Fredrik Kayser
Fredrik Thorbjørn Kayser | |
---|---|
Born | 25 May 1918 |
Died | 2 February 2009 | (aged 90)
Allegiance | Légion d'honneur |
Fredrik Thorbjørn Kayser, MM (25 May 1918 – 2 February 2009) was a Norwegian resistance member during World War II. He was especially noted for his role in the Norwegian heavy water sabotage, and has been referred to as "Western Norway's Gunnar Sønsteby".
Early life
Kayser grew up at
World War II
Norway was
From there Kayser travelled to Bergen, where he involved himself in the illegal press. After some time he decided to take part in secret military and sabotage operations. He escaped to England in September 1941, and enrolled in the Norwegian Independent Company 1 led by Martin Linge. Kayser was recruited from the regular training to the so-called Finishing School, where the emphasis was on secret agent skills.[3] His first mission was the Operation Anklet in December 1941.[2] In 1942 he planned Operation Woodcock together with Kasper Idland and Kjell Endresen, two other Norwegian Independent Company 1 soldiers. They were to parachute onto the Nevlandsheia plateau in Gjesdal and from there carry out a sabotage operation against the strategically important Sola Air Station in Western Norway. The team's first attempt to carry out the operation failed due to fog obscuring the drop zone. Further attempts were called off after a French sabotage team was intercepted by the Germans and explosives designed for the operation fell into German hands.[5]
Heavy water sabotage
In 1942 the British
For his role in the heavy water sabotage Kayser was awarded the
Submarines
After the heavy water sabotage, Kayser returned to England. This time, he was educated in steering one-man midget submarines. In 1944 Kayser and three other men were tasked with assaulting German ships in the harbour of Måløy. However, the plan went sour as locals became alarmed of their presence. Kayser had to escape by land.[3] He reportedly entrenched himself in a marsh for a whole day in order to escape a Gestapo search party.[4]
Bjørn West
In the last year of the war the Norwegian resistance movement established base areas in remote locations in Norway to provide hiding places for people on the run from the German occupiers. Five base areas were planned, although only two were completed (Bjørn and Elg) by the time of the German capitulation on V-E Day, with a third (Varg) still under construction. In addition to serve as safe heavens the bases were also to train the refugees in guerilla tactics, using instructors from Norwegian Independent Company 1.[11] Kayser, then a lieutenant, was second-in-command of the base Bjørn West at Matre in Masfjorden and took part in the 28 April–3 May 1945 fighting after the base was discovered by the Germans.[12] Kayser had arrived in Masfjorden in October 1944 with a fellow Norwegian Independent Company 1 soldier, second lieutenant Severin Synnes. The two had been transported to Masfjorden from the UK on the Royal Norwegian Navy submarine chaser HNoMS Vigra with orders to establish Bjørn West.[13]
Awards and honours
In total, Kayser received fourteen decorations for his wartime efforts. In addition to the Military Medal, he received the
St. Olav's Medal With Oak Branch awarded twice
|
Defence Medal 1940–1945 | Military Medal | Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur |
Post-war life
Kayser left the military after the war, and spent the rest of his professional career working in the private business sector. He was a member of
Kayser played himself in the
Fredrik Kayser died on 2 February 2009, having suffered from failing health for four months.[16] He had lived in Ågotnes since 1974.[15]
References
- ^ Jenssen, Stian. "Gardens Historie etter krigen". Norwegian Armed Forces (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
- ^ a b Ask, Øyvind (25 May 2008). "Sabotøren". Bergens Tidende (in Norwegian).
- ^ a b c d e f Guhnfeldt, Cato (17 June 1998). "Krigssabotøren - Fredrik Kayser har gått stille i dørene i 50 år". Aftenposten (in Norwegian).
- ^ a b c d e f Pedersen, Kjell (15 February 1993). "Smellet som gav gjenlyd verden over". Bergens Tidende (in Norwegian).
- ^ Amdal, Nils Helge (12 March 2008). "Kasper Idland". Sandnesavisen.no (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
- ^ Moland 1987: 8
- ^ Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
- ^ Mears, Ray (October 2005). "Norwegian Resistance Coup". Nova. Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
- ^ a b Voksø 1994: 311
- ^ Moland 1987: 9
- Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-45(in Norwegian). Oslo: Cappelen. p. 35.
- ^ a b Lunde, Kjell Harald (May 1994). "Bjørn West — bak fiendens linjer". Bjørn West Muséet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2009-02-05.
- ^ Austgulen, Ingolf (30 September 2001). "Bjørn West styrkane i Masfjordfjella og forsyningane frå Gulen og Brekke". Scandion (in Norwegian). Retrieved 6 February 2009.
- ^ "Program for Bergen". Norwegian Armed Forces (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Fredrik Kayser 80 år 25. mai" (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 20 May 1998.
- ^ a b c Lura, Christian (2 February 2009). "Krigshelten døde mandag". Bergens Tidende (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
Literature
- ISBN 82-991026-4-2.
- ISBN 82-7010-245-8.