Iceland

Invasion of Norway had begun

The previous page was: "Hook Force"

The position of Iceland, which is larger than Ireland and commands the North Atlantic trade route, was even more important than the Faeroes. Its occupation as a preventative to German invasion took place while Force Sandall was in the Faeroes.

The occupying Force was composed of Royal Marines, not from Sea-Service detachments but from the newly-formed Royal Marines Brigade. It consisted of one infantry battalion, a battery of 4-inch mobile guns and one of four 2-pounders, in all some 30 officers and 650 other ranks, with one naval howitzer battery.

The Force was commanded by Colonel R. G. Sturges RM. They sailed in the cruisers Berwick and Glasgow, with the destroyers Fearless and Fortune, in company on the 8th May 1940. Mr C. Howard-Smith, C.M.G., Minister-designate to Iceland, who had left Denmark when the Germans marched in, accompanied the Force.

Hook Force

On the 10th April 1940

When the squadron was within 30 miles of Reykjavik, The Berwick's Walrus was flown off to reconnoitre the harbour, and the Fortune made an anti-submarine sweep of the approaches. The cruisers anchored half a mile from the harbour while the fearless took ashore the first flight of troops, including the Royal Marine detachment from H.M.S. Berwick.

A violent snow-storm came on, so that the Berwick was able to steam into the inner harbour and go alongside the inner jetty in the centre of town before she had been seen from the shore. The berth was clear and there was no opposition. This was shortly after 4-a.m. it was by then quite light.

The landing party was met by a few civilians, mainly British residents who spoke the language. They acted as guides, the Marines lost no time in posting pickets on the three main roads leading from the town, occupying the post and telegraph office, the main telephone exchange and the station.

Cars were commandeered, and all objectives were secured without interference from the local inhabitants or the police.

One of the first objectives was

The occupation of the German Consulate. Two Platoons, under Major S. G. Cutler had been detailed for this purpose. They reached the Consulate expecting resistance. The Consul-General, Herr Gerlach, was known to be an ardent member of the Nazi party. Some time before the war the Swiss Government had requested his removal from Berne.

In response to Major Cutler's knocking, he opened the door himself. He was fully dressed even at that time of the morning. On seeing the Marines he protested, but led the way into the hall. One object of occupying the Consulate was to impound the secret documents. To prevent them from being burned, Major Cutler had thoughtfully brought with him a phoneme fire-extinguisher.

Having dealt with the Consul, he was about to search the cellar, where he thought the papers might be stowed, when there was a cry: 'Fire on the first floor!'

He dashed upstairs, to find flames rising to a height of 20-feet. The Consul's wife and elder daughter were rushing about in their night gowns, throwing all of the confidential books and secret documents in a bath, which had about 5-inches of paraffin in it and was blazing.

Marines ripped the clothes off

Of the double bed in the Consul's bedroom, flung them on the bath and brought the phoneme into action. They extinguished the fire in a few seconds, thereby saving most of the documents.

Herr Gerlach was then escorted round the house while a search was made for booby-traps by him opening the drawers, lifting up the carpets and moving the furniture.

The members of the Consulate were given time to pack two suitcases each, but were warned that if they attempted to secretly hide any books or papers they would be allowed to take nothing. They were then assembled in the hall.

Herr Gerlach asked to be allowed to fetch his overcoat from the cloakroom. He was escorted by Major Cutler and a sergeant. As he reached for the coat his left hand went for a pocket. Major Cutler seized his arm and took a loaded revolver from the overcoat. Herr Gerlach was then placed under an armed guard.

Cars were commandeered, by 8:45 the Consul, his family and his staff were embarked on H.M.S. Glasgow. The ensign of the German Consulate was hauled down and was subsequently signed by the senior N.C.O.s of the battalion. On its return to England the swastika was hung in the sergeants' mess at Eastney Barracks.

On the morning of the landing

Colonel Sturges was able to report: "All quiet, inhabitants friendly."

Trawlers were requisitioned to disembark the stores. One of these was Faraday, of Hull. Less than 15 minutes after the Marines boarded her, She was steaming towards the Berwick for her first load. Her crew joined in the work of unloading and her skipper refused to accept the requisitioning chit which entitled him to payment. He and his men were glad to work for nothing.

All stores and equipment were ashore by 5:30. The presence of H.M.Ships no longer necessary, the squadron weighed anchor an hour later. As a precaution against a German airborne invasion, Sturges Force took over the seaplane station, the local glider club and a possible landing ground 43 miles outside Reykjavik.

The 2-pounder anti-aircraft pom-poms were mounted on the outskirts of the town. This bloodless blitzkrieg was accomplished, without a single shot being fired-even by accident.

The Icelanders accepted the situation philosophically. They like the Faeroes, are an independent people and it is not supposed that they welcomed the occupation of their islands. Nevertheless, they recognised that the Germans might have come had the British not done so, and they regarded the British as the lesser of the two evils.

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As in the Faeroes, the inhabitants

Were soon on friendly terms with the Marines, and before the last of the Force had left more than one British-Icelandic marriage had been arranged. With the occupation complete and the situation well in hand, the work of the Royal Marines was done.

On 20th May, 11-days after landing, the command was transferred to the Army. Force Sturges re-embarked in the transports they came in and returned to the UK. After the occupation the Germans broadcast a statement that there would not be a single British soldier left in Iceland in 10-days' time.

Colonel Sturges's answer was include in his Defence Orders: "There is only one scale of resistance-to the last round and the last bayonet."

The threat did not materialize.

The initial credit must go to the Corps. For its dispatch in handling a difficult situation, and it may well be proud to include 'Iceland' as another battle honour which its colours cannot contain.

The next Link below will be: "M.N.B.D.O."

Iceland M.N.B.D.O.

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