Memorial "Rogaland Campaign" 1940 Gloppedalsura

Gloppedalsura, located in Gjesdal and Bjerkreim in Rogaland, is called the largest rock hill in Northern Europe. It consists of shear blocks on top of a terminal moraine. It was created 10,000 years ago when glaciers melted away from the Gloppedal. A large terminal moraine dammed the former course of the Hunnedalselva towards Veen and Vikeså, and a lake was formed in Byrkjedalsgryta. Frost and thaw processes suddenly caused enormous amounts of blocks and rocks to tumble from the southern mountainside. The slide settled as a 100 meter thick rubble on top of the terminal moraine and Gloppedalsura was formed.

Battle of Gloppedalsura
After the German attack on Norway in 1940, Norwegian troops mobilized at Svanedal Ullvarefabrikk in Oltedal. Soldiers from North Jæren and southwards tried to meet the Germans at Bråstein. The Norwegians were quickly pushed back to new positions in Dirdal and Gloppedalsura. On April 22, 1940, German troops attacked Gloppedalsura from Veen. Here the large boulders served as a natural fortress for the Norwegian defenders. The first clashes occurred around 9:19 am. The Germans attacked both on the ground and by air and the fighting continued. After a heavy German attack, the Norwegian soldiers withdrew to Byrkjedal.
The Norwegian Georg Pettersen from Oslo died in the battle. The monument states that 44 German soldiers died, but there are different reports about how many German soldiers died.

The memorial plaque reads:
"The battle of Gloppedalsura on April 22, 1940.
250 Norwegian soldiers managed to prevent that
two German battalions (800 soldiers) advanced towards Dirtal.
44 Germans and one Norwegian fell during this battle. The Norwegian was Georg
Pettersen from Oslo"

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Marie-Christine Vinck