Campbell Norsgaard collection, 1938-1946

Biography/History: 
Norsgaard was a professional photographer and cinematographer, originally from Norway, but for much of his late life he lived in Lakeville, Connecticut. Campbell Norsgaard was the official photographer for the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNAF) and its training facilities in Canada from nearly the beginning of World War II until its closure. During this period, he photographed the servicemen and their airplanes, the Royal Family, various training facilities and many official and unofficial activities. Later in life, Norsgaard made nature documentaries for the National Geographic Society.

Scope and Content:
The photographic collection by Campbell Norgaard consists of slides, transparencies, and negatives dating from the early part of World War II through the close of the war. Most of the color transparencies are from Canada, including aerial views of Vesle Skaugum, portraits of Colonel Ole Reistad, and examples of pilots and their planes. A majority of the slides are from the RNAF airlift of transport aircraft from Canada to India during the war. Some slides show airplane hangers and training facilities, as well as crewmen interacting with the people of India. In addition, there are color slides documenting the return of King Haakon VII to Norway. 

The 35mm black and white negatives cover different geographic locations from Canada, India, Norway, and England, not to mention Sigrid Undset’s trip across the Soviet Union to Japan and the United States during the war. There are also some negatives of the Royal Family and Armistice in Norway. The black and white negatives are of peace days in Norway, the 199th Division United States Forces on Parade in Oslo (1945) and the RNAF in Canada in relation to the India airlift.  There are also portraits of Norwegian pilots standing with their aircraft which are signed in ink by the pilots. 

Nineteen 16mm reel-to-reel films from about 1942-1946. Much of the footage was filmed in black-and-white.  Documents life at Camp Little Norway in Canada, the Royal Family in Canada, the Royal Norwegian Air Force, the Royal Family returning home, and Norway/Russia tour, and more.

Existence and Location of Copies:
Digital copies of the Campbell Norsgaard collection is available through the Digital Collections of the Norwegian American Historical Association website: https://www.norwegianamericanhistory.org/digital-collections/collections/show/156. Digitization was completed in 2024-2025.

Funding
Funding to digitize the Campbell Norsgaard papers was provide by the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

Processing Information:
Processing and finding aid by Kristina Warner.