Per Askim

Per Askim (24 February 1881 – 8 March 1963) was a Norwegian naval officer who was in command of the two coastal defence ships defending Narvik during the German invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940.

Personal life Askim was born in Moss to military officer Carl Askim and Alette Henrikke Kristiansen. He was married to Anna Marie Hanssen from 1906 until her death in 1935, and from 1937 to Signe Hanssen, sister of his first wife.

Career Early career Askim graduated from the Norwegian Naval Academy, and was promoted to second lieutenant in 1901. He was promoted to premier lieutenant in 1904, and to Captain in 1910. By 1934 he was promoted to the rank of Captain Commander (kommandørkaptein), and he retired from the Navy in 1936. and was in charge of the coastal defence in Northern Norway.

He evacuated to Britain in 1940, and served as naval attaché in Washington from 1940 to 1943. From 1943 he served as head of the Planning section at the Norwegian High Command in London.

Post war From May to December 1945 Askim headed the Norwegian naval command Marinekommando Øst. He then returned to his job in the Norwegian Coastal Administration, where he worked until his retirement in 1952. He died in Oslo in 1963, at the age of 82.

Selected works