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.

Early life and education Idland was born in Figgjo, 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 in Kristiansand Municipality. 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. 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 East Farmingdale, New York.

Honours and awards St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch War Medal Defence Medal 1940–1945 with Rosette Haakon VII's 70-Medal Military Medal (United Kingdom) Legion of Honour (France) Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France) Medal of Freedom (with bronze palm) (United States)