The Supermarine Walrus, though it proved ultimately unsuitable for operations in Iceland, had the advantage that it could land almost anywhere.[24]. This article is about the 1940 invasion. [37] He then hastened to report to the Prime Minister. They were accompanied by an anti-submarine escort consisting of the destroyers Fearless and Fortune. Iceland had decided to go it alone, basing its defence merely on the fact that Iceland was a peaceful nation with no military. Down at the harbour, he viewed the ships for himself and decided they were probably British. Denmark was subdued within a day and occupied. In July, elements of the 2nd Canadian Division and 3rd Canadian Division were landed. The British diplomats explained that they were terribly sorry about the inconvenience and gave a promise that the invading force would leave as soon as the war was over. [34][35], At 03:40, an Icelandic policeman saw a small fleet of warships approaching the harbour, but could not discern their nationality. U.S. Army personnel began arriving in Iceland in August, and the marines had been transferred to the Pacific by March, 1942. The occupation. The guns were manned by troops from the artillery divisions of the Navy and the marines, none of whom had ever fired them. [3] By 1928, all Icelandic political parties were in agreement that the union treaty would be terminated as soon as possible.[4]. During the occupation, on 17 June 1944, Iceland declared itself a republic. 29 Oct 1941: 133 USA Civilians arrive in Iceland to work on the construction of fuel-oil facilities at the request of the British. The British were also worried that the Germans might airlift troops, as they had done with great success in their Norwegian campaign. Boarding commenced, but was fraught with problems and delays. Uncomfortable with the crowd, Consul Shepherd turned to the Icelandic police. The prime minister addressed the nation later that day, strongly condemning the invasion but asking people to offer no resistance and treat the British as guests. When Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany Britain wanted Iceland to break its neutrality, but they said no, so British soldiers invaded after the German occupation of Norway, and the soldiers were welcomed as guests. During 1918, after a long period of Danish rule, Iceland had become an independent state in personal union with the Danish king and with common foreign affairs. There was a shortage of weapons, which consisted only of rifles, pistols, and bayonets, while 50 of the marines had only just received their rifles and had not had a chance to fire them. The invasion was carried out as the British government feared that Iceland would be used by the Germans, who had recently overrun Denmark, as a means to dominate the North Atlantic. Planning conquest of Iceland for next week. The NID also expected resistance from the Reykjavk police, consisting of some 60 armed men. [35] A small crowd had assembled, including several policemen still waiting for the customs boat. [2] There was a shortage of weapons, consisting only of rifles, pistols and bayonets, while 50 of the marines had only just received their rifles and had not had a chance to fire them. Just as importantly, the British were eager to obtain bases in Iceland for themselves to strengthen their Northern Patrol. Very rough seas were encountered on passage to Iceland and the majority of the marines cluttered gangways and mess-decks throughout the ship, prostrate with seasickness. The offices of Landssmi slands (state telecommunication service), RV (broadcasting service), and the Meteorological Office were quickly occupied by the British to prevent news of the invasion from reaching Berlin. One year after the invasion, forces from the still officially neutral United States were stationed on the island by agreement with the Icelandic government, relieving the bulk of British ground forces. The invasion took place because the British government feared that Iceland would be used by the Germans, who had recently overrun Denmark, which was in personal union with Iceland and which had previously been largely responsible for Iceland's foreign policy. The voyage was used as planned for calibration and familiarisation with the newly acquired weapons. In addition, a German invasion force might already be under way or launched immediately following the British landings. Down at the harbour, some of the locals protested against the arrival of the British. Cadogan, Alexander George Montagu, Sir (1971). But that does not suggest Iceland's role in World War II is any less interesting and bittersweet to say that least. This page was last updated at 2022-08-16 14:23 UTC. Soon reinforcements arrived, first from Canada and before long there were more than 25,000 Commonwealth soldiers in Iceland. Denmark was subdued within a day and occupied. The Allied forces brought money and jobs to Iceland like never before in the countrys history. Shortly after landing, the soldiers attention was drawn to the neoclassical headquarters of Icelands main shipping company, which decades earlier had unfortunately decided on a logo which in Iceland was called the Thors Hammer, but more commonly known as a Swastika. Next was the citys radio and telecommunication centre. With the continuing squeeze on military resources, American personnel started to replace British personnel as early as summer 1941, before the USA even entered the war. [28] Seeing that the approaching fleet was about to violate Icelandic neutrality in two ways, Arnalds set out to investigate. Uncomfortable with the crowd, Consul Shepherd turned to the Icelandic police. With Operation Valentine on 12 April 1940, the British occupied the Faroe Islands. [9], As the strong military situation in Norway deteriorated, the Admiralty came to the conclusion that Britain could no longer do without bases in Iceland. HMSBerwick was the command ship of the operation. Resigning themselves to the situation, the Icelandic authorities provided the invasion force with de facto cooperation, though formally maintaining a policy of neutrality. The Government of Iceland issued a protest, charging that its neutrality had been "flagrantly violated" and "its independence infringed". On the same day, the British government sent a message to the Icelandic government, stating that Britain was willing to assist Iceland in maintaining her independence but