Arne Dagfin Dahl Arne Dagfin Dahl , CBE ( 1894 – 1990 ) was a Norwegian military officer most renowned as the commander of the Alta Battalion during the fighting at Narvik in Northern Norway in 1940 . Early and personal life . Born in Kristiania on 24 May 1894 , Arne Dagfin Dahl was the son of postmaster Ragnvald Dahl and Anna Othilie Stablum . He took his examen artium in 1912 , graduated from business school in 1919 and entered law studies at the Royal Frederick University in 1921 . In 1924 , he dropped out of university , to become director of the Norwegian Automobile Federation . Dahl had gained an international pilot licence in 1918 . On 17 September 1921 , Dahl married Kristiania - born Astri Thinn Christophersen ( b . 12 July 1901 ) . By 1930 , the couple had three daughters . Civilian career . In the years 1920 - 1924 , Dahl worked as a physical education teacher at the school St . Hanshaugens gymnasium . From 1920 to 1924 he worked as a secretary at the Oslo Forsvarsforening , and from 1923 to 1929 he edited the automotive magazine " Norsk Motorblad . " Military career . First World War . Dahl graduated from the Norwegian Military Academy in 1915 , with the rank of first lieutenant . During the First World War , Dahl first saw service in the Norwegian Army ' s neutrality guard in 1915 - 1916 , with the 14th Infantry Regiment . He then served as the Norwegian military attaché to the United Kingdom ( 1916 - 1919 ) and Belgium ( 1917 - 1919 ) . In connection with this assignment to Belgium Dahl spent time at the front lines as an observer . According to a report on the Alta Battalion by the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services , Dahl saw action during his time at the front , fighting in a British unit at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 . After returning to Norway in 1919 , Dahl spent five years working at the Norwegian Military Academy . In 1929 he became an adjutant to Haakon VII of Norway , and in 1930 was promoted to captain . Second World War . Dahl assumed command of the Alta Battalion in 1939 and led it through the 1940 Norwegian Campaign . He has since been considered perhaps the best Norwegian battalion commander during the fighting at Narvik . He later served in the UK and the U . S . as well as having other commands before in the fall of 1944 , as a full colonel , he was made commander of the Norwegian Military Mission . In 1941 Dahl became the first Norwegian to attend the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas . Finnmark command . Dahl was given the task of commanding the Norwegian forces that were transferred to , as well as those raised in , the recently liberated Norwegian county of Finnmark from November 1944 . At the time of the German capitulation in Norway on 8 May 1945 Dahl had under his Finnmark command around 3 , 000 soldiers . Although involved in very little fighting , the force under Dahl ' s command was heavily involved in helping the civilian population of Finnmark and served as a symbol of Norwegian sovereignty in the area . Dahl on his part was concerned that the Russian forces which had been stationed in Eastern Finnmark since the October 1944 Petsamo - Kirkenes Operation might not leave after war ' s end . These concerns turned out not to come true as all the Soviet forces left Norwegian territory by August – September 1945 . Post - war service . A . D . Dahl became a Major General and commander of District Command North in 1945 . In the period 1 September 1949 to 31 October 1950 , Dahl commanded the Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany . Honours and awards . By 1930 , Dahl was an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and a Knight of the Belgian Order of the Crown .