In 1944 Gjems-Onstad was promoted to second lieutenant ( '' fenrik '' ) . He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1941 , and decorated with the Haakon VII 70th Anniversary Medal in 1942 , the St. Olav 's Medal With Oak Branch in 1944 , the Defence Medal , War Medal 1939 – 1945 , 1939 – 45 Star and the Norwegian Defence Medal in 1945 and the Norwegian War Cross with Sword in 1947 . As such he was one of Norway 's highest decorated war heroes . In 1947 he played himself in the documentary film '' Det grodde fram '' about the Norwegian resistance movement in Trondheim
Norwegian Defence Medal
Defence Medal 1940–1945
Erik Gjems-Onstad