Evening star., 1941-09-09
Spitzbergen's S Coal
Now Denied kazis by
Coup, British Say
German Plans to Seize
Mines Are Declared
Foiled BIoodIessly
n, the Associated Press.

Bt the ASsoclat Press.
LONDON, Spet. 9,-Alleged Ger
man plans for seizure of the rich
coal mines of SpitZbergen, Arctic
Archipelago owned by Nazi-occupied
Norway, were declared officially to-
day to have been thwarted blood
lessly by a powerful Canadian, Brit
ish and Free Norwegian expedition
sry force in full-dress invasion
which the natives welcomed
This source of fuel has now been
denied to the Germans, the British
War Office said, without reporting
whether the mines simply were left
under guard or their usefulness de-
stroyed. They have been worked
primarily by Norwegian and Rus
sian labor.
authorized Germans said the
British had destroyed the mines
as well as the radio at Spitz-
bergen)
Civilians helped the soldiers un-
load their craft of munitions and
supplies.
CThis operation suggested the
establishment of a garrison. The
War Office, however, did not dis
close whether a garrison was left
on the islands, this being Off
cially regarded as information
useful to the enemy.")
The expedition was led by the
Canadian brigadier, Arthur E. Potts
of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Had "various Purposes"
British ships removed about 1000
orwegians-miners and their fam
ilies-to England, where the men
signed up for military or merchant
marine service. 1t thus was indi-
Gated that at least some of the
mines, which produced 707,117 tons
of coal in 1886, would be out of op-
Grafton for the duration of the war.
The British also brought back a
number of French officers and
other ranks, part of the Allied force
which fought at Narvik last year.
They will join the Free French
forces.
The War Office said various pur-
poses" led to the dispatch of mill
tary force to the mountainous, gla-
cial islands and London newspapers
saw Spitzbergen as a possible way
station for direct aid to Russia.
Spitzbergen's two radio stations
were seized.
Several regiments and special
units-donning leather jenkins
sheepSkin coats, and sweaters to
ward off the chill of the long Arctic
day and white Arctic night at sea
made the 1,259-mile trip to the
archipelago, only 750 miles from the
North Pole, aboard a troopshir
heavily guarded by war craft.
German Plane Sighted.
Neither on the voyage nor in the
landing, the officers said, we're they
opposed. The only German wal
craft sighted was reconnaissance
plane, which few along the coast
one day but apparently failed to
spot Canadian units nearby.
The landing was made in a man.
ner similar to a raid on the Nor
wegian Lofoten Islands last March
in which the British reported the
capture of 225 men, Germans anc
their Norwegian adherents, sinking
of IL ships and destruction of fish
oil plant used in the manufacture oi
explosives.
1t was to prevent repriSalS such a'
followed the Lofoten raids that
Spitsbergen Norwegians we're with
drawn to England. Members of the
party said no Norwegian was left
behind.
Many of the soldiers were for
merly trappers and hunters ir
Northern Canada. Others wert
rugged farmers, accustomed to the
rigors of ourdoor life in cold Ca
madam winters.
Landing parties nosing through 8
mist-shrouded fjord gripped ma
chine guns, rifles and grenades, ex-
pecting trouble. They were greeted
by groups of Norwegian and Russian
miners, the latter in padded blue