Bjørn Rørholt: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Norwegian resistance member and engineer}} |
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Rørholt was born in [[Aker, Norway|Aker]] as the son of military officer [[Arnold Rørholt]] (1884–1961) and his wife Luise Fredrikke Lund (1891–1965). He was a first cousin of [[Vera Henriksen]] and a great-grandson of [[Friedrich Roscher]].<ref name=nbl>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Bjørn Rørholt |encyclopedia=[[Norsk biografisk leksikon]]|publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget|location=Oslo|editor= |
Rørholt was born in [[Aker, Norway|Aker]] as the son of military officer [[Arnold Rørholt]] (1884–1961) and his wife Luise Fredrikke Lund (1891–1965). He was a first cousin of [[Vera Henriksen]] and a great-grandson of [[Friedrich Roscher]].<ref name=nbl>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Bjørn Rørholt |encyclopedia=[[Norsk biografisk leksikon]]|publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget|location=Oslo|editor=Helle, Knut|editor-link=Knut Helle|first=Berit | last=Nøkleby |author-link=Berit Nøkleby |url=http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Bj%C3%B8rn_R%C3%B8rholt/utdypning |language=no|accessdate=29 June 2009}}</ref> |
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Rørholt finished his secondary education in 1937, and enrolled at the [[Norwegian Institute of Technology]] in 1939. After a short time he was drafted for compulsory military service.<ref name=nbl/> Not long after, when the [[Norwegian Military Academy]] opened for an extra influx of recruits, Rørholt enrolled there.<ref name=obit2>{{cite news|title=Bjørn Rørholt (obituary)|last=Sved|first=Sven|date=3 June 1993|work=[[Aftenposten]]|page=15|language= |
Rørholt finished his secondary education in 1937, and enrolled at the [[Norwegian Institute of Technology]] in 1939. After a short time, he was drafted for compulsory military service.<ref name=nbl/> Not long after, when the [[Norwegian Military Academy]] opened for an extra influx of recruits, Rørholt enrolled there.<ref name=obit2>{{cite news|title=Bjørn Rørholt (obituary)|last=Sved|first=Sven|date=3 June 1993|work=[[Aftenposten]]|page=15|language=no}}</ref> |
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==World War II== |
==World War II== |
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When [[World War II]] reached Norway on 9 April 1940, with the [[Operation Weserübung|German invasion]], the Military Academy cadet Rørholt helped fighting to repel the invaders. However, after the [[Norwegian Campaign]] Germany emerged victorious, and [[occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany|occupied Norway]]. After a short time as a prisoner-of-war, Rørholt returned to the Institute of Technology in autumn 1940.<ref name=nbl/> |
When [[World War II]] reached Norway on 9 April 1940, with the [[Operation Weserübung|German invasion]], the Military Academy cadet Rørholt helped fighting to repel the invaders. However, after the [[Norwegian Campaign]] Germany emerged victorious, and [[occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany|occupied Norway]]. After a short time as a prisoner-of-war, Rørholt returned to the Institute of Technology in autumn 1940.<ref name=nbl/> |
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In September 1940 the [[Secret Intelligence Service]] established two stations for radio communication; the so-called [[Skylark A]] was led by [[Sverre Midtskau]] in [[Oslo]] while [[Skylark B]] was led by [[Erik Welle-Strand]] in [[Trondheim]]. [[Egil Reksten]] later took over for Welle-Strand. Skylark B established regular contact with the intelligence in [[London]] in 1941, and helped spread messages about German troop and naval movements as well as vital information about [[Wehrmacht|German]] activity at [[Vemork]] [[heavy water]] plant.<ref name=skylark>{{cite news|title=Med radio som våpen mot tysk krigsmakt|first=Bjørn|last=Rørholt|work=Aftenposten|date=30 April 1998|page=25|language= |
