Operation Freshman expert will talk about mission to halt Nazi atom bomb programme
An illustrated talk this weekend will give an expert insight into a bold but ill-fated wartime mission designed to wreck Nazi Germany's attempts at developing an atomic bomb.
It will focus on the story of Operation Freshman, the failed airborne assault launched from RAF Skitten to occupied Norway in 1942, with Dr Bruce Tocher as speaker.
The talk in Reiss on Saturday has been organised by Sinclair’s Bay Trust as part of the Caithness At War project.
A follow-up mission called Operation Gunnerside became the inspiration for the 1965 movie The Heroes of Telemark, starring Kirk Douglas, Richard Harris and Ulla Jacobsson.
Alistair Jack, the development trust officer for east Caithness at Caithness Voluntary Group, is involved in delivering the Caithness At War project which will result in a heritage trail highlighting the importance of the area in guarding against a potential Nazi invasion.
Mr Jack said: “Dr Bruce Tocher is undoubtedly the world expert on Operation Freshman and we have been working closely with him for the last 18 months to ensure that our information for the Operation Freshman information panel on the Caithness At War trail is 100 per cent accurate.
"We are very excited that he is travelling across from Norway to deliver this talk for us.
"We are also hoping to have Linda and Phil Falconer, relatives of Flight Sergeant Jim Falconer, the flight engineer who was killed when Halifax B crashed in Norway during the operation, travel up from St Cyrus for the talk.
"Operation Freshman was a very important and significant event during the war in Caithness.”
The talk is being held in Reiss village hall at 7pm on Saturday. Mr Jack added: "Admission is free, but if people wish to donate towards the Caithness At War project these will be gladly accepted on the night."
A wreath-laying ceremony took place at the Skitten airfield memorial in November last year to mark the 80th anniversary of Operation Freshman. Local members of the Royal British Legion Scotland and others gathered to honour the men who lost their lives in the operation and the resistance fighters who tried to help them.
The aim of the daring operation was to halt the Germans’ atomic weapons programme by destroying a vital heavy-water plant at Vemork. Three years into World War II, there were growing fears that the Nazis could win the race to develop an atomic bomb – with potentially catastrophic consequences for the Allies.
The Germans had taken control of the plant after invading Norway in April 1940.
Two Halifax bombers, both towing Horsa gliders containing commando-trained Royal Engineers, took off from Skitten, a satellite of RAF Wick. But the mission failed disastrously and only one bomber crew made it back.
Forty-one men lost their lives – 23 of them executed by the Gestapo.
Follow-up attacks by the Norwegian resistance, backed by Britain’s Special Operations Executive, did succeed.
