Day-by-Day Timeline of Events
Monday, February 5th, 1940
The Allied Supreme War Council agrees to come to the aid of Finland and Norway - if only to protect valuable Swedish ore from falling to the Germans.
Friday, February 16th, 1940
HMS Cossack, a Royal Navy destroyer, moves into neutral Norwegian waters to claim its merchant men from the German ship Altmark. Germany and Norway both protest the action.
Monday, April 8th, 1940
HMS Glowworm intercepts a portion of the German invasion fleet headed to Norway.
Tuesday, April 9th, 1940
The German invasion force strikes Norway and Denmark.
Tuesday, April 9th, 1940
Norwegian coastal guns sink the German cruiser Blucher with 1,600 lives being lost.
Tuesday, April 9th, 1940
Norwegian royalty and its government flee northward from the invasion.
Tuesday, April 9th, 1940
HMS Rodney, a British battlecruiser, engages the German warships KMS Gneisenau and KMS Scharnhorst.
Wednesday, April 10th, 1940
KMS Konigsberg, a German light cruiser, becomes the first warship sunk by dive bombing at Bergen.
Wednesday, April 10th, 1940
Five British destroyers surprise a German force of ten destroyers near Narvik. Nine German cargo ships are lost as well as two destroyers. The British also lose a pair of destroyers in the action.
Friday, April 12th, 1940
British aerial bombing of KMS Admiral Hipper, KMS Gneisenau, and KMS Scharnhorst fail to net the needed results.
Saturday, April 13th, 1940
The Second Battle of Narvik nets the British eight German destroyers and a submarine.
Sunday, April 14th, 1940
An Allied rescue force made up of British, Polish, and French begin arriving at Namsos, Alesund, and Narvik.
Saturday, April 20th - April 30th, 1940
The German defense at Trondheim holds and prepares for reinforcements.
Wednesday, May 1st - May 2nd, 1940
Allied forces abandon their missions at Namsos and Andalsnes.
Wednesday, April 24th, 1940
Allied naval guns open up on German positions at Narvik in preparation for a ground assault.
Thursday, May 2nd, 1940
German forces arrive at Andalsnas.
Friday, May 3rd, 1940
Duringan evacuation operation, the French destroyer Bison and the British destroyer Afridi are sunk by air attack.
Sunday, May 5th, 1940
French and Polish forces land at Tromso and Harstad.
Monday, May 13th, 1940
Norwegian forces move on Narvik.
Monday, May 13th, 1940
French forces land at Bjerkvik.
Friday, May 17th, 1940
The British lose HMS Effingham when it runs aground near Narvik.
Tuesday, May 21st, 1940
The Allies are able to make some gains near Narvik.
Monday, May 27th, 1940
The Allies enter Narvik.
Monday, May 27th, 1940
German warplanes destroyer the city of Bodo.
Friday, May 31st, 1940
British forces at Bodo evacuate.
Saturday, June 1st, 1940
The British and French governments notify the Norwegian government of their plans to evacuate.
Tuesday, June 4th, 1940
Allied forces at Harstad begin their evacuation of the area.
Friday, June 7th, 1940
The Norwegian government joins several other powers as a government-in-exile. Its officials board HMS Devonshire for their escape.
Saturday, June 8th, 1940
The Germans enact Operation Juno to relieve its forces at Narvik.
Saturday, June 8th, 1940
HMS Glorious is sunk by KMS Scharnhorst and KMS Gneisenau.
Sunday, June 9th, 1940
The Norwegian military is ordered to surrender.
Monday, June 10th, 1940
The invasion of Norway is complete, the victory going to the Germans.
Thursday, August 15th, 1940
74 Luftwaffe aircraft launched from bases in Denmark and Norway are lost on what will be remembered as "Black Thursday".
