'Sandpiper' was a British operation by the Special Forces Executive to make contact with existing organisations in southern part of German-occupied Norway, establish radio communication with the UK, provide instruction, reconnoitre and plan an attack against the airfield at Kjevik to the north-east of Kristiansand, and prepare disruption or protection of communications if the Germans withdrew from the area (10 December 1943/October 1944).

The four-man party, comprising J. Ropstad, A. Fosse, J. Eikanger and L. Tofte, was parachuted into the country on 10 December, and quickly established radio contact. At the end of December the party met local leaders of the Milorg military resistance movement in Norway. During the months which followed, the members of the party undertook weapons training, quantities of weapons were delivered and in September the group was reinforced by the arrival of two more instructors overland from neutral Sweden. In October 1944, the 'Sanderling' team arrived.