1940 - Skirmishes at Høytorp Fort

After the Germans got through at Fossum Bridge, the forces continued eastwards towards Mysen. Almost all the farms were searched and razed, several lost their lives here and many were wounded, some were arrested.

Now the Germans also used planes, they flew low, both shot and bombed, on Wednesday they came to Fusk. Fusk and formerly Fuskbakken, is located between Askim and Slitu, 2 km. From Askim.

At Søtorp farm, the soldiers Odd Thue and Alf Høgås hid from the planes, the planes they shot at the house, the boys hid in the basement, the house was bombed and completely disappeared. They came up from the basement with the help of the Germans and taken to the Slitu plain and waited for medical attention, they were wounded.

Several Germans came from Askim, the prisoners were ordered to go towards Mysen, Alf Høgås was unable to walk, he had participated in the fighting at the Fossum bridge and was injured there, he was shot on the spot, right in front of Odd Thue's eyes.

At the Slitu crossing, Arne Trollerud was also shot in the back as he was about to cross the courtyard and go down to the potato cellar. He died a little later from the gunshot wounds. He had participated in the defense of Fossum bridge as a private soldier, survived, but was shot at home.

Now the Germans were approaching Høytorp Fort at Mysen, where there were over 800 men, who had been preparing for defense since April 9. They had cannons and more than 22 machine guns and had plenty of ammunition for a while. But the fort was old, and at the time it faced east, in poor condition and not prepared for attacks by the Germans coming from the west. They ran out of cannon ammunition and used it against Askim, Slitu and other places.

The fort was supposed to prevent the advance towards Sweden, but on April 13 at 3:00 p.m., Major Lowzow was ordered to move towards Rødenes, to a new position there, with 5 guns. new motorized cannons, they probably didn't have ammunition for them, and 460 men. Now there were 350 men left at the fort.

After a while, the Germans had surrounded the fort with about 1000 men, they managed to cut through the barbed wire barriers, to attack with machine guns and hand grenades. There was heavy fire and 1 Norwegian soldier died from his injuries, how many Germans died is not known. Due to the sinking morale and not the loss of more lives, the leadership chose at 14.00 to raise the white flag, agreeing to unconditional surrender. The Germans were nervous and shot at everyone, an elderly man at Susebakke was killed, another was wounded at Flaten, south of Mysen.

As mentioned, Major General Eriksen had 3000 men under him, his task was to defend Østfold, Saturday evening and Sunday 2000 men went over to Sweden with shiny polished weapons, without firing a shot.

Many were wounded at the Fossum bridge and in the battles at and around Askim. The hospital was constantly moved closer to Mysen and later to Ørje, the same with Høgli hospital in Mysen, it was located close to Høytorp fort. Sheriff Lislegård in Ørje, prepared Ørje health resort as a hospital for those who came from the west.

That same morning a phone call came from 1st Division General Eriksen, which raised hope, a Swedish contingent of volunteers was to come from Tøcksfors, healthy and rested, about 500 men, but they never came, no one has received any explanation as to why…

Here bridges were also to be blown up, 100 kg. Dynamite was bought in Sweden, the bridges around Ørje were blown up, including Ørje Bridge. Now all the wounded were moved again, now to Årjeng in Sweden, and now there was a stream of people escaping to Sweden, both civilians and military.

Major Frøholm held the phone switchboard, Captain Fritsner had a small department at Ørje prayer house. In the afternoon, Lieutenant Lislegård was called down to General Eriksen at Skogheim. Here it was discussed whether it was possible to go north to Kongsvinger with a smaller force, discussed. After a couple of hours the decision was made, it was off to Sweden, with the division command, and the rest of the soldiers.

Now Ørje lies abandoned like a ghost town, ravaged and plundered of everything. Now it is the Sheriff's job to clean up. The Germans arrive at about 1:30 p.m. on April 15. 150 men with cannons, mortars and other equipment. They had taken Norwegian hostages, 7-8 of them, they had to go first towards Ørje, with 3 German soldiers behind, they met no resistance.

From the diary of Sheriff Lislegård: They were Wehrmacht soldiers, black and bearded – and bore the appearance of being tired, angry and brutal. It is said that some of them had foam at the mouth. They had these stained tent cloths around them – machine guns, cartridge belts around their necks, hand grenades in their belts and in their boots.

We were occupied. # 5 – five years of night descended #

The material is taken from other books and writings, what I have read and heard.

Harder Sanvik. We did not give up.

Einar Bjordvatn.

Knut Flovik Thoresen. Report in Smaalenenes avis.

And as a member of the Home Front Museum in Rakkestad, there is a lot of information.

This is a small part of what happened in Indre Østfold in the first days after April 9, 1940.