Arne Dagfin Dahl

Infobox Military Person
name=Arne Dagfin Dahl
lived=?, 1894 – ?, 1990
placeofbirth=Norway
placeofdeath=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=• British Army (1916)
• Norwegian Army
serviceyears=
rank=Generalmajor (Major General) of the Royal Norwegian Army
commands=Commanding officer:
• Alta Battalion
• Liberated Finnmark
• District Command North
and the 6th Division
• Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany
unit=
battles=World War I:
• Battle of the Somme
World War II:
• Battle of Gratangen
• Battles of Narvik
• Liberation of Finnmark
• Allied Occupation of Germany
awards=
family=
laterwork=
portrayedby=
enteredservice=
currentlyresides=

Arne Dagfin Dahl (1894-1990)NorgesLexi: [http://lotus.uib.no/norgeslexi/krigslex/d/d1.html#dahl-arne Arne Dagfin Dahl] no icon] was a Norwegian military officer most renowned as the commander of the Alta Battalion during the fighting at Narvik in Northern Norway in 1940.Tysklandsbrigaden.no: [http://www.tysklandsbrigaden.no/Publikasjonar/Brigadebok/Dahl.html Brigade Commander Dahl] no icon]

World War I

During the Battles of Narvik lt. col. Dahl was the sole Norwegian officer with previous battle experience, having fought as young lieutenant in a British unit at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. [ [http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/hod/dok/NOUer/1998/NOU-1998-12/17.html?id=375504 Norwegian government evaluation of the Alta Battalion in 1940] no icon]

World War II

Dahl assumed command of the Alta Battalion in 1939 and led it through the 1940 Norwegian Campaign. [NorgesLexi: [http://www.norgeslexi.com/krigslex/a/a2.html#alta-bataljon Alta Battalion] no icon] [Eriksen, Karle Henrik: [http://www.kristiansten-festning.no/narvik_fettoget-landgangen.htm The battle for Narvik] no icon]

He later served in the UK and the U.S. as well as having other commands before in the fall of 1944, as a full colonel, he was made commander of the Norwegian Military Mission.

In 1941 Dahl became the first Norwegian to attend the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Finnmark command

Dahl was given the task of commanding the Norwegian forces that were transferred to, as well as those raised in, the recently liberated Norwegian county of Finnmark from November 1944. At the time of the German capitulation in Norway on 8 May 1945 Dahl had under his Finnmark command around 3,000 soldiers. Although involved in very little fighting, the force under Dahl's command was heavily involved in helping the civilian population of Finnmark and served as a symbol of Norwegian sovereignty in the area. Dahl on his part was concerned that the Russian forces which had been stationed in Eastern Finnmark since the October 1944 Petsamo-Kirkenes Operation might not leave after war's end. These concerns turned out not to come true as all the Soviet forces left Norwegian territory by August-September 1945. [NorgesLexi: [http://www.norgeslexi.com/krigslex/f/f5.html#frigjoringen-finnmark The liberation of Finnmark] no icon]

Post-war service

A.D. Dahl became a Major General and commander of District Command North in 1945.

In the period 1 September 1949 to 31 October 1950, [Tysklandsbrigaden.no: [http://www.tysklandsbrigaden.no/Publikasjonar/Brigadebok/Meny_Brigadebok.html Overview] no icon] Dahl commanded the Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany.

Footnotes