Operation Archery, also known as the Måløy Raid, was a British Combined Operations raid during World War II against German positions on the island of Vågsøy, Norway, on 27 December 1941.

British Commandos of No. 3 Commando, two troops of No. 2 Commando, a medical detachment of No. 4 Commando, a demolition party from 101 Troop (canoe) of No. 6 Commando, and a dozen Norwegians from Norwegian Independent Company 1 conducted the raid. The Royal Navy, led by the light cruiser , with the destroyers , , and , provided fire support. The submarine was in support as the force navigational check. and transported the troops.

<gallery class="center" widths="175px" heights="175px">

File:Captured German troops norway.jpg|Commandos with POWs

File:Raid on Vaagso, 27 December 1941 N459.jpg|British troops watch an oil factory burn

</gallery>

Aftermath

No Royal Navy ships were lost but the navy suffered four men killed and four wounded. The Commandos sustained 17 killed and 53 wounded. The commander of the Norwegian Independent Company 1, Captain Martin Linge, was killed in an attack on the local German headquarters and eight Royal Air Force aircraft were shot down. (A Norwegian civilian was hit by shrapnel during the raid, and died from the resulting injuries the following night). The commandos accounted for at least 120 defenders killed and returned with 98 prisoners and a complete copy of the German Naval Code.<!-- What is the German Naval Code? Not explained in the linked article.-->

thumb|Wounded British officer in Norway

Several Quislings and over 70 loyal Norwegians (Jøssing) were also brought back. In conjunction with this raid, Operation Anklet was mounted by No. 12 Commando on the Lofoten Islands as a diversion. The raid was enough to persuade Adolf Hitler to divert 30,000 troops to Norway and to build more coastal and inland defences.

Notes

Further reading

  • "SUPPLEMENT to The London Gazette Of FRIDAY the 2nd of July 1948 RAID ON MILITARY AND ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES IN THE VICINITY OF VAAGSO ISLAND. ibiblio.org
  • Combined Operations: Operation Archery
  • I Was There! – We Went to Vaagso with the Commando Men, The War Illustrated, 20 January 1942.
  • Newsreel coverage of the raid