Kasper Idland
Encyclopedia
Kasper Idland MM
, (21 June 1918 – 25 May 1968) was a Norwegian resistance
member during World War II
.
, the second child of Karsten og Gudrun Berg Idland, and had seven siblings. He graduated as an army sergeant
in 1937, after 3½ years at Hærens underoffisersskole at Gimlemoen, Kristiansand
. He then attended the school for postal officers, later working at the Post Office in Stavanger
.
, Idland joined the Norwegian military forces at Sviland
on 9 and 10 April 1940, and participated in the battles at Dirdal
. He was held as a prisoner of war
by the Germans at Madla
, but was later released.
in Scotland
, and was soon enrolled into the Norwegian Independent Company 1
. He participated in the Commando
raid Operation Anklet
to Reine
and Moskenes
in December 1941.
in 1943. As a member of the Gunnerside team he was parachuted onto the Hardangervidda
plateau on 16 February 1943. He was one of the four saboteurs who entered the Vemork
facility right after midnight 27/28 February, where the team leader Joachim Rønneberg
placed explosives on the heavy water
cylinders. After the mission at Vemork he escaped by ski to Sweden, together with four other members of the group.
, as a member of the resistance group Vestige 4. The primary aim of the Vestige operations was shipping sabotage, but the Vestige 4 group never carried out ship sabotage. As a member of this group he participated in burning down the AT camp in Bjerkreim
in January 1945.
area. Idland was leading one of the Varg resistance groups, located at the mountain cabin Langelona. The group received supplies (weapons, ammunition and food) from parachuted containers delivered from allied aircraft. The Langelona group was still small when the war ended in May 1945.
.
A memorial of Idland was unveiled in his home village Figgjo
in 1995.
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
, (21 June 1918 – 25 May 1968) was a Norwegian resistance
Norwegian resistance movement
The Norwegian resistance to the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany began after Operation Weserübung in 1940 and ended in 1945. It took several forms:...
member during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early life and education
He was born in FiggjoFiggjo
Figgjo is a borough of the city of Sandnes, Norway. It has a population of 1,805.By Statistics Norway it is also considered to be an urban area separate from Sandnes city, but it has grown together with Ålgård in the neighboring municipality Gjesdal. Figgjo and Ålgård have a combined population of...
, the second child of Karsten og Gudrun Berg Idland, and had seven siblings. He graduated as an army sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in 1937, after 3½ years at Hærens underoffisersskole at Gimlemoen, Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
. He then attended the school for postal officers, later working at the Post Office in Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
.
World War II
As Norway was invaded by GermanyOperation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
, Idland joined the Norwegian military forces at Sviland
Sviland
Sviland is a borough of the city of Sandnes, Norway. It has a population of 976 and is 68.6 km² in size.Home of the legendary Norwegian race horse Rex Rodney, winner of the 1986 Elitloppet.-References:...
on 9 and 10 April 1940, and participated in the battles at Dirdal
Dirdal
Dirdal is the name of valley and a village in Gjesdal municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway. The valley has around 400 inhabatians, 248 of which live in the main village of Gilja....
. He was held as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
by the Germans at Madla
Madla
-History:Madla municipality was created by a split from Håland in 1930. At that time Madla had a population of 1,091. On 1 January 1965 Madla was incorporated into Stavanger along with the majority of Hetland municipality...
, but was later released.
Kompani Linge
In September 1941 Idland travelled by boat from Egersund to PeterheadPeterhead
Peterhead is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement , with a population of 17,947 at the 2001 Census and estimated to have fallen to 17,330 by 2006....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and was soon enrolled into the Norwegian Independent Company 1
Norwegian Independent Company 1
Norwegian Independent Company 1 was a British SOE group formed in March 1941 originally for the purpose of performing commando raids during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany. It was organized under the leadership of Captain Martin Linge...
. He participated in the Commando
British Commandos
The British Commandos were formed during the Second World War in June 1940, following a request from the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, for a force that could carry out raids against German-occupied Europe...
raid Operation Anklet
Operation Anklet
Operation Anklet was the codename given to a British Commando raid during the Second World War. The raid on the Lofoten Islands was carried out in December 1941, by 300 men from No. 12 Commando and the Norwegian Independent Company 1. The landing party was supported by 22 ships from three navies.At...
to Reine
Reine
Reine is the administrative centre of Moskenes municipality, Norway. Its population is 342. It has been a commercial centre since 1743. Today tourism is important. In spite of its remote location thousands of people visit this neighborhood annually....
and Moskenes
Moskenes
Moskenes is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. The area of the municipality comprises the southern part of Moskenesøya. It is part of the Lofoten traditional region...
in December 1941.