would require facilities in Iceland to do so. Departure was delayed until 8 May, and even then a large amount of equipment and supplies had to be left on the piers. The 2nd Marine Squadron under the command of Colonel Robert Sturges was the force. Icelandic police officers undergoing firearms instruction during 1940. As the military situation in Norway deteriorated, the Admiralty came to the conclusion that the UK could no longer do without bases in Iceland. Conversely, it would also prove a very valuable Allied base from which to guard North Atlantic shipping convoys bringing essential supplies to Allied-controlled Europe from North America. Earlier in the day, Iceland's Ambassador, Niels Sigurdsson, delivered a strong protest to the British Foreign Office against the British decision Sattirday to send frigates into the disputed waters. [39] A small crowd had assembled, including several policemen still waiting for the customs boat. During the occupation, on 17 June 1944, Iceland declared itself a republic. Having anticipated that conclusion, the future prime minister had started preparations and initiated Operation Fork. He then threw it back to the marine and told him to be careful with it. At 04:00 on 8 May, the cruisers departed for Iceland. Customs officers were ordered to prepare a boat. "Certainly," came the reply. By 1928, all Icelandic political parties were in agreement that the union treaty would be terminated as soon as possible. The 800-strong invasion force entered Reykjavk harbour and landed ashore to no resistance. Meeting no resistance, the troops moved quickly to disable communication networks, secure strategic locations and arrest German citizens. Task Force 19 (TF 19) sailed from Argentia on 1 July. Colonel Robert Sturges was assigned to command the force. After failing to persuade the Icelandic government to join the Allies, the UK invaded on the morning of 10 May 1940.British invasion of Iceland. Boarding commenced but was fraught with problems and delays. The invasion of Iceland, codenamed Operation Fork, was a British military operation conducted by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines during World War II. On 6 May, Force Sturges boarded trains for Greenock on the Clyde. An officer arrived to scold the marine. They met with no resistance but some resentment. [16] Excluding those, the invasion force consisted of 746 troops. However it cannot be denied that it was an unusual sight to see armed soldiers side by side in the streets, particularly while the arrests [of Germans] were being made.. [10], The expedition was organized hastily and haphazardly. The NID also expected resistance from the Reykjavk police, consisting of some 60 armed men. Though there was a nucleus of active service officers, the troops were new recruits and only partially trained. A commanding officer noticed the incident and reprimanded the marine. Their reasoning was that despite unofficially leaning toward Britain in the war, the Icelandic government would likely reject any suggestion of military protection due to their neutrality. Meeting no resistance, the troops moved quickly to disable communication networks, secure strategic locations, and arrest German citizens. The proposal was accepted. The initial force was later followed by larger occupation force consisting of 25,000 troops of the British and Canadian armies.[1]. A number of German civilians and technicians were made prisoners and transported back to the United Kingdom. knew that the destination was Iceland. In a postwar interview, Walter Warlimont claimed that "Hitler definitely was interested in occupying Iceland prior to [British] occupation. [31] Down at the harbour, he viewed the ships for himself and decided they were probably British. In the evening of 10 May, the government of Iceland issued a protest, charging that the neutrality of Iceland had been "flagrantly violated" and "its independence infringed" and noting that compensation would be expected for all damage done. [33] At home, he arranged for the burning of his documents and tried unsuccessfully to reach the Icelandic foreign minister by telephone. Many of the men had suffered seasickness on the smooth two-day crossing from Greenock in Scotland, and many had never fired a gun in anger before. He and military commanders stated from the first day that the occupation was not an attempt to bring Iceland into the British Empire and was entirely a military manoeuvre against Germany rather than against Iceland or Denmark. Fairchild, Byron (2000 (reissue from 1960)). He then threw it back to the marine and told him to be careful with it. This force was subsequently augmented, to a final force strength of 25,000. [17][18] The guns were manned by troops from the artillery divisions of the Navy and the marines, none of whom had ever fired them. One of the newly recruited marines committed suicide en route. [36] The laws of neutrality to which Iceland had committed forbade more than three warships from a belligerent nation from making use of a neutral harbour at the same time. The British occupation of the Faroe Islands in World War II, also known as Operation Valentine, was implemented immediately following the German invasion of Denmark and Norway. The battalion had only been activated the month before. In May 1940 we transported Royal Marines to Iceland and the island was occupied on the 10th May to prevent the occupation by a German force. This concern was needless, as the only Danish naval vessels abroad were in Greenland. [41] Down at the harbour, some of the locals protested against the arrival of the British. [citation needed] To guard against a German counterattack by sea, they would secure the harbour and send troops by land to nearby Hvalfjrur. After failing to persuade the Icelandic government to join the Allies, the UK invaded on the morning of 10 May 1940. Meeting no resistance, the troops moved quickly to disable communication networks, secure strategic locations, and arrest German citizens. Without a doubt, a bloodbath would ensue. In order to avoid drawing attention to itself, the force was divided into two different trains for the journey,[19] but due to delays in rail travel, the troops arrived at the rail station in Greenock around the same time, losing the small degree of anonymity desired. On the morning of 7 May, the force headed to the harbour in Greenock, where they met the