On 4 March 1941, British and Norwegian commandos landed at Henningsvær as part of Operation Claymore, a coordinated raid on the Lofoten Islands intended to destroy fish oil and glycerine production facilities supplying Nazi Germany's war industries. At Henningsvær, the raiders destroyed the Lofotens Cod Boiling Plant and two other factories before withdrawing without casualties.
The raid was one of the first successful Allied commando operations of the war. The village has a quiet memorial marking the event. For anyone with an interest in Second World War history, knowing that this peaceful, photogenic harbour was once a commando target adds a layer of depth that the tourist brochures rarely mention.