ARCTIC STRUGGLE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 20, 19 October 1943, Page 5

ARCTIC STRUGGLE

Norwegian Operations On

Spitzbergen

LONDON, September 11. The dramatic story of how the Spitsbergen Archipelago, only 500 miles from the North I’ole, had been garrisoned, by a small force of not more than 100 Norwegians since last summer, was told today by Norwegian Government officials in Loudon. It was a detailed account, released in connexion with the present plight of the garrison that this week flashed a signal saying it was being attacked by a large German naval expedition. Since that signal was received no further word has been received regarding the fate, of the Norwegians who re-established Norwegian sovereignty over the archipelago last Tlie story begins in September, 1941, when the Allies landed on Spitsbergen and destroyed meteorological stations, coal mines and other installations and evacuated the Norwegian and Russian population.

Toward the end of September, however, the Germans moved in, sending an expeditionary force, which built an air base there and garrisoned it. In May of last year a Norwegian force of 82 men was sent to Spitsbergen aboard an ice-breaker and a fishing vessel to try to retake the territory from the enemy. 'The expedition arrived at Cape Liune on May 13,1942, only to be discovered by a German reconnaissance plane, with the result that the two vessels were subsequently attacked by four enemy planes. One vessel was sunk and the other set afire. Twelve Norwegians were killed and others injured. Survivors Carried On.

In sub-freezing temperatures , the survivors made their way ashore over ice-covered water. Carrying their wounded with them, the Norwegians reached Barentsburg, where searching parties found clothing and large quantities of food in an abandoned Russian mining town. 'The next day German bombers flew over Barentsburg and, spotting tracks in the snow, raked the community with cannon and machinegun tire. For days Barentsburg was visited by enemy planes. Then, when the situation looked absolutely hopeless, an R.A.F. Coastal Command Catalina plane appeared on the scene and lhe Norwegians Hashed an •SOS with a signalling lamp. The R.A.F. flyers dropped a note asking them what they needed. They got their answer by lamp signals. On tlw first day in June another British Catalina landed on the fiord, took off seven badly wounded Norwegians ami brought them to safety. 'The next day a British naval detachment nt Barentsburg and landed another Norwegian force.

•Meanwhile, small .Norwegian reconnaissance patrols had located the main German garrison at Longyear City, but these patrols were so ill armed that they could not attack. They left so many ski tracks in the snow, however, that enemy scouts must have been hoodwinked into believing that the number of Norwegians on the island was much greater than actually the case.

Gradually, enemy activity petered out. A reinforced and rearmed Norwegian expedition of about 100 descended on Longyear City on July 11, 11)42, and discovered that the Germans had evacuated. The (Norwegians hud remained on Spitsbergen since then.