In September 1940, the [[Secret Intelligence Service]] established two stations for radio communication; the so-called [[Skylark A]] was led by [[Sverre Midtskau]] in [[Oslo]] while [[Skylark B]] was led by [[Erik Welle-Strand]] in [[Trondheim]]. [[Egil Reksten]] later took over for Welle-Strand. Skylark B established regular contact with the intelligence in [[London]] in 1941, and helped spread messages about German troop and naval movements as well as vital information about [[Wehrmacht|German]] activity at [[Vemork]] [[heavy water]] plant.<ref name=skylark>{{cite news|title=Med radio som våpen mot tysk krigsmakt|first=Bjørn|last=Rørholt|work=Aftenposten|date=30 April 1998|page=25|language=no}}</ref> In September 1941, however, [[Gestapo]] managed to track the Skylark B transmitting activity.<ref name=ulstein-e1-end>{{cite book | title=Etterretningstjenesten i Norge 1940-1945 |first=Ragnar |last=Ulstein |author-link=Ragnar Ulstein |chapter=Slutten for Oldell og Skylark B |pages=143–161 |volume=1 |year=1989|language=no |publisher=Cappelen |isbn=82-02-12401-8 }}</ref> Rørholt travelled to Oslo as a decoy, he then was nearly captured but escaped.<ref name=skylark/> His father was held hostage until November 1942.<ref name=grini>{{cite book|title=[[Norsk fangeleksikon. Grinifangene]]|editor=Giertsen, Børre R.|page=102|year=1946|language=no|publisher=Cappelen|location=Oslo}}</ref> Rørholt fled to Sweden via [[Iddefjord]], accompanied by [[Knut Haukelid]] who had been involved in the Skylark A group in Oslo.<ref name=haukelid>{{cite book | title=Det demrer en dag |first=Knut |last=Haukelid |author-link=Knut Haukelid |pages=23–27 |year=1947|language=no |publisher=Nasjonalforlaget }}</ref> Rørholt then travelled from Stockholm to Great Britain.<ref name=kl>{{cite encyclopedia |last=Nøkleby |first=Berit |editor=Dahl |editor-link=Hans Fredrik Dahl |editor2=Hjeltnes |editor2-link=Guri Hjeltnes |editor3=Nøkleby |editor3-link=Berit Nøkleby |editor4=Ringdal |editor4-link=Nils Johan Ringdal |editor5=Sørensen |editor5-link=Øystein Sørensen |encyclopedia=[[Norsk krigsleksikon 1940–45]] |title=Rørholt, Bjørn |url=http://mediabase1.uib.no/krigslex/r/r4.html#rorholt-bjorn |page=363 |year=1995 |publisher=Cappelen |location=Oslo |isbn=82-02-14138-9 |language=no |accessdate=26 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091231225614/http://mediabase1.uib.no/krigslex/r/r4.html#rorholt-bjorn |archive-date=31 December 2009 }}</ref> Initially, he was withdrawn from active service because he might be known to the Germans.<ref name=skylark/> |
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From 1942 the question of the [[German battleship Tirpitz|German battleship ''Tirpitz'']] became important. The presence of the ship in the Atlantic Ocean would be highly hazardous for the Allies; thus the commanders wanted to track the ship's movements. A radio post named "[[Theta (SIS radio group)|Theta]]" was organized by [[Bjarne Thorsen]], but the Allies wanted more. Rørholt returned to Norway in 1942 to operate the SIS radio station "Lerken". Four radio transmitters were placed in the Trondheim area, one of them at the German-fortified [[Agdenes]].<ref name=skylark/> Rørholt held a false identity as an insurance agent, and was thus allowed to travel freely with the alleged purpose of visiting customers. He was even escorted by the authorities from Agdenes to Trondheim.<ref name=vg85>{{cite news|title=Radiospionen|last=Johansen|first=Arnstein|date=12 November 1985|work=[[Verdens Gang]]|page=10|language= |
From 1942, the question of the [[German battleship Tirpitz|German battleship ''Tirpitz'']] became important. The presence of the ship in the Atlantic Ocean would be highly hazardous for the Allies; thus the commanders wanted to track the ship's movements. A radio post named "[[Theta (SIS radio group)|Theta]]" was organized by [[Bjarne Thorsen]], but the Allies wanted more. Rørholt returned to Norway in 1942 to operate the SIS radio station "Lerken". Four radio transmitters were placed in the Trondheim area, one of them at the German-fortified [[Agdenes]].<ref name=skylark/> Rørholt held a false identity as an insurance agent, and was thus allowed to travel freely with the alleged purpose of visiting customers. He was even escorted by the authorities from Agdenes to Trondheim.<ref name=vg85>{{cite news|title=Radiospionen|last=Johansen|first=Arnstein|date=12 November 1985|work=[[Verdens Gang]]|page=10|language=no}}</ref> When ''Tirpitz'' was moved towards [[Northern Norway]], "Lerken" was superseded by "Upsilon" and the network "Venus". [[Einar Johansen]] was the central person here.<ref name=skylark/> The group of Norwegian resistance members that surveilled ''Tirpitz'', referred to themselves as ''Barnepikene'', "The Babysitters".<ref name=vg85/> The radio post in Agdenes continued after the 1944 [[Operation Catechism|sinking of ''Tirpitz'']], and was operated by Magne Hassel.<ref>{{cite news|title="Usynlige soldater" skriver sin historie|date=17 September 1990|agency=[[Norwegian News Agency]]|language=no}}</ref> |
