Martin Linge

Martin Jensen Linge
Kaptein Martin Linge
Born	11 December 1894 Linge Farm in Norddal, Sunnmøre, Norway
Died	27 December 1941 Måløy on South Vågsøy in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
Allegiance	Norway
Service/branch	Norwegian Army
Years of service	1940 - 1941
Rank	Kaptein (Captain)
Unit	Royal Norwegian Army SOE
Commands held	Units: Norwegian Independent Company 1 (1941)
Battles/wars	World War II Norwegian Campaign Operation Claymore Operation Archery
Awards	War Cross with sword
Other work	Pioneer aviator, actor, sailor

Martin Jensen Linge (11 December 1894 – 27 December 1941) was a former Norwegian actor who, in World War II, became the commander of the Norwegian Independent Company 1 (NOR.I.C.1) (pronounced as Norisen by the Norwegians), formed in March 1941 for operations on behalf of the Special Operations Executive.^[1][2]

Biography

Martin Linge was born in Norddal, Møre og Romsdal County, Norway. In 1915 he graduated as a non-commissioned officer from the military school in Trondheim. He subsequently studied at the Trondheim Theatre (1917–1918). He debuted on the stage at the Central Theater in Oslo in 1921 and appeared in both theater and films during the 1920s and 1930s.

Martin Linge was father of Jan Herman Linge, an internationally renowned engineer and boat designer. He was also the grandfather of Norwegian novelist Espen Haavardsholm, who wrote abount his grandfather in Martin Linge – min morfar. Familieroman med fotografier (Gyldendal norsk forlag. 1993).^[3]

Military career

Linge was killed during (Operation Archery), a British Combined Operations raid at Måløy against German military positions on Vågsøy Island. During the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany, Måløy was used as a German coastal fortress, which had led to the eradication of all settlement on the island to make room for the fortress.^[4]

Subsequently the unit he had led was named Kompani Linge in his honor. Linge Company was more formally as Lingekompaniet (The Linge Company) ('-et' being the definite article suffix), by Norwegians. He was awarded Norway's highest military decoration for gallantry, the War Cross with sword.^[5]

Filmography

• 1939 - Gjest Baardsen – Fisherman
• 1938 - Bør Børson Jr. – Nils Bækken
• 1938 - Det drønner gjennom dalen – Policeman (Lensmannsbetjent)
• 1935 - Samhold må til – Warden
• 1926 - Vägarnas kung – Ola, a farm boy

Legacy

He is portrayed in a documentary by XpoMedia Ltd/FRM entitled Martin Linge - skuespiller og legende by directors Mary Ann Myrvang and Runar Skjong which appeared on the NRK1 program "Fakta på lørdag" on May 8, 2004. He was also portrayed by Norwegian actor Petter Næss in the 2008-movie Max Manus.

Memorials

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• Statue in the Linge park in Måløy

Streets named in his honour

• Kaptein Linges vei, Ålesund
• Kaptein Linges vei, Stavanger
• Martin Linges vei, Snarøya
• Martin Linges vei, Oslo
• Martin Linges vei, Strømmen
• Martin Linges veg, Moss
• Martin Linges veg, Heimdal

References

1. ^ Martin Jensen Linge (Store norske leksikon)
2. ^ Martin Linge (NRK)
3. ^ Martin Linge – utdypning (Espen Haavardsholm. Store norske leksikon)
4. ^ The Raid (Operation Archery, the raid on Vaagso and Maaloy)
5. ^ Kompani Linge (Digitalskolen, Historisk institutt © Universitetet i Bergen)

Other sources

• Ford, Ken (2011) Operation Archery - The Commandos and the Vaagso Raid 1942 (Osprey Publishing) ISBN 978-1849083720
• Devins, Joseph H., Jr. (1983) The Vaagso Raid (Bantam Books) ISBN 978-0553233100

External links

• Linge memorial at Måløy
• Kompani Linge at Lofoten War Museum

Persondata
Name	Linge, Martin
Alternative names	Linge, Martin Jensen
Short description	Norwegian actor and military commander
Date of birth	11 December 1894
Place of birth	Norddal, Sunnmøre, Norway
Date of death	27 December 1941
Place of death	Måløy, Norway