*
The Battle at Dombaas on the 14th april 1940 is a quite well known episode during the Norwegian Campaign, and it was one of the first time that Reichsmarschall Görings paratrooper forces (Fallschirmjäger) were used in Battle. Fallschirmjäger were used for the first time in Norway during the attacks on Sola and Fornebu Airfields. It was only at Sola the Fsch.jg were engaged in a short fire fight with the norwegians. Both operations were considered a success, and the paratroopers were eager to come in combat, believing the war could end without their participation.
Company commander:
Olt Schmidt (KIA 16/6-44 at Pontiry, France)
This unit started on the 12th of april, and left their camp, Heimatstandort Stendal by Magdeburg. With a stop overnight at Schleswig, they arrived at Fornebu / Oslo on the 13th april. The company used 11 Junkers Ju 52´s, and were equipped with 18 Mg 34´s (LMG´s), 4 Mg 34´s on tripods (SMG´s), communication equipment, and containers for the weapons and ammunition.
On the evening the 14/4-40 the paratrooper force was air-borne, and started
their flight to Dombaas.
![]() Fallschirmjaeger enjoying a quick meal near Dombaas *
Lt Mössinger teamed up with Olt Schmidt at night-time the 14/4, and
it was not easy to gather the different platoons and squads in the unfamiliar
Norwegian nature since they had jumped out over a rather huge area. Within
the first 24 hours, about 120 men were lost, either dead or taken as POW´s.
The Fallschirmjäger force, which had taken positions about 5 km south of Dombaas, were under constant attack by the Norwegians during the evening on the 15th of april. The Norwegians suffered great casualties, and did not manage to overrun the well dug-in paratroopers. Small norwegian combat patrols continued to harass the germans during the night, mostly unsuccessfully.
On the 17th april the Germans took new positions, at a farm called Lindsö,
and they dug foxholes which still can be seen. They also had 55 Norwegian
POW´s, some civilians too.
On the 19th april the German force surrendered. Only 34 were not wounded.
![]() Olt Schmidt * Olt Schmidt, who was killed by french partisans in ´44, wrote a book called ”Die Fallschirmjäger von Dombaas” in 1941. |
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