WW2 Clandestine Flights from Scotland to Norway

Hello All,
Some colleagues on another forum are researching the possible uses by MI5/SIS (hereinafter known as the Spooks) of amphibians and/or float-planes to insert/extract personnel/equipment to/from southern Norway during WW2. There is some fragmentary written evidence that this may actually have occurred.
Clearly the Spooks would not want to advertise these clandestine flights which are alleged to have taken place between (inter alia) the northeast coasts of Scotland (and islands to the north) and the Stavanger area of south Norway. Thus one can probably rule out existing airfields and/or seaplane bases.
The question is:- Does anyone on this forum have any knowledge of any such flights and – if so – where did they originate from in Scotland? Alternatively, if not, then who does (apart from clandestinely inserting a mole into Spook HQ!!!!)?
Realise this is a very long shot. But if you don't ask then you'll never know?
TIA
Resmoroh

This would be the No 333 Squadron Royal Norwegian Air Force unit based at Woodhaven. They used many aircraft but the Norwegian flights were done with Catalina's.

The site actual location (beach, slipway etc) is now used by the Wormit Boating Club where there is also a memorial to the Squadron.
Its on the Google map. maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msa=0&hl=en&ie...004a5a74f9785e3c9a40

The unit was SIS, they specialised in the transfer of agents, equipment and information, they also used the aircraft as a flying staging post for WT traffic from Northern Norway to the UK (and the exiled king)...

image: RCAHMS, Date 1/6/1943, Item SC1031157

I was involved in the key thread so thought I might copy my posts onto here...

Flt Lt John Iverach was the canadian navigator who wrote 'Chronicles of a nervous navigator',I am aware that there was some controversy over his He115 claims but he writes that he was introduced to the type at Calshot where the He115's were prepared/modified/serviced by BOAC !
He does not go into too much detail about most of his He115 flights but confirms that the A/c was based at Woodhaven and that the a/c wore british markings...but even so they still had trouble with being (friendly) fired upon even when escorted by british a/c.I believe that they were never fired at when doing the Norway ops.
Not too much help for the OP but as DaveF68 said - it is a fascinating subject on its own.

The pic below is probably taken at Woodhaven (courtesy Invergordon Archive) clearly showing the He115 at mooring,John Iverach is probably far right.

The trouble with the possible He115 Norway flights is that the pilot named by Iverach (Kapt Lt Knut Skavhaugan) was KIA in a mosquito on 23/3/45 and so could not confirm or deny Iverach's claims.I have read many wartime autobiographies and Iverach does not seem a bull5hitter...most operational aircrew tend to play down their achievements etc.
If I may quote a short passage from the book ...

Quote:
For several weeks now Sofiano had been telling us that our work with him was almost finished but there always seemed to be 'just one more trip' .
My own nerves were starting to get the better of me...It wasn't because anything was happening to us on our trips,but,rather ,it was because it was NOT.How long could we keep getting away with these audacious operations ?

Iverach claims that they worked for W Cdr Sofiano and Sqn ldr Shaw and not through any normal chain of command so it is doubtful that even the CO of 333 (Lambrechts) knew officially exactly the destinations of these (alleged) flights.
So there might be the problem,because any clandestine flights would not be organised through the normal chain of command it might depend on either the pilot or agents surviving the war and therefore to be able to confirm/deny that these flights actually happened.

rgds baz

Just to possibly confirm the Sofiano link...from flight global (193eight)

Quote:
29.8.38. V. J. Sofiano, M.B.E., to Deputy Directorate of Intelligence, Air Ministry

And in case anybody frequents the Nat Archives...

The following information adds to the details given in The National Archives' Catalogue for AIR 40/2659

Original Air Historical Branch references: IIG/101/1, IIG/101/2 and IIG/101/3
Piece partly in French, not all of which is translated.
Report by Major A Bertram on SIS night air landing pick up operations, France.
Summary of the Bertram report by Air Commodore L G Payne [Who was at various times D of I(L), Air Ministry and DD/Air of SIS.]
Report by Group Captain Sofiano on RAF resources made available to SIS

rgds baz

Until 1941, the RAF had five Fokker TVIII floatplanes at their disposal, operating out of Pembroke. 8 reached the U.K, three were lost on Convoy Patrols. This type of aircraft could have also been deployed on 'other' duties. They were subsequently 'stored' at RAF Felixstowe.

There were numerous odd clandestine flights to Scandinavia by other aircraft. Horsham St Faith museum documents a clandestine Mosquito flight to Sweden, in civil markings, by a civillian dressed RAF crew, to collect material sent from Russia, needed for intel.

There were other numerous flights to Sweden by'BOAC' marked mossies.

If landing an aircraft in Norway was difficult, agents could also have been delivered by submarine.

RAF 138 and 161 squadrons were primarily used for SOE/SIS agent work, based at Tempsford and Stradishall using a mix of aircraft.

Allies and Axis all seem to have had similar units. The USAAF had the Carpetbaggers/Nightleaflet squadrons at Harrington.

The Germans had KG200, whose commander still refused to divulge any info, long after the war. KG 200 started out as a widely dispersed collection of aircraft, as part of the Abwehr intelligence service.

Resmoroh;107132 wrote:

Hello All,
Some colleagues on another forum are researching the possible uses by MI5/SIS (hereinafter known as the Spooks) of amphibians and/or float-planes to insert/extract personnel/equipment to/from southern Norway during WW2. There is some fragmentary written evidence that this may actually have occurred.
Clearly the Spooks would not want to advertise these clandestine flights which are alleged to have taken place between (inter alia) the northeast coasts of Scotland (and islands to the north) and the Stavanger area of south Norway. Thus one can probably rule out existing airfields and/or seaplane bases.
The question is:- Does anyone on this forum have any knowledge of any such flights and – if so – where did they originate from in Scotland? Alternatively, if not, then who does (apart from clandestinely inserting a mole into Spook HQ!!!!)?
Realise this is a very long shot. But if you don't ask then you'll never know?
TIA
Resmoroh

Hi guys, greeting from a sunny South Australia.

Just come across this thread (by accident) and was wondering if any more photos are available from the war period. Reason, well I was fortunate enough to live in the ground from flat of 'Rock House' when I was stationed at RAF Leuchars. At that time, there was still evidence to the King of Norway's visit in the 'pink' gravel laid on the down slope track that passed the house. I believe the house was also a hospital at some time.

[IMG]/community/142648=16004-Rock House, Wormit.jpg[/img]

Cheers in advance, Doug Mansfield