Landing at Trondheim

9 April 1940, Trondheimsfjord, Norway

German success; Trondheim taken without a fight

Group 2 of the invasion of Norway, Admiral Hipper and four destroyers with about 1,700 mountain troops, had met Glowworm on the way north the day before. In the dark early on 9 April 1940 they ran into the Trondheimsfjord at 25 knots, answering the forts' challenges in English. The Agdenes batteries guarding the narrows opened fire too late and missed; Hipper fired back as she passed. The ships anchored off Trondheim at about 05:25 and landed their troops, who took the city without a fight and captured the forts from behind. The destroyers had almost no fuel left and were stuck for days, and when Hipper tried to slip home on 10 April, Friedrich Eckoldt could not keep up in the heavy seas and had to turn back.