that Durnford-Slater called for all spare troops to be brought forward. The clock was ticking, and if the demolition teams were to complete all their scheduled tasks, the Commandos had to secure the northern end of the town first. As it was, the assault party was still pinned down at the southern end and had advanced only a few hundred yards from the landing site. Churchill, who had completed his work on Maaloy, sent over half of No. 6 Troop, commanded by Captain Peter Young, a highly talented young officer destined for high rank. The floating reserve was brought ashore and the reserve unit at Durnford-Slater’s HQ was also sent into action. This was the critical juncture of the action and every available body was committed to the fight.
As Durnford-Slater reinforced and reorganised his men, thirteen Blenheims from 114 Squadron, each carrying four 250-lb bombs and a batch of incendiaries, arrived over the Norwegian coast 100 miles to the south shortly before midday. Dropping to a height of 250 feet, the squadron lined up and swept towards the Luftwaffe aerodrome at Herdla, the wooden collection of huts and timber runways clearly visible in the snow-bound landscape. Air-raid sirens wailed and puffs of flak filled the air as one after another the Blenheims went in and dropped their devastating payload. Explosions tore up the earth, splintered the runways into kindling, and one Me109, which had been taxiing into position, flipped onto its back under the force of an explosion. Flames and smoke poured from the buildings. Hit by flak, one Blenheim lost control and veered violently off course, straight into the path of another as it pulled up and turned for home. The aircraft were so low the crews had no chance to bale out, and both plunged into the water. The raid was all over in seconds and by the time the last aircraft pulled up steeply and banked away, the runway had been turned into a mess of mud and scattered wood. Images from the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit taken immediately after the attack revealed over twenty craters. Operation ARCHERY could now proceed without significant interference from the air. Only aircraft making the long trip from Trondheim, and the last detail to have left for Vaagso, could trouble them now.
The action was intensifying on land, sea and in the air. Back at Vaagso, HMS
Offa,
protecting the naval force from the west, reported a merchant ship, the SS
Anhalt
, and an armed trawler escort named
Donner
, proceeding to Vaagsfjord from the north. It was just after noon and the last of the RAF bombs were falling on Herdla, 100 miles along the coast. Unable to hear or see the fighting on the other side of the mountain, the two vessels realised their error as soon as they rounded the point and saw the Royal Navy warships strung out before them. Ordered to capture the vessels,
Offa
chased the
Donner
as it made a dash for the open sea. It was a race the converted fishing boat was never going to win.
Offa
could make thirty knots to her ten and she quickly closed on her prey with her guns at the ready.
Offa
fired a warning shot, but still the trawler refused to stop.
Offa
fired again, this time with deadly intent, and after securing a number of hits, the crew abandoned ship.
Offa
went alongside the trawler and picked up the survivors. Unfortunately, the
Donner
had insufficient fuel for the return passage to Scotland under a prize crew, and was promptly sunk.
While
Offa
dealt with the trawler,
Chiddingfold
went after the
Anhalt
, which had turned hard and was steaming as fast as it could for the shore. She succeeded in beaching herself in shallow water and the crew were clambering into their rowing boats when the captain of the
Chiddingfold
, using the loud hailer, ordered the oarsmen, in German, to bring their boats alongside, warning that they would be fired upon if they disobeyed. The oarsmen kept pulling,
Chiddingfold
opened fire, sinking one boat and damaging the other. At that moment,
As Durnford-Slater reinforced and reorganised his men, thirteen Blenheims from 114 Squadron, each carrying four 250-lb bombs and a batch of incendiaries, arrived over the Norwegian coast 100 miles to the south shortly before midday. Dropping to a height of 250 feet, the squadron lined up and swept towards the Luftwaffe aerodrome at Herdla, the wooden collection of huts and timber runways clearly visible in the snow-bound landscape. Air-raid sirens wailed and puffs of flak filled the air as one after another the Blenheims went in and dropped their devastating payload. Explosions tore up the earth, splintered the runways into kindling, and one Me109, which had been taxiing into position, flipped onto its back under the force of an explosion. Flames and smoke poured from the buildings. Hit by flak, one Blenheim lost control and veered violently off course, straight into the path of another as it pulled up and turned for home. The aircraft were so low the crews had no chance to bale out, and both plunged into the water. The raid was all over in seconds and by the time the last aircraft pulled up steeply and banked away, the runway had been turned into a mess of mud and scattered wood. Images from the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit taken immediately after the attack revealed over twenty craters. Operation ARCHERY could now proceed without significant interference from the air. Only aircraft making the long trip from Trondheim, and the last detail to have left for Vaagso, could trouble them now.
The action was intensifying on land, sea and in the air. Back at Vaagso, HMS
Offa,
protecting the naval force from the west, reported a merchant ship, the SS
Anhalt
, and an armed trawler escort named
Donner
, proceeding to Vaagsfjord from the north. It was just after noon and the last of the RAF bombs were falling on Herdla, 100 miles along the coast. Unable to hear or see the fighting on the other side of the mountain, the two vessels realised their error as soon as they rounded the point and saw the Royal Navy warships strung out before them. Ordered to capture the vessels,
Offa
chased the
Donner
as it made a dash for the open sea. It was a race the converted fishing boat was never going to win.
Offa
could make thirty knots to her ten and she quickly closed on her prey with her guns at the ready.
Offa
fired a warning shot, but still the trawler refused to stop.
Offa
fired again, this time with deadly intent, and after securing a number of hits, the crew abandoned ship.
Offa
went alongside the trawler and picked up the survivors. Unfortunately, the
Donner
had insufficient fuel for the return passage to Scotland under a prize crew, and was promptly sunk.
While
Offa
dealt with the trawler,
Chiddingfold
went after the
Anhalt
, which had turned hard and was steaming as fast as it could for the shore. She succeeded in beaching herself in shallow water and the crew were clambering into their rowing boats when the captain of the
Chiddingfold
, using the loud hailer, ordered the oarsmen, in German, to bring their boats alongside, warning that they would be fired upon if they disobeyed. The oarsmen kept pulling,
Chiddingfold
opened fire, sinking one boat and damaging the other. At that moment,
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