Can anyone tell me what the 6th Battery LAA and the Alpine Chasseurs Regiment were doing or going to do when they were moved to Dingwell, north of Inverness. This happened in August 1940, they stayed there for two days before moving south again. They were not given any reason for this move and speculated that they were going to invade Norway. Any insight anyone?
Originally posted by handtohand22@Jul 6 2005, 09:02 PM Can anyone tell me what the 6th Battery LAA and the Alpine Chasseurs Regiment were doing or going to do when they were moved to Dingwell, north of Inverness. This happened in August 1940, they stayed there for two days before moving south again. They were not given any reason for this move and speculated that they were going to invade Norway. Any insight anyone? [post=36190]Quoted post[/post] There were no plans to invade Norway at that time, but there are always a lot of odd moves in wartime, especially during "Invasion Summer." They may have been moved for plans to occupy Iceland, which was ultimately done by the 2nd Canadian and 49th British West Riding Division.
Just to update the invasion theme. Dingwall had a base for a Anti Aircraft Training, but this facility was not on the agenga on this date. Norway had been invaded by Nazi Germany on 9th April 1940. They did this in order to gain control of the North Sea and also allow the import of iron ore from Sweden. The allied forces withdrew from Norway from 4 – 8 June 1940 and Norway surrendered on the 10th June. The 6th LAA Battery veterans surmised that the Battery was moved north in order to get to the embarkation point for an invasion. But British commando raids on Norway did not start until 26th December 1941. On May 10th 1940 British Royal Marines had occupied Iceland and by the 20th the occupation was handed over to the Canadian and British units. The Battery may have been about to reinforce that garrison. This move did not to take place and the Battery went on leave from August 15th until 22nd 1940 before their final training and posting to Egypt.
A German invasion from Norway was considered likely during the summer of 1940 - the submarine ops in the area testify to that - and it could be they were moved to Scotland to bolster the garrison. Perhaps there was an increased invasion threat during that period and they were subsequently stood down; perhaps they were going to have been sent to Iceland - perhaps to relieve or reinforce the Brit and Can units. It would be strange if a sizeable invasion of Norway or similar was planned during this period, given the state of the Army and the perceived threat of invasion (during the BoB). Richard
