Gunnar Syverstad

British Empire Medal

Gunnar Bryde Syverstad, BEM (6 February 1910 11 March 1945) was a Norwegian resistance member. He is known for his assistance at the Norwegian heavy water sabotage.[1]

He was born in Horten, Norway. his mother was from that city and his father was from Glemmen in Østfold county. He later moved to Rjukan where he was laboratory assistant at the Vemork hydroelectric power plant outside Rjukan in Tinn, Norway.

He fled to Great Britain in February 1944, where he became a member of the Special Operations Executive. He returned to Norway, being paradropped over Hardangervidda, to participate in the Operation Sunshine with Leif Tronstad. Syverstad and Tronstad were both killed in a shooting incident 11 March 1945.[2][3] He was post-humously awarded the British Empire Medal.[4]

References

  1. Gunnar Syverstad (sunshine - aktiv tjeneste i Telemarksfjellene)
  2. Ording, Arne; Johnson, Gudrun; Garder, Johan (1951). Våre falne 1939-1945 (in Norwegian) 4. Oslo: The State of Norway. pp. 296–297.
  3. Berg, John (1986). "Sunshine". Soldaten som ikke ville gi seg. Metope. pp. 158–167. ISBN 82-403-0002-2.
  4. Norwegian Secret Agents (Special Forces Roll Of Honour)

Other sources