Kasper Idland

Kasper Idland MM, (21 June 1918 – 25 May 1968) was a Norwegian resistance member during World War II. Idland took part in the Norwegian heavy water sabotage in 1943.

Kasper Idland
Born(1918-06-21)21 June 1918
Figgjo
Died25 May 1968(1968-05-25) (aged 49)
AllegianceNorway
Service/branchNorwegian Army
Years of service1940–1945
RankSecond Lieutenant
UnitNorwegian Independent Company 1 (Norwegian: Kompani Linge)
Battles/wars
Awards

Early life and education

Idland was born in Figgjo, the second child of Karsten og Gudrun Berg Idland, and had seven siblings.[1] He graduated as an army sergeant in 1937, after 3½ years at Hærens underoffisersskole at Gimlemoen, Kristiansand.[1] He then attended the school for postal officers, later working at the Post Office in Stavanger.[1]

World War II

As Norway was invaded by Germany, Idland joined the Norwegian military forces at Sviland on 9 and 10 April 1940, and participated in the battles at Dirdal.[1] He was held as a prisoner of war by the Germans at Madla, but was later released.

Kompani Linge

In September 1941, Idland travelled by boat from Egersund to Peterhead in Scotland, and was soon enrolled into the Norwegian Independent Company 1 (Norwegian: Kompani Linge).[1] He participated in the Commando raid Operation Anklet to Reine and Moskenes in December 1941.[1]

Heavy water sabotage
The première of the documentary film Kampen om tungtvannet on 5 February 1948. Left to right: Knut Haukelid, Joachim Rønneberg, Jens Anton Poulsson (shaking hands with King Haakon VII), Kasper Idland

Idland was noted for his role in the Norwegian heavy water sabotage in 1943.[2][3] 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.[4] After the mission at Vemork he escaped by ski to Sweden, together with four other members of the group.[4]

Vestige 4

From 1944 to 1945, Idland was active in Egersund, as a member of the resistance group Vestige 4.[1] The primary aim of the Vestige operations was shipping sabotage, but the Vestige 4 group never carried out ship sabotage.[1] As a member of this group, he participated in burning down the AT camp in Bjerkreim in January 1945.

Varg

From March 1945, Idland was working to establish the base area Varg in the Setesdal area.[5] Idland was leading one of the Varg resistance groups, located at the mountain cabin Langelona.[1] The group received supplies (weapons, ammunition and food) from parachuted containers delivered from allied aircraft.[1] 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 York.[1]

A memorial to Idland was unveiled in his home village of Figgjo in 1995.[6]

Honours and awards

References
  1. Nils Helge Amdal (12 March 2008). "Kasper Idland". Sandnesavisen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  2. "Tungtvannsaksjonen på Vemork" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  3. Kraglund, Ivar (1995). "tungtvannssabotasjen". In Dahl; Hjeltnes; Nøkleby; Ringdal; Sørensen (eds.). Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45 (in Norwegian). Oslo: Cappelen. pp. 425–426. ISBN 82-02-14138-9. Archived from the original on 2010-01-05.
  4. Erling Jensen; Per Ratvik; Ragnar Ulstein, eds. (1948). Kompani Linge (in Norwegian). I. Oslo: Gyldendal. pp. 156–192.
  5. Kraglund, Ivar (1995). "baser". In Dahl; Hjeltnes; Nøkleby; Ringdal; Sørensen (eds.). Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45 (in Norwegian). Oslo: Cappelen. p. 35. ISBN 82-02-14138-9. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
  6. "Oversikt over skulpturer i Sandnes kommune. "Minnesbauta over Figgjogutten Kasper Idland" av Svein Magnus Håvarstein" (in Norwegian). Sandnes Kommune. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
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