Arne Dagfin Dahl

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).[7]

In connection with this assignment to Belgium Dahl spent time at the front lines as an observer.[8] 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.[9]

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.[7]

Dahl assumed command of the Alta Battalion in 1939 and led it through the 1940 Norwegian Campaign.[10][11] He has since been considered perhaps the best Norwegian battalion commander during the fighting at Narvik.[9]

He later served in the UK and the U.S.[3][4] 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.[3][4]

In 1941 Dahl became the first Norwegian to attend the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.[4]

Dahl (left) in conversation with Peder Holt (right), the interim Governor of Finnmark, in Vadsø, in late 1944

Dinner party in the Norwegian town of Kirkenes in July 1945. At the rear from right: Colonel A. D. Dahl, Crown Prince Olav, and Commander of Soviet Forces in Norway Lieutenant General Shcherbakov.

Dahl was given charge of the Norwegian forces that were transferred to assist in the Liberation of Finnmark from November 1944. Once there, he assumed control of the front from the Soviets, commanding the Free Norwegian Forces that had followed him from Britain, locally raised militias, and recently arrived police troops from Sweden.[3][4] 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 25 September 1945.[12]

Deputy Supreme Commander Europe of NATO Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery and Major General Arne Dagfin Dahl on inspection in Narvik on 5 July 1951.

A.D. Dahl became a Major General and commander of District Command North in 1945.[3][4]

In the period 1 September 1949 to 31 October 1950,[13] Dahl commanded the Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany.[4]