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From November 1942 Rørholt was transferred to the department 4 (FO IV) of the [[Norwegian Ministry of Defence|Ministry of Defence]], chairing the education of Norwegian radio agents in Great Britain.<ref name=kl/> From 1944 to 1945 he participated in the [[liberation of Northern Norway]], being one of the key figures on the Norwegian side together with [[Bernt Balchen]].<ref name=obit1>{{cite news|title=Bjørn Rørholt minnet|last=Hauge|first=Jens Chr.| |
From November 1942, Rørholt was transferred to the department 4 (FO IV) of the [[Norwegian Ministry of Defence|Ministry of Defence]], chairing the education of Norwegian radio agents in Great Britain.<ref name=kl/> From 1944 to 1945, he participated in the [[liberation of Northern Norway]], being one of the key figures on the Norwegian side together with [[Bernt Balchen]].<ref name=obit1>{{cite news|title=Bjørn Rørholt minnet|last=Hauge|first=Jens Chr.|author-link=Jens Chr. Hauge|date=13 May 1993|work=Aftenposten|page=15|language=no}}</ref> Also, the world-famous explorer [[Thor Heyerdahl]] was his second-in-command.<ref name=obit2/> |
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Rørholt was awarded the [[War Cross with Sword]] and the [[Distinguished Service Order]] for his war contributions.<ref name=nbl/> Reportedly, he was the first Norwegian to receive the Distinguished Service Order.<ref name=order>{{cite news|title=Høy orden |
Rørholt was awarded the [[War Cross with Sword]] and the [[Distinguished Service Order]] for his war contributions.<ref name=nbl/> Reportedly, he was the first Norwegian to receive the Distinguished Service Order.<ref name=order>{{cite news|title=Høy orden|date=12 November 1985|work=Verdens Gang|page=10|language=no}}</ref> He was also a Commander of the [[Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav]].<ref name=obit1/> |
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==Later career== |
==Later career== |
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After the war Rørholt travelled to the United States. He had a position at the [[Norwegian Embassy]] in [[Washington DC]], and later continued his engineering studies at the [[Harvard University]], specializing in binary and [[communication technology]]. He started working for the [[Norwegian Armed Forces]] ( |
After the war Rørholt travelled to the United States. He had a position at the [[Norwegian Embassy]] in [[Washington DC]], and later continued his engineering studies at the [[Harvard University]], specializing in binary and [[communication technology]]. He started working for the [[Norwegian Armed Forces]] (Sambandsregimentet) in 1949. He constructed the chiffer machine ETCRRM which was produced at [[Kjeller]] and used by [[NATO]].<ref name=nbl/> In the military, he reached the rank of Colonel in 1958.<ref name=snl>{{cite encyclopedia |year=2007 |title=Bjørn Rørholt |first=Jon Gunnar |last=Arntzen |encyclopedia=[[Store norske leksikon]] |editor=Henriksen, Petter |publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget |location=Oslo |url=http://www.snl.no/Bj%C3%B8rn_R%C3%B8rholt |language=no | accessdate=26 June 2009 }}</ref> At that time he was the youngest Colonel in Norway, aged 39.<ref name=order/> |
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In 1985 he constructed a battery-driven, portable radar for blind people. The device, nicknamed "The Bat", was based on [[ultrasound]] and mimicked the [[bat]]'s sensory system.<ref>{{cite news|title=Effektiv "radar" for blinde|last=Lund|first=Børre Aa.|date=15 November 1985|work=Aftenposten|page=11|language= |
In 1985 he constructed a battery-driven, portable radar for blind people. The device, nicknamed "The Bat", was based on [[ultrasound]] and mimicked the [[bat]]'s sensory system.<ref>{{cite news|title=Effektiv "radar" for blinde|last=Lund|first=Børre Aa.|date=15 November 1985|work=Aftenposten|page=11|language=no}}</ref> He wrote two memoir books from his World War II experiences, ''Amatørspionen "Lerken"'' ("Amateur Spy 'The Lark'", 1985) and ''Usynlige soldater'' ("Invisible Soldiers", 1990)—the latter together with Bjarne Thorsen. He was married to Mia Sverdrup Thygeson from 1949, and to Elsa Lundh from 1978.<ref name=nbl/> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rorholt, Bjorn}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rorholt, Bjorn}} |
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[[Category:1919 births]] |
[[Category:1919 births]] |
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[[Category:1993 deaths]] |
[[Category:1993 deaths]] |
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[[Category:Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences alumni]] |
[[Category:Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences alumni]] |
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[[Category:Norwegian Military Academy alumni]] |