cruisers Berwick and Glasgow, which would take them to Iceland. [52], After the British invasion, the Germans composed a report to examine the feasibility of seizing Iceland, proposed as Operation Ikarus. There, they would overcome any resistance and defeat local Germans. [citation needed] Many were upset that the foreign troops were "taking away" women, friends, and family. The British Invasion was a phenomenon that occurred in the mid-1960s when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom, as well as other aspects of British culture, became popular in the United States, and significant to the rising "counterculture" on both sides of the Atlantic. [15] The guns were manned by troops from the artillery divisions of the Navy and the marines, none of whom had ever fired them. he asked. But whichever side of the fence a commentator sits, it is easy to assert that 10th May 1940 was one of the most important dates in Icelandic history. The Icelandic government rejected the offer.[6]. The British planned to land all of their forces at Reykjavk. On 6 May, Winston Churchill presented the case to the War Cabinet. This did not happen for decades, and a substantial US military presence remained in Iceland until 30 September 2006. [41] He then hastened to report to the Prime Minister, who ordered him not to interfere with the British troops and to try to prevent conflicts between them and Icelanders. [1], At the start of the war, the UK imposed strict export controls on Icelandic goods, preventing profitable shipments to Germany, as part of its naval blockade. At this time, Iceland possessed only passenger aircraft, which did not fly at night, so this unusual event awoke and alerted a number of people. [17] He was accompanied by a small intelligence detachment under Major Humphrey Quill and a diplomatic mission headed by Charles Howard Smith. The Fearless started disembarking immediately once it docked. Although the British action was to forestall any risk of a German invasion, there is no evidence that the Germans had an invasion planned. [33] Customs officers were ordered to prepare a boat. [45], Meanwhile, high priority was assigned to the capture of the German consulate. Seeing that the approaching fleet was about to violate Icelandic neutrality in two ways, Arnalds began to investigate. In addition, a German invasion force might already be prepared or begun immediately after the British landings. They would not intervene in domestic affairs but would be willing to work with the government and make preferential arrangements for trade. With no time to spare, zeroing of the weapons and initial familiarization firing would have to be conducted at sea. What followed turned out to be a quintessentially British and simultaneously Icelandic affair. [10], The British planned to land all of their forces at Reykjavk. After the German invasion of Denmark and Norway, the British government became increasingly concerned that Germany would soon try to establish a military presence in Iceland. The RAF and RCAF continued to operate from two Royal Air Force stations through to the end of the war. [2], In the morning of 7 May, the force headed to the harbour in Greenock where they found the cruisers Berwick and Glasgow, intended to take them to Iceland. He was accompanied by a small intelligence detachment commanded by Major Humphrey Quill and a diplomatic mission managed by Charles Howard Smith. [2] Although it succeeded in its mission, it was manifestly insufficient to defend an island of 103,000 square kilometres (40,000sqmi). The seasickness and inexperience of the troops were causing delays and the officers were becoming frustrated. At the time of the occupation, the Faroe Islands . [3] By 1928, all Icelandic political parties were in agreement that the union treaty would be terminated as soon as possible. In this the invasion was successful. To guard against this, troops would drive east to the landing grounds at Sandskei and Kaldaarnes. The British promised compensation, favourable business agreements, non-interference in Icelandic affairs and the withdrawal of all forces at the end of the war. [8], The expedition was organised hastily and haphazardly. [3] The newly born Kingdom of Iceland declared itself a neutral country without a defence force. The Government of Iceland issued a protest that its neutrality had . The ambassador had been busy burning documents in his bathtub but came to the door and objected to the invasion of a neutral country. The "invasion" was by 700 ill-equipped, ill-prepared, and very seasick British marines who walked off the ship, onto a dock and talked to the police officers waiting for them. Its position, halfway between North America and Europe, was supposed to enable the British to improve their defenses against potential German submarine raids. The invasion of Iceland then lead to the United States first military engagement in the war, when the US made an agreement with the UK to relieve most of the Commonwealth forces in Iceland in July 1941, long before the US officially entered the war. After the German invasion of Denmark and Norway, the British government became increasingly concerned that Germany would soon try to establish a military presence in Iceland. The German diplomatic presence in Iceland, along with the island's strategic importance, alarmed the UK government.[2]. The invasion of Iceland was a British military operation conducted by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines during World War II to occupy and deny Iceland to Germany. [17], Colonel Robert Sturges was assigned to command the force. Shall probably be too late! [citation needed] They felt that this would constitute an intolerable threat to British control of the North Atlantic. [18] He was accompanied by a small intelligence detachment commanded by Major Humphrey Quill and a diplomatic mission managed by Charles Howard Smith. However, the Icelanders severely censured the sexual relationships between troops and local women, which were causing considerable controversy and political turmoil. The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. The paper then ended its report of the events of this historic day by reiterating how inappropriately the locals had behaved during the invasion: The soldiers were talkative towards the locals and seemed to be in good spirits.

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