Myllymäki, Travel guide to the fortifications in Northern Norway - Part 2. From Tana to Porsanger

Germany invaded Norway on April 9, 1940 and managed to conquer the country within two months. The original purpose of the occupation was to secure the supply of iron ore from Sweden. However, the nickel and copper of Petsamo's Kolosjoki soon became more important than the iron ore, of which nickel in particular was vital to the German war economy. The occupation of Norway lasted almost five years. During that time, it built a large coastal artillery fortification system to protect the coastal shipping lanes and the Reichstrasse 50 ending in Kirkenes, which also had a connection to Petsamo in Finland. The main weapons of the artillery batteries were a mixed collection of cannons, mostly captured as war spoils. After the Finnish armistice, the Soviet Union began its attack on the German northern forces, and Finland also had to drive its former brother-in-arms out of its country. In late October, the German troops - after receiving permission from their headquarters - abandoned the mines on the Kolos River and fell back, with delay, to the Lyngen line. The Soviet troops followed only as far as the Tanafjord and the Tana river (Tana). When falling back, the German troops took most of their coastal artillery with them and blew up the fortifications. Some of the fortifications have been thoroughly blown up, some have only had their shelters blown up, and some sites were left unblown. This book is a travel guide to the coastal artillery bases and field fortifications between Tana and the junction of the E6 and E69 roads in Porsanger. It is based on a reconnaissance trip made in 2024 to most of the sites presented in the book. The fortifications were found in places indicated by preliminary surveys. The book tells some about the history and armament of the fortifications, but mainly it is a travel guide that will help you find the fortifications yourself and make your own observations. Of course, the book also contains pictures of the current condition of the fortresses.