. ▁Johann ▁Schul te ▁rescue ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁incred ible ▁ever ▁accomplished ▁on ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁coast , ▁and ▁resulted ▁in ▁con gr at ul atory ▁tele gram s ▁to ▁the ▁ship ▁when ▁it ▁reached ▁S vol v ær ▁and ▁later ▁mon et ary ▁g ifts ▁to ▁the ▁crew . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁Captain ▁Grund t ▁received ▁a ▁gold ▁medal ▁from ▁the ▁German ▁rescue ▁society ▁and ▁a ▁di pl oma ▁from ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁counter part ▁for ▁his ▁efforts . ▁ ▁Norwegian ▁Camp aign ▁ ▁Tro op ship ▁duties ▁When ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁inv aded ▁Norway ▁on ▁ 9 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁D ron ning ▁Ma ud ▁was ▁north bound ▁off ▁Sand ness j ø en ▁in ▁Nord land ▁and ▁continued ▁north wards ▁to ▁her ▁end ▁port ▁of ▁Kir ken es ▁in ▁Finn mark . ▁After ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁Kir ken es ▁she ▁was ▁requ is ition ed ▁by ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁government ▁as ▁a ▁tro op ship . ▁ ▁D ron ning ▁Ma ud s ▁first ▁tro op ship ▁assignment ▁was ▁to ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁transport ▁of ▁Battalion ▁I ▁of ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁ 1 2 ▁( I / IR 1 2 ) ▁from ▁S ør - Var anger ▁to ▁the ▁T rom s ø - N ar vik ▁area . ▁Esc orted ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁heavy ▁cru iser ▁Ber wick ▁and ▁the ▁destroy er ▁In gle field , ▁D ron ning ▁Ma ud ▁and ▁two ▁smaller ▁vessels ▁from ▁V est era