GESTAPO HUNTING IN GREENLAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 14 October 1941, Page 4

GESTAPO HUNTING IN GREENLAND

AMERICAN naval patrols have been able to make their first reported capture without actually opening a shooting war. Off the Greenland coast one of their vessels came across a small Norwegian ship. Inspection revealed that it had been sent from Norway by the Nazis to set up a wireless station in Greenland. The logical Americans then set about looking for the radio station and found it —no small achievement considering the size and nature of this coast. Manning the station were one Gestapo agent and two other Norwegians who had come off the vessel. Everything and everybody were taken in charge with the result that twenty prisoners, including some Norwegian quislings, are on their way to an American port. This was a timely find by the Americans, who have assumed responsibility for protecting Danishowned Greenland and who are therefore well within their rights in apprehending anyone who threatens waters that the United States deems necessary to her safety. This radio station had, apparently, been given little time to operate before it was captured and put out of harm'.', way. While being useful to the enemy it could prove annoying to us and the Americans. It was indeed the very kind of nuisance which the United States went to Greenland to guard j against, because it was recognised that, with the far north Atlantic ship- | ping route being so extensively used : —especially in summer—information ! about the weather radioed to German |or occupied territory from a place i like Greenland would make the attack of U-boats and submarines on ! British shipping all the more effec- ! live. We have not been told of other 1 radio stations being discovered in 1 this way but they may have been. ; Some may have been operating withj out being detected in the most unex--1 pected places, for they are not easy :to locate and track down. Testimony I to the übiquity of the infamous Ges- ; tapo was provided by the presence of j a representative at this Arctic out--1 post. He must have found himself in congenial company with Norwegian j quislings whose actions he was ! doubtless there to watch closely.