In late July and early August 1944, in a mountainous region, together with Erling Berg, they came to the aid of Michał Nowacki, a Polish escapee from the German camp in Fauske.

After completing elementary school, he worked as a sailor, spending almost eight years at sea. In the spring of 1944, he took a job with the port police in Trondheim. In June of that year, Vidkun Quisling’s collaborationist government announced the compulsory mobilization for labor in support of the German occupiers of all men born between 1921 and 1923. Officers of the port police and other uniformed services were ordered to forcibly bring in those who evaded the order. Leif Myklebust did not want to take part in this practice, so, like Erling Berg, he decided to flee to neutral Sweden. They set out from Trondheim in late July 1944.

At the same time, a group of Poles escaped from the German camp in Fauske. Among them was Michał Nowacki, who had been involved in underground activities in Poland. Fearing arrest, he volunteered for the Organisation Todt in June 1944 and was sent from Lwów to Norway. While crossing the mountains, he suffered severe chafing to his foot and injured his knee. Left alone by his companions, who were supposed to bring help, he waited a week to be rescued. The Norwegians heard his calls for help. They found him about 200 meters from the main trail, gave him food, and took
him with them. The following day, they all reached the tourist station at Staloluokta in Swedish Lapland, where an air ambulance arrived to pick up Michał Nowacki. The Scandinavians continued on their way and in early August safely reached Kvikkjokk, a village located at the foot of the mountains.

After the war, Leif Myklebust returned to Norway. He settled near Trondheim with his wife and two sons. He worked as a machine operator. He died in Melhus on 17 June 1981.

“When the men were about to cross Tokijokk, their attention was drawn to the calls of a Polish refugee. He was lying about 200 meters above Tokijokk. The Pole had an injured leg and had difficulty walking. They took him to the Sámi settlement at Staloluokta.”

Record of the interrogation of Norwegian refugees dated 8 August 1944, National Archives of Sweden, Härnösand Branch, Landsfiskalens i Jokkmokks distrikt, SE/HLA/1080095/A I/5, Protokoll över polisförhör 1944–1945

Photo of Leif Myklebust at the top of the page: Private archive of Fredrik Myklebust.