Following the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940, and the subsequent 62-day Norwegian campaign that ended in June 1940 with the German conquest of the country, the Royal Norwegian Navy was exiled in the United Kingdom. One way the exiled Norwegian forces attempted to strike back was by motor torpedo boat attacks on German-controlled shipping. After initial operations in the English Channel from July 1940 onwards, operations against the coast of occupied Norway from the Shetland Islands began in November 1942 and continued throughout the war in Europe. In total 30 motor torpedo boats served in the Royal Norwegian Navy during the war years.