Helge Mathisen
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Helge Mathisen | |
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 Helge Mathisen sitting on a Spitfire Mk. II spring 1944 |
Helge Valdemar Mathisen (born 9 September 1914) was a Norwegian pilot flying for the RNoF during World War II. He flew a total of 81 missions for the 331st Squadron starting on 17 May 1944.[1][2][3]
Early life
[edit]Helge Mathisen was born on 9 September, 1914 on a farm in Kjerringnes to Valborg Mathiassen and Hjalmar Marinuis Mathiassen. According to Helge's grandchild, he was a very good student, with good grades and good behaviour, shown on a report card from the age of 14 in 1928.[4]
At the age of 20, he attended middle school in Harstad, but later the same year attended Befalskolens forskole.[5]
In January 1940, 4 months after the German invasion of Poland and the start of World War II, Mathisen was accepted as a student at Hærens Speiderskole in Kjeller, where he had his first flight in a de Havilland Tiger Moth.[6]
Service during World War II
[edit]On 9 April, 1940, German warships first entered the Oslofjord, and fired on the Norwegian ships stationed there. Mathisen was scheduled for morse training when the first German bombing runs in Kjeller began. Mathisen most likely helped the ground anti-air against these bombers, until Oslo and the area surounding it fell, this including Kjeller.[6][7]
In the chaos following the invasion of southern Norway, Mathisen and his flight school were ordered to evacuate and escape to Sweden. After this, Helge decided to go to Kristiansund, to join the resistance against the occupying German forces, where he joined the battles all the way up to northern Norway, fighting until Norway capitulated the 10th of June, 1940.[6] After the capitulation, he was tasked with gathering information on the German forces, where he eventually got a job at Bardufoss Airport. He stayed there until the autumn of 1940, when he decided to get to England to contribute more to the war in Europe.[8]
He successfully made his way to England, and in January 1941, he made his way to London, and in February the same year he started training with Kompani Linge,[7] as they needed soldiers for the upcoming Operation Claymore. After this, he attended an Air Observer School, attending the last course before the school was moved to Canada.
In the spring of 1942, Mathisen was sent to Toronto to continue his training, aiming to keep pursuing his dream of becoming a pilot. He applied to Little Norway, where he was accepted. He attended this school until August 1942, when he was sent to Muskoka, where he stayed until Autumn 1943.[7][5]
Autumn 1943 to 17 May 1944 he received his last training at OTU 57, before he was sent to the 331st Squadron.[3][7]
Operation Overlord and the liberation of France
[edit]On 5 June, 1944, his entire Squadron, along with the 332nd and 66th are gathered to be informed about their role in the upcoming invasion and liberation of German-occupied France. Helge's wing, the 132nd, was tasked with air superiority over the landings in Sword, Juno, and Gold. When the allied wing wasn't met by German fighters, their task was changed to attacking ground targets.[9][2]
Until December of 1944, Mathisen kept flying different missions, ranging from air superiority to interception. After this he went to London, for what was supposed to be a short break for a few days, but during his stay he was robbed and left close to death. He was sent to a hospital, and against all odds made a full recovery right before New Years Eve, but not before having gone home to celebrate Christmas. On the 29th of December, he once again returned to serve for the last parts of the war.[9]
He returned to Norway on 22 May, where he and the rest of his Norwegian pilots of his squadron were met by Crownprince Olav of Norway.[10]
Post-war
[edit]After the war, Mathisen got a job as station chief for Norseman in Tromsø, where he worked from 1946 to 1954.[11]
On 15 February 1947, Helge Mathisen met Jorun Haugli while in Tromsø, and they quickly developed a relationship, later marrying.
References
[edit]- ^ "331 SKVADRONEN". helgemathisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
- ^ a b Marshall, Tom (2018-03-31). "Those Magnificent Men: Everyday Heroes of the RAF in Color | War History Online". warhistoryonline. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
- ^ a b "Helge Valdemar Mathisen f. 9 Sep 1914 Kjerringnes, Sortland, Nordland, Norge d. 10 Mar 1982 Bodø, Nordland, Norge". scramble.no. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
- ^ "TIDSLINJER & 1914-1934". helgemathisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
- ^ a b Eliassen, Per (24 Dec 2005). "Fra nøytralitetsvakt til sjef på Skattøra" (PDF). Tromsø Avis.
- ^ a b c "1940". helgemathisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
- ^ a b c d Sevaldsen, Knut (1965). "Tre av Fire Fly" (PDF). Nordlands Fremtid (in Norwegian).
- ^ "1941". helgemathisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
- ^ a b "1944". helgemathisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
- ^ "1945". helgemathisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-06-04.
- ^ "1946 - 1949". helgemathisen (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2025-06-04.