The
British occupation of the Faroe Islands in World War II, also known as "Operation Valentine," was implemented immediately following the German invasion of
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
and
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
.
In April 1940, the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
occupied the strategically important
Faroe IslandsThe Faroe Islands, sometimes Faeroe Islands, Faroe, or Faeroes are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland...
to pre-empt a German invasion. British troops left shortly after the end of the war.
The occupation
At the time of the occupation, the Faroe Islands had the status of an
amt"Amt" is a type of administrative division of some northern European countries. It is generally larger than a municipality, and the term is thus roughly equivalent to a U.S. "township".-The Amt in Germany:...
(county) of Denmark. Following the invasion and
occupation of DenmarkNazi Germany’s Occupation of Denmark began with Operation Weserübung 9 April 1940, and lasted until German forces withdrew at the end of World War II following their surrender to the Allies on 5 May 1945. Contrary to the situation in other countries under German occupation, most Danish institutions...
on 9 April 1940, British forces launched "Operation Valentine" to occupy the Faroe Islands. On 11 April,
Winston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was a British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer...
— then First Lord of the Admiralty — announced to the
House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 646 members, who are known as "Members...
that the Faroe Islands would be occupied:
We are also at this moment occupying the Faroe Islands, which belong to Denmark and which are a strategic point of high importance, and whose people showed every disposition to receive us with warm regard. We shall shield the Faroe Islands from all the severities of war and establish ourselves there conveniently by sea and air until the moment comes when they will be handed back to Denmark liberated from the foul thraldom into which they have been plunged by German aggression.
An announcement was broadcast by the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
radio. An aircraft of the
Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
(RAF) was seen over Tórshavn on the same day.
On 12 April, two destroyers of the British
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
arrived in
TórshavnTórshavn is the capital and largest town of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the north west of the town lies the high mountain Húsareyn, and to the southwest, the high Kirkjubøreyn. The city itself has a population of 19,000...
harbour. Following a meeting with
Carl Aage HilbertCarl Aage Hilbert was the Danish Prefect of the Faroe Islands from 1936 until 1945. During this period, the Faroe Islands had the status of an amt of Denmark....
(the Danish Prefect of the Islands) and Kristian Djurhuus (President of the
LøgtingLøgting Løgting Løgting ( (or Faroese Løgtingið "the Løgting; full official name: Føroya løgting "Løgting of the Faroes") is the unicameral parliament of the Faroe Islands, a self-ruling province of Denmark....
, the Faroese Parliament), an emergency meeting of the Løgting was convened the same afternoon. Pro-independence members tried to declare the independence of the Faroe Islands but were outvoted. An official announcement was later made announcing the occupation and ordering a nighttime
blackoutA blackout during war, or apprehended war, is the practice of collectively minimizing outdoor light, including upwardly directed light. This was done in the 20th century to keep the crews of enemy aircraft from being able to navigate to their targets simply by sight...
in
TórshavnTórshavn is the capital and largest town of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the north west of the town lies the high mountain Húsareyn, and to the southwest, the high Kirkjubøreyn. The city itself has a population of 19,000...
and neighbouring
ArgirArgir is a village in the Faroe Islands.*Population: 1907*Postal code . FO 160*Location: *Municipality: Tórshavnar kommuna*Football team: AB...
, the censorship of post and telegraphy and the prohibition of the use of motor vehicles during the night without a permit.
On 13 April, the Royal Navy cruiser
HMS SuffolkHMS Suffolk was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy, and part of the Kent subclass. She was built by Portsmouth Dockyard, Portsmouth, UK), with the keel being laid down on 15 November 1924...
arrived at Tórshavn. Colonel T B W Sandall (the British military commander) and Frederick Mason (the new British Consul to the Faroe Islands) then met with the Danish Prefect. The Prefect responded with what Sandall took to be a formal protest, though Hilbert maintained that owing to the occupation of Denmark he was unable to formally represent the Danish government. He duly accepted the British terms on the basis that the UK would not seek to interfere with the internal affairs of the islands. A formal protest was however made by the
LøgtingLøgting Løgting Løgting ( (or Faroese Løgtingið "the Løgting; full official name: Føroya løgting "Løgting of the Faroes") is the unicameral parliament of the Faroe Islands, a self-ruling province of Denmark....
, though expressing the wish for friendly relations. 250
Royal MarinesThe Royal Marines are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service. They are also the United Kingdom's specialists in amphibious warfare, including the operation of landing craft; mountain warfare;...
were disembarked, later to be replaced by other British troops. In practice, cordial relations were maintained between the British forces and the Faroese authorities.
In May, the
Royal MarinesThe Royal Marines are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service. They are also the United Kingdom's specialists in amphibious warfare, including the operation of landing craft; mountain warfare;...
were replaced by soldiers of the
Lovat ScoutsThe Lovat Scouts were a British Army unit of the . The unit was first formed during the Second Boer War as a Scottish Highland yeomanry regiment of the Territorial Army and is the first known military unit to wear a ghillie suit. In 1916, these scouts formally became the British Army's first sniper...
