I even met a KM vet who has such an award though that was some time ago long before I though anything about getting his story.

[o.r.k.]

Unbelievable find. Thanks for sharing your results. So there were two stories. I´ve heard from forced mine removals in Norway with POW being forced to cross the minefield after they worked on it with little equipment and no training-(with losses due to the missed/wrongly defused mines)- a clear war crime. Then on the other hand clearing mines in cooperation with the British, even offering combat awards as a reward to the men involved.

[Diver]

Outstanding work Simon