SPITZBERGEN OCCUPIED

Grey River Argus, 10 September 1941, Page 5

SPITZBERGEN OCCUPIED

BRITISH EXPEDITION Norwegian Miners Removed GERMANS LOSE A SOURCE OF COAL SUPPLY. [British Official Wireless], RUGBY, September 8. An important and successful raid I has been carried out by an Allien force on the Norwegian dependency of Spitzbergen. This was revealed bv the following announcement from the War Office: “For various purposes, it was recently decided to send <a military force to the Arctic. In the course of the operations, which were carried out without enemy interference, a landing was affected at Spitzbergen, by a mixed Canadian, British and Norwegian force, under Canaa.an command. The main purpose of the landing was to prevent the enemy from utilising for their own. war purposes Spitzbergen, with its rich coal mines. Previously, a proportion of Spitzbergen had been at the disposal of the population of northern Norway. But it had become known that the enemy’s plan was to seize al] the coal available, including tnat from Spitzbergen, which would be used mainly for war transport to the far north. This source of fuel has now been denied to the Germans. “The immediate result of the Spitzbergen landing is that a' considerable number of Norwegian miners, with their families, have now arrived in Great Britain to play a part in the Allied war effort. Most of them wni be joining the Norwegian forces or the Norwegian merchant service.” Spitzbergen’s population is some 13,000. and in 1938 its coal output was 626,516 tons.-*-b.O.W. Spitzbergen Miners REMOVED TO BRITAIN. (Rec. 7.25). LONDON September 9. The mixed English. Canadian, and Norwegian military force which was landed in Snitzbergen evacuated almost the whole of the Norwegian mining population of the island, numbering between 700 and 1000. This was done tn prevent reprisals such as th P Germans adopted after the Lofoten Island raid some months ago. There have been only a few wandering Eskimos and Lanps left behind on the island The belligerent nations left Snitzbergen Island, which is 500 mi[es north of the European Mainland, alone during the first vear of the war. They did s.o, first, because the island is so far north: and second!v because the fact that the Russians nosessed a mining concession on the largest island made the Germans hesitate. Thus the Norwegian civil administration in Spitzbergen had remained practically Independent. For the greater part of the vear Snitzbergen is b’oekaded bv Ice Th<* miners, who, have now arrived in England. retTOrt that the current export season started a month later than usual. A large stock of coal had accumulated, because only a few small cargoes went out in June and July. The Germans, while preparing their campaign against Russia, seized all of the supplies of fuel in Norway, Including thn Snitzbergen coal, which was needed for war transports along the Norwegian coast. When Germanv attacked Russia, Snitzbergen entered the zone of operations. and changes were made >n the original exnort scheme. Only tv'o shins were sent at a time from northern Norwav t 0 Snitzbergen. indicating that the Germans had feared an Albed action, and proving that it was their intention to use this Norwegian coal for their .own purposes on DETAILS OF TH? EXPEDITION. [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec. 10.10.) LONDON. Sept. 9. A Canadian eye-witness of the Spitzbergen landing said: An Allied formation, commanded by a Saskatchewan officer, struck swiftly, but secretly. The Canadians made the first landing from warships and troop-ships, and garrisoned settlements. Some of them are now back in England, bringing with them large numbers of Norwegian miners and their families. Throughout the whole of a hazardous voyage from Britain there was not a single Nazi raid on the expedition, which comprised a formidable flotilla of warships and Fleet Air Arm ’planes. It carried detachments of British and Norwegian troops, supported by Canadians, who have manned the island’s guns and defence positions. Before leaving, the troops were told they were going on army exercises somewhere in Britain. Only a few senior officers knew more than this. First of all, .they went to a special coastal training area, where the units were instructed in invasion tactics, and beach assaults. The flotilla eventually sailed, but it was not till the troops were inside of the Arctic Circle that they were told where they were going. They cheered lustily. One day out from Snitzbergen, the officers were handed operational orders. It was not known whether there were Germans on the island, so plans were prepared for opposed and unopposed landings. The imposing flotilla reached Spitzbergen at six a.m., after distroyers and aircraft had reconnoit- ! red ahead. Troops crowded the rails as the ships moved down a long fiord. A Lieutenant and some signalmen, armed to the teeth, made the first landing from small boats with Bren guns in the bows to take over the wireless station. The next party ashore took over another wireless station. Norwegians on the island rushed from shacks to greet them. After these initial moves, the commander and interpreters went ashore for an official landing at the Russian town. A score of stolid Russians, including the town’s officials, surrounded them. There was no sign of animosity as the troops entered the centre of the community, where they were ceremoniously greeted by a Russian Commissar. A British officer passed round Russian cigarettes, and negotiations were rapidly carried cut under large pictures .of Stalin and other Soviet leaders. Within an hour, Russians and Canadians were fraternising. Destroyers, trawlers, Russian lighters and motor-boats nlied between the ships and the dock, bringing ammunition, explosives and supplies ashore. Meantime, a destroyer took a Norwegian detachment and a Canadian landing partv to the Norwegian settlement down the fiord, where a Norwegian Mayor, representing the Norwegian Government in London, read a proclamation, informin- the neopie of the landings. The Norwegians seemed glad to leave Snitzbergen. They held farewell parties, and also on the last night held a dance, when British, Canadian and Norwegian troons danced with Norwegian girls. Next morning, hundreds of■evacuees boarded a destroyer, which took them to a troopship, which sailed for Britain. The journey was uneventful.