Heavy water sabotage
Idland was noted for his role in the Norwegian heavy water sabotageNorwegian heavy water sabotage
The Norwegian heavy water sabotage was a series of actions undertaken by Norwegian saboteurs during World War II to prevent the German nuclear energy project from acquiring heavy water , which could be used to produce nuclear weapons...
in 1943. As a member of the Gunnerside team he was parachuted onto the Hardangervidda
Hardangervidda
The Hardangervidda is a mountain plateau in the Hardanger region of western Norway. It is the largest such plateau in Europe, with a cold year-round alpine climate and is the site of one of Norway's largest glaciers. Much of the plateau is protected as part of Hardangervidda National Park; it is a...
plateau on 16 February 1943. He was one of the four saboteurs who entered the Vemork
Vemork
Vemork is the name of a hydroelectric power plant outside Rjukan in Tinn, Norway. The plant was built by Norsk Hydro and opened in 1911, its main purpose being to fix nitrogen for the production of fertilizer. Vemork was later the site of the first plant in the world to mass-produce heavy water...
facility right after midnight 27/28 February, where the team leader Joachim Rønneberg
Joachim Rønneberg
Joachim Holmboe Rønneberg, DSO is a retired Norwegian officer and broadcaster. He is known for his resistance work during World War II and his post-war war information work.-Personal life:...
placed explosives on the heavy water
Heavy water
Heavy water is water highly enriched in the hydrogen isotope deuterium; e.g., heavy water used in CANDU reactors is 99.75% enriched by hydrogen atom-fraction...
cylinders. After the mission at Vemork he escaped by ski to Sweden, together with four other members of the group.
Vestige 4
From 1944 to 1945 Idland was active in EgersundEgersund
The town of Egersund was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . It was merged with the surrounding municipality of Eigersund January 1, 1965....
, as a member of the resistance group Vestige 4. The primary aim of the Vestige operations was shipping sabotage, but the Vestige 4 group never carried out ship sabotage. As a member of this group he participated in burning down the AT camp in Bjerkreim
Bjerkreim
Bjerkreim is a municipality in the Rogaland county, Norway. The parish of Birkrem was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
in January 1945.
Varg
From March 1945 Idland was working to establish the base area Varg in the SetesdalSetesdal
Setesdal is a valley and a traditional district in Aust-Agder County in southern Norway. It consists of the municipalities of Bykle, Valle, Bygland, Iveland, and Evje og Hornnes....
area. Idland was leading one of the Varg resistance groups, located at the mountain cabin Langelona. The group received supplies (weapons, ammunition and food) from parachuted containers delivered from allied aircraft. The Langelona group was still small when the war ended in May 1945.
Post war
Idland lived in Stavanger until 1955, when he moved to the United States and settled in Huntington, New YorkHuntington, New York
The Town of Huntington is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, USA. Founded in 1653, it is located on the north shore of Long Island in northwestern Suffolk County, with Long Island Sound to its north and Nassau County adjacent to the west. Huntington is part of the New York metropolitan...
.
A memorial of Idland was unveiled in his home village Figgjo
Figgjo
Figgjo is a borough of the city of Sandnes, Norway. It has a population of 1,805.By Statistics Norway it is also considered to be an urban area separate from Sandnes city, but it has grown together with Ålgård in the neighboring municipality Gjesdal. Figgjo and Ålgård have a combined population of...
in 1995.
Honours and awards
- St. Olav's Medal With Oak BranchSt. Olav's Medal With Oak BranchSt. Olav's Medal with Oak Branch is a Norwegian military award, which was instituted by King Haakon VII of Norway on 6 February 1942. In Norway, the medal is considered as a separate award from the civilian St...
- War Medal
- Defence Medal 1940–1945 with Rosette
- Haakon VII's 70-Medal
- Military MedalMilitary MedalThe Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(United Kingdom) - Legion of Honour (France)
- Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)
- Medal of Freedom (with bronze palm) (United States)