[[Category:Norwegian Military Academy alumni]] |
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[[Category:Norwegian engineers]] |
[[Category:20th-century Norwegian engineers]] |
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[[Category:Norwegian Army personnel of World War II]] |
[[Category:Norwegian Army personnel of World War II]] |
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[[Category:Norwegian prisoners of war in World War II]] |
[[Category:Norwegian prisoners of war in World War II]] |
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[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Germany]] |
[[Category:World War II prisoners of war held by Germany]] |
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[[Category:Norwegian resistance members]] |
[[Category:Norwegian resistance members]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:MI6 personnel]] |
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[[Category:Norwegian Special Operations Executive personnel]] |
[[Category:Norwegian Special Operations Executive personnel]] |
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[[Category:Norwegian Institute of Technology alumni]] |
[[Category:Norwegian Institute of Technology alumni]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Engineers from Oslo]] |
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[[Category:Norwegian World War II memoirists]] |
[[Category:Norwegian World War II memoirists]] |
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[[Category:Recipients of the War Cross with Sword (Norway)]] |
[[Category:Recipients of the War Cross with Sword (Norway)]] |
Latest revision as of 23:21, 6 September 2024
Bjørn Rørholt | |
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Born | Aker, Norway | 27 August 1919
Died | 3 May 1993 | (aged 73)
Nationality | Norwegian |
Occupation(s) | Engineer Military officer |
Parent | Arnold Rørholt |
Relatives | Vera Henriksen (cousin) |
Awards | War Cross with Sword Distinguished Service Order Order of St. Olav |
Bjørn Arnold Rørholt DSO (27 August 1919 – 3 May 1993) was a Norwegian engineer, military officer, Secret Intelligence Service agent and resistance member during World War II.
Early life
[edit]Rørholt was born in Aker as the son of military officer Arnold Rørholt (1884–1961) and his wife Luise Fredrikke Lund (1891–1965). He was a first cousin of Vera Henriksen and a great-grandson of Friedrich Roscher.[1]
Rørholt finished his secondary education in 1937, and enrolled at the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1939. After a short time, he was drafted for compulsory military service.[1] Not long after, when the Norwegian Military Academy opened for an extra influx of recruits, Rørholt enrolled there.[2]
World War II
[edit]When World War II reached Norway on 9 April 1940, with the German invasion, the Military Academy cadet Rørholt helped fighting to repel the invaders. However, after the Norwegian Campaign Germany emerged victorious, and occupied Norway. After a short time as a prisoner-of-war, Rørholt returned to the Institute of Technology in autumn 1940.[1]
In September 1940, the Secret Intelligence Service established two stations for radio communication; the so-called Skylark A was led by Sverre Midtskau in Oslo while Skylark B was led by Erik Welle-Strand in Trondheim. Egil Reksten later took over for Welle-Strand. Skylark B established regular contact with the intelligence in London in 1941, and helped spread messages about German troop and naval movements as well as vital information about German activity at Vemork heavy water plant.[3] In September 1941, however, Gestapo managed to track the Skylark B transmitting activity.[4] Rørholt travelled to Oslo as a decoy, he then was nearly captured but escaped.[3] His father was held hostage until November 1942.[5] Rørholt fled to Sweden via Iddefjord, accompanied by Knut Haukelid who had been involved in the Skylark A group in Oslo.[6] Rørholt then travelled from Stockholm to Great Britain.[7] Initially, he was withdrawn from active service because he might be known to the Germans.[3]
