BRITISH CONTACT
| From the Book: “STRÍÐSÁRINI VI” (The Years of War VI) by Niels Juel Arge No troops had arrived, when people got up in the morning of the 12th of April, and the entire country was peaceful. But what would it be like, when the British soldiers arrived? By orders from the Prefect, the Danish ship “Amerika” had sailed to firth Skálafjørður, where they were unloading emergency supplies, which might become in short supply on the Faroe Islands. British Messengers Short before noon, two large grey ships passed “Borðan” at high speed, bound for Tórshavn. As they got closer it became clear, that it were two British destroyers, H 32 and H 57. It was a relief for many anxious hearts, that it were not the Germans who arrived. The destroyers anchored at 1230 hours. They soon put a boat in the water, and entered the Danish and Swedish ships in the bay. Nobody knew their business, but people guessed that the British Navy was about to confiscate the ships. At 1330 hours, a boat brought two officers ashore. They took land on the stairs below the socalled “Quay Kiosk”. There were practicly no people around, but Andrias Ziska (a wellknown republican) met with the officers, welcomed them and told them, that he and great parts of the faroese population wanted to govern themselves. The British officers did not say anything, and as they walked on the quay, up towards the town, they met a policeman, who forced Andrias Ziska to leave. Further up on the quay, they met at car with the British consul Valdemar Lützen and his son Mogens, who was the vice consul. They drove out on Tinganes to fetch the other vice consul Robert Brockie, and after that they went to Valdemar Lützens’s home in Rættará. They did not stay for long in Rættará, and now they went to the Prefect’s mansion. There they met Kristian Djurhuus, the chairman of the parliament, and Hilbert, the Danish Prefect. On this meeting, the British officers confirmed the statements, which Churchill had made in the British Parliament the day before – that Britain had undertaken the task to defend the Faroe Islands, until they could be handed back to a liberated Denmark. The British officers also made a request, that there should be some preparations for accomodations for about 250 soldiers in Tórshavn and Skálafjørður tomorrow, and that the telegraph and the wireless telephony were made subjects for censorship, and that posting by letter post was stopped. The Prefect declared that the county together with the chairman of the parliament did not have any other choise than to accept the situation. The meeting was over, ade the British officers returned to their ships. At 1655 hours, the destroyers left Tórshavn, and now guard ships, such as armed trawlers, sailed back and forth between the Borðan and Kirkjubønes. The British occupation of the Faroes was indeed undramatic. Orientation of the Parliament At 1600 hours, the parliament was oriented behind closed doors. Besides from the three members abroad, Jógvan Rasmussen from Sørvágur was absent. The Prefect participated at the meeting. The subject of the meeting: The War. The Prefect got the floor and told the parliament that the British consul on the 9th of May had informed him, that Great Britain was going to occupy the Faroe Islands, and about his reply. The Prefect did not mention, that Andrass Samuelsen (from the Unionist Party) had been present, nor did he tell that the chairman of the parliament was informed that same evening. The spokesmen of the Union Party, the Social Democrats and the Home Rule Party, accepted the Prefect’s line of action, but the representatives from the People’s Party, Thorstein Petersen and Jóannes Patursson critizised the Prefect, and were especially exasperated that the parliament did not declare the Faroe Islands as an independant republic. If this had happened, the Faroes would not have been occupied - and they pointed out Iceland as an example. Jóannes Patursson was angry at the fact, that a Danish civil servant, who only a few days ago das Danish, then German and now English, should make decisions on behalf of the Faroese nation. Preparations That evening two announcements were placed on the lamp standards in Tórshavn. The first one said: Announcement to the Faroese Public Yesterday, on the 11th of April 1940, the British government informed the public of their decision about a temporary occupation of the Faroe Islands, in order to prevent German troops to gain a foothold here. The British government emphasize their intentions to end the occupation when the war is over, so that the normal state of the Faroes will be restored. Two British destroyers arrived at Tórshavn today, and shall, together with other British military forces, guard the islands. The telegraph and wireless telephony has been made subject of censorship, and dispatch of mail has been stopped. In concert with the British Navy, there has been commanded black out of Tórshavn. Information about the measures regarding the black out and precautions against consequences of air raids will be given in a bulletine from the county, which is issued together with this message. The character of the British occupation has not been determined yet, but will be announced to the public as soon as possible, probably already tomorrow. Færø amt [county], the 12th of April 1940 Hilbert The other announcement said: Announcement Regarding Black Out of Tórshavn From the 12th of April 1940 and until further notice, the city of Tórshavn and the village of Argir shall be blacked out from 8 o’clock in the evening to 8 o’clock in the morning. During the black out, all streetlamps shall be out. Furthermore, the following measures shall be observed: 1. All outdoor lights shall be completely turned off 2. All windows, hatches etc. of buildings, or sources of light, shall be covered in such a manner, that no light, direct or indirect, will be visible from the outdoor. 3. All use of motorvehicles is banned after dark, unless special permission has been issued by the police. 4. No lights may be used for outdoors traffic. Any expences for purchasing and installing the necessary material to carry out the black out, shall be defrayed by the private person, who does not have any right for compensation for the expences. Contravention of the regulations regarding the black out, will be prosecuted according to law. Færø amt [county], the 12th of April 1940 Hilbert The announcements were read in Tórshavn Radio at 1905 hours, with instructions regarding protection against the consequences of possible air raids, like keeping a bucket full of water and a bag of sand in the loft in case of fire. The merciless war was at our treshold, but how much harm would it cause? Dangers were lurking from air and sea. Would the Germans also try to land troops? The British radio brought news that the Prefect had welcomed the British, and the Icelandig news said that the Prefect had adressed the British government, and asked them to send troops to the Faroes. These news were denied by the Prefect in an announcement in Tórshavn Radio at 2250 hours. The German news promised today, that the British were going to pay for the occupation of the Faroe Islands. In the afternoon this same day, the seriousnes of the situation which the Faroese were brought in, was underlined, as the Red Cross logo was painted on the roof of the county hospital. At 2000 hours, a new closed sitting took place in the parliament. The discussion was about the financial circumstances of the parliament and about the war. Nothing was decided on this sitting, but there is no doubt, that the members of the parliament spoke about the circumstances in connection with the occupation, on how to welcome thr British, as well as the economical situation of the parliament must have been discussed. Sources: My Diary (The Diary of N. J. Arge) De politiske forhold på Færøerne siden krigens udbrud 1. september 1939. Report to the Prime Ministers Department by Prefect C. A. Hilbert. Gerðabók: Loynifundir Føroya Løgtings 1940. The Journal of the Telegraph Station, Tórshavn 1940 |