Courtesy of Norsk Hydro
February 27, 1943
Fearful of German use of heavy water as a moderator in a nuclear reactor, the allies launch a series of attacks on the world's largest heavy water plant at Vemork in German occupied Norway. Three months earlier, two gliders of British commandoes crash landed near the plant. The survivors were executed. Now in February, Norwegian commandoes succesfully attack the plant but put it out of commision for only two months. In November 1943 allied bombers destroy the plant's power station prompting the Germans to try to move heavy water production to Germany. The stockpiled heavy water at the plant is transferred in February 1944, but Norwegian commandoes strike again. As the water is being shipped across Lake Tinnsjo, the ferry it is on is sunk resulting in the deaths of 26 passengers and the loss of the water.

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