Telemark Battalion
| Telemark Bataljon | |
|---|---|
 Insignia of the Telemark Battalion |
|
| Active | 1993–2002 2003– |
| Country |  Norway |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Line Infantry |
| Role | Mechanised Infantry |
| Size | One battlegroup |
| Part of | Brigade Nord |
| Garrison/HQ | Rena |
| Colors | Emerald green beret |
| Engagements | Bosnian War Kosovo War Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom ISAF |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lieutenant colonel Lars S Lervik |
| Commander-in-Chief | HM The King |
The Telemark Bataljon (Telemark Battalion, TMBN) is a mechanised infantry unit of the Norwegian Army. It was established in 1993, and is a part of Brigade Nord and stationed at Rena, Hedmark. The battalion consists of five companies/ squadrons.
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[edit] History
In 1993 it was a motorised infantry unit, tasked as an Immediate Reaction Force with the Norwegian Army, stationed at Heistadmoen in southern Norway, manned mainly by conscripts.
It served in Bosnia, and by 2002, all the enlisted soldiers had two and three-year contracts of enlistment and the unit had no more conscripts.[citation needed]
The battalion was moved to a new camp at Rena and converted to mechanised infantry. Presented with its new colours in 2002, the Telemark Battalion was operational on 1 July 2003.
The unit participated in Operation Karez in Afghanistan, in May 2008.[1]
One soldier died in Afghanistan in 2004,[2][3] and one died there in 2010.[4]
[edit] Organisation
- Tank Squadron 1: The battalion's tank unit, equipped with Leopard 2 main battle tanks.
- Cavalry Squadron 2: The battalion's armoured recce and scout unit, equipped with CV9030 infantry fighting vehicles, ATVs and different sensors like UAVs etc.
- Mechanised Infantry Company 3: Mechanised infantry equipped with CV9030 infantry fighting vehicles.
- Mechanised Infantry Company 4: Mechanised infantry equipped with CV9030 infantry fighting vehicles.
- Staff and Support Squadron 5: A combat support unit made up by mortar, medic, signals and repair platoons.
In addition, the Telemark Battalion frequently trains with the rest of the Norwegian Army High Reaction Force. This is a composite unit made up of the Telemark Battalion, as well as enlisted personnel from support capabilities, ranging from artillery to military police.
The Telemark Battalion was one of the infantry battalions assigned to the NATO Response Force during the NRF-4 rotation from January to July 2005; the others were Regiment Johan Willem Friso and Regiment Van Heutsz of the Dutch Army and Fallschirmjägerbataillon 373 of the German Army.
Telemark Battalion is the primary source of international contributions from the Norwegian Army. The battalion has almost constantly been involved in the ISAF operation in Afghanistan since 2003.
[edit] Crimes not prosecuted
Since the summer of 2009 there were several instances of soldiers from the unit spraypainting Totenkopf figures (in part inspired[5] to resemble a character from comic books and movie – the Punisher) on houses and property belonging to civilian Afghans who soldiers suspected to have ties to anti-government militants. The purpose was to "send a message",[6] to leaders of opposing militants, that the Norwegian soldiers were in charge (bestemte).
In September 2010, Verdens Gang reported that some soldiers were still using a Totenkopf badge that had been prohibited by the leadership of Norway's military.[7]
The crimes of threatening behaviour and spraypainting the property of others, did not lead to any criminal charges or charges of war crimes.[8]
[edit] Battle cry
In 2010, Dagbladet published a video of Rune Wenneberg leading a battle cry ("To Valhalla") by soldiers of the unit — his intro to the cry was "[inaudible] are hunters. But you are the predator. Taliban is the prey. To Valhalla!"[9]"
In 2011, Dag Herbjørnsrud wrote in an editorial that "Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik wasn't sending soldiers into war — he was merely supplying manpower to a "peacekeeping mission". Is it odd that the media was surprised by Norwegian soldiers using viking helmets and battle cries of vikings?"[10]
[edit] Deployments
- 1997–1999: SFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- 1999–2002: KFOR in Kosovo
- 2003: in Iraq
- 2003–2004: The unit was temporarily[citation needed] handed over to ISAF, and thereafter deployed to Kabul in Afghanistan
- 2005–2006: ISAF at Kabul in Afghanistan
- 2006: ISAF at Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan
- 2006–2007: ISAF at Meymaneh, Afghanistan
- 2008: ISAF at Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan
- 2008– : ISAF at Meymaneh, Afghanistan
[edit] Notable soldiers
- Joshua French (prisoner of Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a death sentence[11]
- Tjostolv Moland (prisoner of Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a death sentence)[12]
- Rune Wenneberg[13]
- Emil Johansen[14] (author of Brødre i blodet)
[edit] Notes
- ^ Telemark Battalion in new combat with Taliban[dead link], Aftenposten, 27 May 2008 (English)
- ^ [1], CNN, 23 May 2004 (English)
- ^ "(Six of nine Norwegians killed by roadbombs)Seks av ni norske drept av veibomber" "23. mai 2004: Grenader Tommy Rødningsby fra Telemark bataljon blir drept "
- ^ http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=10036791 "I januar 2010 ble Claes Joachim «Jokke» Olsson drept av en veibombe"
- ^ http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=10036791
- ^ Verdens Gang 2011-11-14 p.47
- ^ http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=10036791 "FORBUDT: Til tross for gjentatte forbud fra forsvarsledelsen, fortsetter noen av soldatene fra Telemark bataljon å bruke dette merket, dødninghodet «The Punisher». Merket fikk påskriften «Jokke – we will never forget» etter at Claes Joachim Olsson ble drept av en veibombe i januar."
- ^ Verdens Gang 2011-11-14 p.47
- ^ http://www.dagbladet.no/2010/09/28/nyheter/forsvaret/innenriks/13590682/ 12 seconds into the video: "Men dere som er rovdyret. Taliban er nå byttet. Til Valhall"
- ^ http://www.nytid.no/meninger/artikler/20111124/leder-skjult-krig-snikende-sannhet/ "Lurte nordmenn — Noe av fordømmelsen kan nok bunne i at norsk offentlighet ble forledet fra å få vite hvilken krig landet deltok i. Statsminister Kjell Magne Bondevik (KrF) sendte jo ikke ut soldater i krig, kun personell til en «fredsbevarende operasjon». Er det rart mediene ble overrasket over at norske soldater hadde på seg hjelm og ropte vikingslagord?"
- ^ http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article3245541.ece
- ^ http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article3245541.ece
- ^ A full-page article in Aftenposten, 2010-12-11, page 4 by Kristin Høiland
- ^ "(- A miracle that I am alive)- Et mirakel at jeg lever"
[edit] External links
- Norwegian Army page on Telemark Battalion (in Norwegian)
- Article on Telemark Battalion from 1(GE/NL) Corps website (dead link)
- Telemark Battalion Veterans Association
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