The skiborn troops were quickly mobilised and assigned to positions along the Swedish border. It was there that the Swedes opened hostilities in 1808, and made a renewed attack in 1814, and several of the ski-trained troops saw action in both 1808-9 and in 1814.
The most important engagement of the 1808-9 campaign took place at Trangen, 25th April, 1808, a battle in which the men of the Hofske Company underwent their baptism of fire. The Elverumske Company was detailed to securing the flanks, and to mopping up operations afterwards.This skirmish halted the Swedish attack led by Colonel Gahn, and, of the 500 Swedish troops involved, 25 were killed and some 400 taken prisoner. At that time the Åmotske and Holtålske companies were positioned along the Swedish border in Trysil. Skiborn troops were also involved in the engagements at Mobekk and Jerpset, 25th May, 1808.
The men of the ski batallions were again in action during the brief campaign of the late summer of 1814. The most severe fighting took place at Lier (2nd August, 1814) and Matrand (5th August 1814). In this action one officer and several men were killed in an explosion while trying to plunder some badly needed black powder from a Swedish supply wagon.
During the campaigns of early 1808, Sergeant Qvernmoen of the Elverumske Compagnie recorded his experiences of the war in a diary that is now in the possession of the Glomdal Museum in Elverum.
Click HERE to read extracts from Sergeant Qvernmoen's diary.