Wilhelm Holst was awarded several French awards for his efforts during the German occupation of France. He was the first Scandinavian to be awarded the resistance medal, a French award for his efforts in the French resistance movement, des Forces Francaises Combattantes. He was group leader of one of 60 resistance groups, and was responsible for an important sabotage operation on the battery foundations in the coastal fortifications at Marseille before the Battle of Marseille in August 1944.