[#8506] Major Ringdal

[Gjest Michelle Matthews]

My mother remembers a Major Ringdal who used to stay in her father's house in Hampstead during the war when he was in London. She doesn't know what he was doing in England, he never spoke about it. His first name may have been Paul, he was probably in his 40s at that time. We think he had something to do with either the Shetland Gang or the Peterhead Base.We know that he was a widower, and his wife had been a pianist. Also, he was a member of the Catholic Apostolic Church, and whilst in London attended the church in Gordon Square where my grandfather (A.E. Capadose) was the priest.Does anyone have any information about him, or someone who might fit his description?

[Gjest Kåre Petter Hansen]

Helo Michelle, Major Ringdal could have been just anybody. Are you sure 'Ringdal' was his real name. It most probably was not. Try the 'Resistance Museum'.They have a website: www.nhm.mil.no Write or call. Good luck. This is difficult, but try. K.P.

[Gjest Yngve Nedrebø]

Poul Anton Ringdal was born in Kristiania (Oslo) Feb. 16, 1894. He was the son of Rasmus Johan Ringdal (1858-1933) and Anne Marie nee Poulsen (1861-1921). Dec. 22, 1925 he married Elisabeth Marie Onarheim (1904-1937), a pianist. He was appointed as a lieutenant in 1915, as a captain in 1918, and as a major in the Artillary in 1936. In 1929 he got a degree in law, and 1929-1932 run his own law firm in Oslo.During the war he first served in 'Totengruppen' in April 1940. They had to surrender April 30, but major Ringdal was not captured, and he crossed Norway on ski. In May 1940 sailed from Sogn to Scotland, where he organized the new Norwegian Artillary. He stayed there approx. 2 years. In May 1942 he went to North Africa, and joined the British 8. Army. He fought in the battle of El Alamein, and later in Libya. Then he went to Turkey as a Norwegian Military representativ, and in 1945 he returned to Britain and joined the military staff. He came to Bergen, Norway May 15, 1945 as a member of the District Command of Western Norway. In 1949-1950 he was in Kashmir for the UN, in 1951-1952 he served in Korea.In 1946 he published a book called 'Der krigslykken snudde'.