War veteran Eystein Røset, who fought in the Battle of Narvik, has died, aged 103
Eystein Røset, who fought in the Battle of Narvik, has died, aged 103, the family informs NTB.
Røset, who was from Selbu in Trøndelag, fell asleep on Christmas Eve, his son, Ove Røset, told NTB.
According to several media, Røset was the last surviving veteran who took part in the Battle of Narvik for Norway.
The war veteran was 103 years old, and should have turned 104 on 28 December.
Space Christmas premiere
The film “Kampen om Narvik” premieres this Christmas. Røset is one of the war veterans depicted there. In December last year, he got to see a pre-premiere of the film.
– The film portrayed it exactly as it was at the time, Røset added NRK then.
NRK then wrote that Røset was one of the very youngest to be called up to the neutrality guard in northern Norway in the autumn of 1939. He belonged to infantry regiment number 12, the Trønder Battalion.
– Set to die
Røset took part in a bloody battle in Gratangen north of Narvik on 25 April 1940, where he barely survived. 34 fellow soldiers died around him, which was the biggest loss on Norwegian soil in combat in the Second World War.
– What happened during the war was absolutely terrible. In Gratangen, I was determined that now I was going to die, Røset told NRK last year.
Røset was last year’s guest of honor at the Opera and the art exhibition Roseslottet. He then said to Defense Forum that he bears no grudge against the Germans.
He then showed the bullet he was shot with in 1940, he had made a piece of jewellery.
– Meaningless
To Address newspaper told Røset last year that it was terribly painful to be shot, and horrible experiences he witnessed.
– Yes, that was it. It was as pointless as it could get, he said.
Røset also said that it was good to see the film “The Battle of Narvik”.
– It is great that it will be a film. Then people will know a little about what was going on, he said.
The film “The Battle of Narvik” premieres on Christmas Day.