Bjørn Rørholt
| Bjørn Rørholt | |
|---|---|
| Born |
27 August 1919 Aker, Norway |
| Died | 3 May 1993 (aged 73) Oslo |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Occupation | Engineer Military officer |
| Parent(s) | Arnold Rørholt |
| Relatives | Vera Henriksen (cousin) |
| Awards |
War Cross with Sword Distinguished Service Order Order of St. Olav |
Bjørn Arnold Rørholt DSO (27 August 1919 – 3 May 1993) was a Norwegian engineer, military officer, Secret Intelligence Service agent and resistance member during World War II.
Rørholt was born in Aker as the son of military officer Arnold Rørholt (1884–1961) and his wife Luise Fredrikke Lund (1891–1965). He was a first cousin of Vera Henriksen and a great-grandson of Friedrich Roscher.
Rørholt finished his secondary education in 1937, and enrolled at the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1939. After a short time he was drafted for compulsory military service. Not long after, when the Norwegian Military Academy opened for an extra influx of recruits, Rørholt enrolled there.
When World War II reached Norway on 9 April 1940, with the German invasion, the Military Academy cadet Rørholt helped fighting to repel the invaders. However, after the Norwegian Campaign Germany emerged victorious, and occupied Norway. After a short time as a prisoner-of-war, Rørholt returned to the Institute of Technology in autumn 1940.
In September 1940 the Secret Intelligence Service established two stations for radio communication; the so-called Skylark A was led by Sverre Midtskau in Oslo while Skylark B was led by Erik Welle-Strand in Trondheim. Egil Reksten later took over for Welle-Strand. Skylark B established regular contact with the intelligence in London in 1941, and helped spread messages about German troop and naval movements as well as vital information about German activity at Vemork heavy water plant. In September 1941, however, Gestapo managed to track the Skylark B transmitting activity. Rørholt travelled to Oslo as a decoy, was nearly captured but escaped. His father was held hostage until November 1942. Rørholt fled to Sweden via Iddefjord, accompanied by Knut Haukelid who had been involved in the Skylark A group in Oslo. Rørholt then travelled from Stockholm to Great Britain. Initially, he was withdrawn from active service because he might be known to the Germans.
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