DESTRUCTION AT SPITZBERGEN

Southland Times, Issue 24537, 11 September 1941, Page 5

DESTRUCTION AT SPITZBERGEN

COAL MINES AND OIL WELLS UP-TO-DATE MACHINERY (Rec. 7.35 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 10. The Canadian raiding force wrecked Spitzbergen’s coal mines, oil wells and fish-curing factories and everything helpful to the German war effort, says The Daily Mail. A Canadian engineer said: “We blew up every coal mine, fired every oil well and smashed every bit of machinery. We overran the island for some days. Hitler must have been getting big supplies from these coal mines, also oil. I have never seen such up-to-date machinery. The radio station from which the Germans obtained valuable meteorological information was wrecked.”

A Canadian eye-witness of the landing said that the Allied formation, commanded by a Saskatchewan officer, struck swiftly and secretly. The Canadians made the first landing from the warships and troopships and garrisoned the settlements. Some of them are now back in England, bringing with them large numbers of Norwegian miners and families. Throughout the whole hazardous voyage from Britain there was not a single Nazi raid on the expedition, comprising a formidable flotilla of warships and Fleet Air Arm planes. Detachments of British and Norwegian troops supported the Canadians, who manned the island’s guns and defence positions. Before leaving the

troops were told that they were going on Army exercises somewhere in Britain. Only a few of the senior officers knew more than this. First of all they went to a special coastal training area where units were instructed in invasion tactics and beach assaults. The flotilla eventually sailed, but it was not till the troops were inside the ships that they were told where they were going. They cheered lustily. NORWEGIANS’ GREETING A day out from Spitzbergen the officers were handed operational orders. It was not known whether Germans were on the island, so plans were prepared for opposed and _ unopposed landings. The imposing flotilla reached Spitzbergen at 6 a.m. after destroyers and aircraft had reconnoitred ahead. Troops crowded the rails of 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. They took over the wireless station. The next party ashore took over another wireless station. Norwegians rushed from shacks to greet them. After these initial moves the commander and interpreters went ashore for the official landing. At the Russian town a score of stolid Russians, including the town’s officials, surrounded them. There was no signs of animosity as the troops entered the centre of the community, where they were ceremoniously greeted by the Russian Commissar. A British officer passed round Russian cigarettes, and negotiations were rapidly carried out under large pictures of M. Stalin and the other Soviet leaders. Within an. hour the Russians and the Canadians were fraternizing. Destroyers, trawlers and Russian lighters and motor-boats plied between the ships and the dock, bringing ammunition, explosives and supplies ashore. NORWEGIAN PROCLAMATION In the meantime a destroyer took a Norwegian detachment and a Canadian landing party to the Norwegian settlement down the fiord, where the Norwegian mayor, representing the Norwegian Government in London, read a proclamation informing the people of the landings. The Norwegians seemed glad to leave Spitzbergen, and held farewell parties and a dance, when British, Canadian and Norwegian troops danced with Norwegian girls. Next morning hundreds of Norwegians boarded a destroyer, which took them to a troopship, and the latter sailed for Britain. The journey was uneventful. The occupation of Spitzbergen is described in Berlin as a typical prestige move obviously aimed in stiffening the Soviet’s back. The Germans have little interest in Spitzbergen economically. The British justification that the step was taken to prevent Germany using the coal mines is far-fetched. A number of Free French officers and other ranks arrived with the Norwegians from Spitzbergen, and are expected to join the Free French forces in Britain. The Canadians were thoroughly disappointed that there was no fighting. While the evacuation was under way they spent some of the time fishing and shooting. While in Spitzbergen they were cut off from all news from the outside world, and . published a newspaper of their own, in which was an account of a football match between the Canadians and the Norwegians, won by the latter.