Faeroe Isles

Invasion of Denmark had begun

The previous page was: "Crete Rearguard Action"

Faeroe Isles: The Royal Marines are and have always been the appropriate troops for an occupation force at short notice. That is the reason why, they were allotted the Faeroes after the German invasion of Denmark had begun, the position of the Faroes appeared hazardous to say the least.

The Corps. was chosen to garrison the islands against enemy landings. It was a matter of strategic necessity. The occupation of the Danish dependency of the Faroes was the more urgent, for these twenty rocky, cloud-shrouded islands, rising sheer from the sea, lie no more than two-hundred miles from the Shetlands.

At 11 p.m. on 10th April, 1940, the day after the Germans had marched into Denmark; Lieutenant-Colonel T. B. W. Sandall RM was informed that he had been appointed to command a force of Royal Marines which was to proceed to the Faroes immediately.

Crete Rearguard Action

On the 12th, Force Sandall

Consisting of 13 officers and 180 N.C.O.s and men embarked in H.M.S. Suffolk, carrying stores for one month. Steaming at high speed, the Suffolk made the passage in 21 hours and reached Thorshaven , the capital of the Faroes, at 3 p.m. the next day. Colnel Sandall went ashore with a small staff (but no armed guard), met the British Consul, and made arrangements for billeting. Assisted by a couple of British trawlers, requisitioned on the spot, the whole Force was landed by 8 p.m.

One company was billeted in a theatre, another in a dance hall. Headquarters occupied a club over the local cinema. There was no opposition. The townspeople gathered and watched the Royal Marine sentries on the beat, much as the crowd watches the guard outside Buckingham Palace.

Colonel Sandall had called

On the Governor and informed him that the Force had come to ensure the safety of the population and the sovereignty of the islands against a possible German aggression.

The Governor declared that he must make a formal protest against the occupation. Colonel Sandall undertook to forward this in writing to the British Consul for transmission to the Foreign Office.

Until he received further orders, however, his troops would remain in the Faeroe islands and carry out such defensive measures as he considered necessary. The conversation was carried on through an interpreter, the Governor leaving the room several times to consult his advisers.

When the interview came to an end and Colonel Sandall was preparing to withdraw, the Governor invited him, in excellent English, to join him in whisky and soda.

Diplomatic conventions had been upheld, and from that moment the friendliest relations existed, not only between His Excellency and the Commanding Officer of Force Sandall, but between the local inhabitants and the troops.

The Governor of the Faeroe Isles

The Governor of the Faeroe Isles quickly realised that, since he was powerless to prevent the occupation, it was his duty to do all he could to ease the situation for his people, who responded loyally to his appeal.

He issued a proclamation declaring that the occupation was purely for military reasons and would not change the political status of the islands or interfere with the municipal administration, and called upon the population to put no hindrance in the way of the troops.

Although censorship was contrary to the Danish Constitution, its necessity was accepted with good grace.

The Royal Marines occupied the wireless station the following day and the harbour. Two parties took up defensive positions in the country, which was as desolate as the Orkneys, as mountainous as Norway.

The Royal Marines soon adapted themselves to their new conditions.

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They admired the neatness of the towns

The cleanliness of the houses-painted white with red roofs- and the churches with their slate blue steeples.

The local schoolmaster acted as interpreter-the Marines played football matches against the local inhabitants-and lost them all. The villagers gave them high tea afterwards, and entertained them with dances and national songs.

When the Force was relieved by a battalion of Lovat Scouts on 27th May, Colonel Sandall was able to report that the behaviour and discipline of the Marines had been excellent and that there had not been a single 'incident' during the period of occupation.

Although the occupation of the Faroes was uneventful, as a perfectly planned and faultlessly executed operation often is, Force Sandall had performed a service which was valuable as if it had won a battle.

In fact, it is not too much to say that it had won a battle, thanks to the flexibility of the Corps, its ability to move at short notice, and its discipline. The Germans had been forestalled.

Had there been delay, there is little doubt that the enemy would have invaded the islands, and the effect of a hostile naval and seaplane base so close to th North of Scotland would have been disastrous.

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Faeroe-Isles Hook Force

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