British occupation of Iceland

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British invasion targets in Iceland (blue possible airfields, red harbors)

The British occupation of Iceland was carried out by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines on May 10, 1940 during World War II . The invasion, alias Operation Fork , was carried out because the British government feared that the island could be used by the Germans who recently overran Denmark ( Iceland was then part of Denmark). The Icelandic government protested on the grounds that their neutrality and independence had been manifestly violated.

At the beginning of the war, Britain introduced strict export controls on Icelandic goods, which prevented profitable shipments to Germany as part of the naval blockade. The UK offered assistance to Iceland and sought cooperation, but Reykjavík declined and reiterated its neutrality. The German diplomatic presence in Iceland (Consul General Werner Gerlach ) and the strategic importance of the island alarmed the British government.

Robert Sturges (photo 1944)

After the Icelandic government could not be persuaded to join the Allies , Great Britain invaded on the morning of May 10, 1940. The first force of 746 Royal Marines under the command of Colonel Robert Sturges disembarked in the capital, Reykjavík. The troops encountered no resistance and tried quickly to deactivate communications networks, secure strategic locations and arrest German citizens. The troops moved to Hvalfjörður , Kaldaðarnes , Sandskeið and Akranes to secure potential landing sites against a possible German counterattack .

literature

  • Donald F. Bittner: The Lion and the White Falcon - Britain and Iceland in the World War II Era. Archon Books, Hamden 1983, ISBN 0-208-01956-1 .
  • Gunnar Karlsson: Iceland's 1100 Years: History of a Marginal Society. Hurst, London 2000, ISBN 1-85065-420-4 .
  • James Miller: The North Atlantic Front: Orkney, Shetland, Faroe and Iceland at War. Birlinn, Edinburgh 2003, ISBN 1-84341-011-7 .
  • Þór Whitehead : Milli vonar og ótta: Ísland í síðari heimsstyrjöld. Vaka-Helgafell, Reykjavík 1995, ISBN 9979-2-0317-X .
  • Ders .: Bretarnir koma: Ísland í síðari heimsstyrjöld. Vaka-Helgafell, Reykjavík 1999, ISBN 9979-2-1435-X .