Page 44 - AMA Summer 2023

CADETS
EXERCISE TELEMARK CHALLENGER
ARMY CADETS VENTURE OVERSEAS AGAIN –
80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HEROES OF TELEMARK
Lt Col Cath Davies – Army Cadets Adviser for Adventurous Training
In 2022, the Army Cadets national adventurous training expeditions all took place in the UK, due to
nervousness over travel arrangements and medical facilities in the aftermath of Covid. And it was partly these considera- tions that led Regional Command in 2021 to choose Norway for our first overseas expedition after Covid. We considered the sparsity of population, climate and excellent medical resources that would make it a safe bet post Covid; strange how our risk assessments have had to change!
So, after two years of planning, organising, fundraising and selecting, in April 2023, 16 cadets and 4 Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) embarked on a challenging expedition to retrace the footsteps of Norwegian World War II saboteurs, better known as the Heroes of Telemark (HOT), who crossed the Hardangervidda to put a halt to Hitler’s heavy water production. This operation, Op GUNNERSIDE, took place 80 years ago, and this expedition celebrated that anniversary.
The Hardangervidda is a vast mountain plateau in Norway, known for its harsh weather conditions and rugged terrain. During World War II, the Germans had established a heavy water plant in Rjukan, situated in a valley on the north edge of the Hardangervidda. Rjukan will be familiar to some readers as it is now better known for its excellent and accessible ice climbing. This is because it is situated in a deep, steep sided gorge with waterfalls tumbling down to the river far below, which freeze in winter. Heavy water was a crucial component in the development of nuclear weapons and
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its production required specialist facilities. The Norwegian resistance, with the help of British intelligence, launched a daring sabotage mission to destroy the plant and disrupt the German’s nuclear program. A group of four Norwegian saboteurs were parachuted onto the plateau to prepare a landing ground for a larger group of British Parachute Engineers who were to fly in on gliders. Unfortunately, this mission failed, with all personnel killed, and the original four fled deeper onto the Hardangervidda to hole up in one of the huts to over-winter until the weather improved.
The following spring, a further six Norwegians parachuted onto the Har- dangervidda, rendezvoused with the original four and together they successfully completed the mission, without any loss of life, an amazing feat of arms given the location of the heavy water plant and the strength of the German garrison guarding it.
The concept of operations for Ex Telemark Challenger was to undertake one week of cross-country ski training based further south at Evje in the Setesdal valley, then
The Obligatory Team Photo
according to skiing ability, split the group into two teams, one to carry out a longer expedition on the Hardangervidda and the other to carry out a couple of days more training before undertaking a shorter journey, supported by a husky team. The teams would then meet up and undertake a re-enactment of the advance to contact carried out by the original saboteurs on the heavy water plant at Rjukan. This ensured that, however well (or poorly in the case of the author!) people took to cross-country skiing, everyone would be able to undertake an expedition and gain the personal development, teamwork and leadership opportunities that are offered by adventurous training. As anyone who has undertaken cross-country skiing wearing rucksacks and pulling pulks will know, high levels of mental and physical robustness are required, especially when weather conditions are poor and the harshness of the environment demands good personal skills, buddy-buddy working and teamwork.
The training phase was completed suc- cessfully, blessed with fine weather and good conditions. As well as the skiing,