Sverre Bratland was a Norwegian

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

 military leader.

Career

He grew up at a farm in Utskarpen

Utskarpen

Utskarpen is a village located 37 km from Mo i Rana in the Rana municipality, on the coast of Helgeland in Nordland county in northern Norway. The village center is located at the head of the Utskarpen Fjord which is part of Ranfjord. Highway 12 passes through the village.Utskarpen has a...

 in Rana

Rana, Norway

Rana is the second largest municipality in Nordland county – and the third largest in North Norway – by population. By area, Rana is largest in Norway south of Finnmark , taking in large areas of mountains and forested valleys. It is part of the Helgeland traditional region...

, and took his military education in Harstad

Harstad

is the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...

 at the Norwegian 6th Division Under-Officers' Training School. He was a sergeant of rank when Norway was invaded by Germany

Operation 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...

 on 9 April 1940. His garrison was ordered to fight with the outbreak of the Narvik campaign

Battles of Narvik

The Battles of Narvik were fought from 9 April-8 June 1940 as a naval battle in the Ofotfjord and as a land battle in the mountains surrounding the north Norwegian city of Narvik as part of the Norwegian Campaign of the Second World War....

. Bratland first fought in the Battle of Gratangen

Battle of Gratangen

The Battle of Gratangen occurred during the first Norwegian counter-attack in the Narvik Campaign. The Norwegian 6th Division gathered forces to push the Germans out of the Gratangen area and back towards Narvik...

. In the next month he was stationed in Bodø

Bodø

is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...

, where he was founded during a German air attack. He fled to England via Sweden in 1942, and was subsequently commissioned into the 4th Battalion of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry. He would serve in Normandy

Normandy

Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...

, landing on 13 June 1944. He was injured in the Battle for Caen

Battle for Caen

The Battle for Caen from June-August 1944 was a battle between Allied and German forces during the Battle of Normandy....

, but quickly returned to the field. On 22 September 1944, during the crossing of key canals in Holland, Bratland led a platoon attack near Asten

Asten

Asten is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands.It is home to the Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry and also a carillon museum.- History :...

, for which he was awarded the Military Cross

Military Cross

The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....

. When approaching Germany, he headed a company. However he was gravely injured on 5 April 1945, and remained hospitalized until the war's end. Bratland was also awarded the St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch

St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch

St. 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...

 and the Defence Medal

Defence Medal 1940 – 1945

The Defence Medal 1940 – 1945 is the award rewarded to those military and civilian personnel who participated in the fight against the German invasion and occupation of Norway between 1940 and 1945....

 as well as the British War Medal 1939–1945

War Medal 1939–1945

The War Medal 1939–1945 was a British decoration awarded to those who had served in the Armed Forces or Merchant Navy full-time for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. In the Merchant Navy, the 28 days must have been served at sea...

 and Defence Medal. He was appointed Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur

Légion d'honneur

The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...

 in 1980.

He went on to have a successful career in the Norwegian army after the war. He served as battalion chief of the Brigade in South Norway

South Norway

South Norway is the southern third of Norway, consisting of the regions Vestlandet, Østlandet and Sørlandet. South Norway has no administrative functions, and does not constitute a cultural or linguistic region - as opposed to Central Norway/Trøndelag and particularly North Norway...

 from 1961 to 1964, then chief of staff in Northern Norway. He then served as acting chief of staff of the NATO North Command before serving as commander of ground forces in South Norway from 1977 to 1982. He attained the rank of Colonel in 1966 and Major-General in 1972. After retirement he worked part-time at the Norwegian Military Academy

Norwegian Military Academy

The Norwegian Army Academy was established in 1750. It is the oldest university-level educational institution in Norway, and one of the oldest active military academies in the world. Krigsskolen primarily educates officers for the Norwegian Army. There are separate academies for the Royal...

. He also visited Normandy several times with various delegations. He died in 2002.