, a Scottish Regiment. In 1942, they were replaced by the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). From 1944, the British garrison was considerably reduced.
A notable visitor to the Faroe Islands during World War II was the author
Eric LinklaterEric Robert Russell Linklater was a British writer, known for more than 20 novels, as well as short stories, travel writing and autobiography, and military history.-Life:...
, then serving as an officer in the British Army. His 1956 novel
The Dark of Summer was set in the Faroe Islands during the war years. He also wrote
The Northern Garrisons: The Army at War (HMSO, 1941) and the foreword to
Kenneth WilliamsonKenneth Williamson was a British ornithologist who had a strong association with Scotland and with bird migration.Williamson was born in Bury Lancashire. From 1941-1945 he served with the British occupation of the Faroe Islands in World War II, in 1944 marrying Esther Louise Rein of Tórshavn with...
's 1948 book
The Atlantic Islands: a Study of the Faeroe Life and Scene.
Consequences
A plaque has been erected by British veterans in
Tórshavn CathedralTórshavner Cathedral is the second oldest received church of the Faroe Islands, on Tinganes in the old town of Tórshavn. Painted white, and roofed with slate, it was established in 1788. The cathedral church lies in the north of the peninsula Tinganes and is one of the main attractions of the town...
expressing thanks for the kindness shown to them by the Faroese people during their presence. Approximately 170 marriages took place between British soldiers and Faroese women. The British Consul Frederick Mason (1913-2008) also married a local woman, Karen Rorholm. They subsequently left the Faroe Islands; in 1943 he was appointed British Consul in
ColónColón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
,
PanamaPanama, officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of both Central America and, in turn, North America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the...
. He would later, as Sir Frederick Mason
CMGCMG may refer to:* Case mix group, medical-care accounting mechanism* Collectible miniatures game* Control Moment Gyroscope, orbital facility component* Cystometrography, clinical test often accompanying intravenous pyelogram...
, become British Ambassador to
ChileChile, officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
(1966-1970) and finally British Permanent Representative to the
GenevaGeneva, is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie...
Office of the
United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
(1971-1973).
The Faroe Islands received occasional attacks by German
LuftwaffeLuftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1933 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956.Schweizer Luftwaffe is also the name of the Swiss Air...
aircraft in the course of the war, but a full-scale invasion was never attempted. Drifting sea mines proved to be a considerable problem and resulted in the loss of numerous fishing boats and their crews. The trawler
Nýggjaberg was sunk on 28 March 1942 near
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
; 21 Faroese seamen were killed in the worst single loss of Faroese lives in the war. During the war, Faroese ships had to hoist the
Faroese flagThe flag of the Faroe Islands is an offset cross, following as with other Nordic flags the tradition set by Dannebrog. The flag is called Merkið which means "the banner" or "the mark". It resembles the flags of neighbouring Norway and Iceland....
and paint FAROES / FØROYAR on the sides thus allowing the British
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
to identify them as "friendly".
To prevent inflation, Danish banknotes in circulation on the islands were overstamped with a mark indicating their validity only in the Faroe Islands. The
Danish KroneThe krone is the currency of Denmark, including the autonomous provinces of Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The krone is pegged to the euro via the European Union's exchange rate mechanism. The plural form is "kroner" and one krone is divided into 100 øre, the singular form being the same as the...
(in the Faroe Islands) was fixed at 22.4 DKK to £1
SterlingSterling may refer to:* Sterling silver, a grade of silver* Pound sterling, the currency of the United Kingdom- Businesses :* Hotel Sterling, a former hotel in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States* Sterling Airlines...
. Emergency banknotes were issued, and specially-issued Faroese banknotes were later printed by
Bradbury WilkinsonBradbury Wilkinson & Co were an English engraver and printer of banknotes, postage stamps and share certificates. The original company was begun in 1856 by Henry Bradbury . In 1861 the company was established at New Malden in Surrey where it remained until the 1986 when it was acquired by De La Rue...
in England;
see also Faroese krónaThe króna is the currency of the Faroe Islands. It is issued by the Danish National Bank. It is not an independent currency but a version of the Danish krone. Consequently, it does not have an ISO 4217 currency code. The ISO 4217 code for the Danish krone is DKK...
.
During the occupation, the Løgting was given full legislative powers, albeit as an expediency given the
occupation of DenmarkNazi Germany’s Occupation of Denmark began with Operation Weserübung 9 April 1940, and lasted until German forces withdrew at the end of World War II following their surrender to the Allies on 5 May 1945. Contrary to the situation in other countries under German occupation, most Danish institutions...
. Although
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
became an independent republic in 1944, Churchill refused to countenance a change in the constitutional status of the Faroe Islands whilst Denmark was still occupied. Following the liberation of Denmark and the end of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Europe, the occupation was terminated in May 1945 and the last British soldiers left in September. The experience of wartime self-government did, however, mean that a return to the pre-war status of an
amt"Amt" is a type of administrative division of some northern European countries. It is generally larger than a municipality, and the term is thus roughly equivalent to a U.S. "township".-The Amt in Germany:...