From 1942, the question of the German battleship Tirpitz became important. The presence of the ship in the Atlantic Ocean would be highly hazardous for the Allies; thus the commanders wanted to track the ship's movements. A radio post named "Theta" was organized by Bjarne Thorsen, but the Allies wanted more. Rørholt returned to Norway in 1942 to operate the SIS radio station "Lerken". Four radio transmitters were placed in the Trondheim area, one of them at the German-fortified Agdenes.[3] Rørholt held a false identity as an insurance agent, and was thus allowed to travel freely with the alleged purpose of visiting customers. He was even escorted by the authorities from Agdenes to Trondheim.[8] When Tirpitz was moved towards Northern Norway, "Lerken" was superseded by "Upsilon" and the network "Venus". Einar Johansen was the central person here.[3] The group of Norwegian resistance members that surveilled Tirpitz, referred to themselves as Barnepikene, "The Babysitters".[8] The radio post in Agdenes continued after the 1944 sinking of Tirpitz, and was operated by Magne Hassel.[9]
From November 1942, Rørholt was transferred to the department 4 (FO IV) of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the education of Norwegian radio agents in Great Britain.[7] From 1944 to 1945, he participated in the liberation of Northern Norway, being one of the key figures on the Norwegian side together with Bernt Balchen.[10] Also, the world-famous explorer Thor Heyerdahl was his second-in-command.[2]
Rørholt was awarded the War Cross with Sword and the Distinguished Service Order for his war contributions.[1] Reportedly, he was the first Norwegian to receive the Distinguished Service Order.[11] He was also a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.[10]
Later career
[edit]After the war Rørholt travelled to the United States. He had a position at the Norwegian Embassy in Washington DC, and later continued his engineering studies at the Harvard University, specializing in binary and communication technology. He started working for the Norwegian Armed Forces (Sambandsregimentet) in 1949. He constructed the chiffer machine ETCRRM which was produced at Kjeller and used by NATO.[1] In the military, he reached the rank of Colonel in 1958.[12] At that time he was the youngest Colonel in Norway, aged 39.[11]
In 1985 he constructed a battery-driven, portable radar for blind people. The device, nicknamed "The Bat", was based on ultrasound and mimicked the bat's sensory system.[13] He wrote two memoir books from his World War II experiences, Amatørspionen "Lerken" ("Amateur Spy 'The Lark'", 1985) and Usynlige soldater ("Invisible Soldiers", 1990)—the latter together with Bjarne Thorsen. He was married to Mia Sverdrup Thygeson from 1949, and to Elsa Lundh from 1978.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Nøkleby, Berit. "Bjørn Rørholt". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
- ^ a b Sved, Sven (3 June 1993). "Bjørn Rørholt (obituary)". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 15.
- ^ a b c d e Rørholt, Bjørn (30 April 1998). "Med radio som våpen mot tysk krigsmakt". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 25.
- ^ Ulstein, Ragnar (1989). "Slutten for Oldell og Skylark B". Etterretningstjenesten i Norge 1940-1945 (in Norwegian). Vol. 1. Cappelen. pp. 143–161. ISBN 82-02-12401-8.
- ^ Giertsen, Børre R., ed. (1946). Norsk fangeleksikon. Grinifangene (in Norwegian). Oslo: Cappelen. p. 102.
- ^ Haukelid, Knut (1947). Det demrer en dag (in Norwegian). Nasjonalforlaget. pp. 23–27.
- ^ a b Nøkleby, Berit (1995). "Rørholt, Bjørn". In Dahl; Hjeltnes; Nøkleby; Ringdal; Sørensen (eds.). Norsk krigsleksikon 1940–45 (in Norwegian). Oslo: Cappelen. p. 363. ISBN 82-02-14138-9. Archived from the original on 31 December 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
- ^ a b Johansen, Arnstein (12 November 1985). "Radiospionen". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). p. 10.
- ^ ""Usynlige soldater" skriver sin historie" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 17 September 1990.
- ^ a b Hauge, Jens Chr. (13 May 1993). "Bjørn Rørholt minnet". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 15.
- ^ a b "Høy orden". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 12 November 1985. p. 10.
- ^ Arntzen, Jon Gunnar (2007). "Bjørn Rørholt". In Henriksen, Petter (ed.). Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
- ^ Lund, Børre Aa. (15 November 1985). "Effektiv "radar" for blinde". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 11.
- 1919 births
- 1993 deaths
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences alumni
- Norwegian Military Academy alumni
- 20th-century Norwegian engineers
- Norwegian Army personnel of World War II
- Norwegian prisoners of war in World War II
- World War II prisoners of war held by Germany
- Norwegian resistance members
- MI6 personnel
- Norwegian Special Operations Executive personnel
- Norwegian Institute of Technology alumni
- Engineers from Oslo
- Norwegian World War II memoirists
- Recipients of the War Cross with Sword (Norway)
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order