on their first mission to norway, the poet, and news-reporter nordahl grieg was with 333 squadron to report from the flight. this was then a secret mission. after this mission, he wrote the poem "flagget". during the second world war, the missions of 333 squadron included dangerous search-and-destroy submarine missions, patrolling, and secret missions along the norwegian coastline, behind the german defence lines. they landed and picked up agents, illegal radios, and transmitters. they also dropped christmas presents to the norwegian population, and did search and rescue missions.