(county) was unrealistic and unpopular. A referendum on independence was held in 1946; subsequently formal autonomy was established in 1948 (albeit within the Danish realm).
The largest tangible sign of the British presence is the runway of
Vágar AirportVágar Airport is the only airport in the Faroe Islands, a self-governing territory of Denmark and is located east of Sørvágur. Due to the Faroe Islands' rather anomalous status, the airport is not fully subject to the rules of the European Union...
. Other reminders include the naval guns at the fortress of Skansin in
TórshavnTórshavn is the capital and largest town of the Faroe Islands. It is located in the southern part on the east coast of Streymoy. To the north west of the town lies the high mountain Húsareyn, and to the southwest, the high Kirkjubøreyn. The city itself has a population of 19,000...
, which served as the British military headquarters. A continuing reminder is the Faroese love of
fish and chipsFish and chips is a popular take-away food which originated in the United Kingdom. It consists of deep-fried fish in batter or breadcrumbs with deep-fried chipped potatoes.Popular tradition associates the dish with the United Kingdom; and fish and chips remains very popular in the UK and in...
, and British chocolate such as
Dairy MilkCadbury Dairy Milk is a brand of chocolate bar, that is made by Cadbury plc and is sold in several countries around the world and first went on sale in the United Kingdom in 1905.-2003 relaunch:...
(which is readily available in shops throughout the islands, but not in Denmark).
In 1990 the Faroese government organised British Week, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the friendly occupation. The celebration was attended by
HMS BrilliantHMS Brilliant was a Type 22 frigate of the Royal Navy.She was part of the Task Force that took part in the Falklands War, with Captain John Coward in command. There, her two helicopters were involved in attacking the Argentine submarine Santa Fe...
and a
Royal MarinesThe Royal Marines are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service. They are also the United Kingdom's specialists in amphibious warfare, including the operation of landing craft; mountain warfare;...
band. Sir Frederick Mason, the former wartime British consul to the Faroes, was also present.
Airport
The only airfield on the Faroe Islands was built in 1942–43 on the island of
VágarVagar is also the old name of Walls, Shetland IslandsVágar is one of the 18 islands in the archipelago of the Faroe Islands and the most westerly of the large islands. With a size of 178 km² , it ranks number three, behind Streymoy and Eysturoy.* Number of mountains: 41The shape of the island...
by the
Royal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. It provides combat engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces...
of the
British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
. The majority of the British personnel in the Faroes were stationed at Vágar, mostly working on the construction of the airfield. Although disused after the war, it was reopened as the civilian
Vágar AirportVágar Airport is the only airport in the Faroe Islands, a self-governing territory of Denmark and is located east of Sørvágur. Due to the Faroe Islands' rather anomalous status, the airport is not fully subject to the rules of the European Union...
in 1963. Left-hand driving was in force on the roads of the island of Vágar until the British troops left the Faroe Islands.
The status of the Faroese flag
Following the occupation of Denmark by Germany, Faroese vessels were no longer permitted by the British
AdmiraltyThe Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. Originally exercised by a single person, the office of Lord High Admiral was from the 18th century onward almost invariably put "in commission", and was exercised by a Board of Admiralty.In...
to fly the
Danish flagThe national flag of Denmark, Dannebrog, is red with a white Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side. The cross design of the Danish flag was subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries: Sweden, Norway, Finland,...
. This was of considerable significance given the importance of the fishing fleet to the Faroese economy. Following some intensive discussions between the British occupation authorities, the Faroese authorities and the Danish Prefect, as well as discussions between the UK
Foreign OfficeThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO, is the British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
and the Danish Embassy in London, on 25 April 1940 the British authorities recognised the Faroese flag — the Merkið — as the
civil ensignThe civil ensign is the national flag flown by civil ships to denote nationality....
of the Faroe Islands. The traditional
Faroese coat of armsThe Coat of arms of the Faroe Islands first appear in one of the mediæval chairs in Kirkjubøur from around the 15th century. It depicts a Ram on a shield. Later uses show a Ram in a seal used by the , members of the Old Faroese law Court, the Løgting....
was, however, not reintroduced until the formal introduction of home rule on 23 March 1948.
See also
- Invasion of Iceland
The invasion of Iceland, codenamed Operation Fork, was a British military operation conducted by the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines during World War II....
- Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands, sometimes Faeroe Islands, Faroe, or Faeroes are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland...
- Lovat Scouts
The Lovat Scouts were a British Army unit of the . The unit was first formed during the Second Boer War as a Scottish Highland yeomanry regiment of the Territorial Army and is the first known military unit to wear a ghillie suit. In 1916, these scouts formally became the British Army's first sniper...
- Occupation of Denmark
Nazi Germany’s Occupation of Denmark began with Operation Weserübung 9 April 1940, and lasted until German forces withdrew at the end of World War II following their surrender to the Allies on 5 May 1945. Contrary to the situation in other countries under German occupation, most Danish institutions...
- Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Nazi Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during World War II and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
— the German invasion of Denmark and Norway
- Politics of the Faroe Islands
Politics of the Faroe Islands takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby the Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. The Faroe Islands are politically associated with the Kingdom of Denmark, but...