ABSTRACT
The facilities at Harstad left much to be desired, and the unloading of transports was a continual difficulty. There were only two wharves and the average rate of discharge was two ships in five days. Disembarkation of personnel was usually done while the ships were in Bygden anchorage ; destroyers and H.M.S. Protector did good service in connection with this work. Large numbers of local craft were hired for the various water transport services ; but they were not very reliable, being prone to disappear into neighbouring fjords at the sound of an air raid warning and to remain there for a considerable time afterwards.1 As there were over 140 raids on Harstad during the eight weeks of the operations, a good deal of time was lost by this practice.
