From: Johan Sjostrom (dusch@HEM2.PASSAGEN.SE)
Date: Wed May 19 1999 - 13:35:34 PDT
Hi Tim! Thanks for your help. I´m a subscriber on this list, but I don´t know why I didn´t get the messages I wrote. Maybe some bug in the list-program. Thanks again. Sincerely Johan Sjostrom, Sweden. Tim Merry wrote: > Hello Johan, and yes your first and repeat message to MEMORIES arrived > all right. I am replying to the list (MEMORIES), with a copy to you > in case you are not subscribed to this list. > > You asked: > >I gonna write a school work about Norway in the World War 2. > >Anyone who can tell me? Everything you got. > > Well, what comes to mind first is the ALTMARK incident. Quite exciting > it was too! The story starts in about December 1939, when the German > pocket battleship ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE was cornered by three British > cruisers off Montevideo, Uruguay, which led to the release of a number > of British sailors held aboard the German ship. The greater part of the > British and allied seaman who survived the attacks of GRAF SPEE were > however held prisoner in the German armed auxillary ship ALTMARK, which > had fled across the Atlantic after the sea battle, heading for the safety > of the Norwegian territorial waters. > > British aircraft managed to locate ALTMARK in Jösing Fjord, and orders > were given by the British Admiralty to enter neutral waters, search for > the ALTMARK, and rescue any prisoners on board. The British destroyer > COSSACK soon after arrived but was confronted by two Norwegian gunboats. > The COSSACK's captain offered to place a joint British-Norwegian guard > on the ALTMARK, and to escort that ship to Bergen for an investigation > according to internatinal law. That offer was declined by the Norwegians, > who stated that ALTMARK was unarmed and that nothing was known of any > prisoners on board. On these assurances COSSACK withdrew. > > After dark, and on receipt of further Admiralty orders, COSSACK again > entered the fjord, but the gunboats would not co-operate; at which point > ALTMARK attempted to ram COSSACK but ran itself aground, after which she > was boarded by men from the British destroyer; and after a short fight > ALTMARK was overpowered, and some 300 British prisoners were discovered > and released. Part of ALTMARK's crew surrendered, while others escaped > across the ice to the shore. > > That's all I know about it. You should now probably do your own research > and see what Norwegian records reveal about the ALTMARK affair. > > Good luck, and happy researching. Oh, and please confirm that you belong > to the MEMORIES list, because if you do belong you should also (as a member) > receive a copy of any messages you send - which of course serves to confirm > that your messages are reaching all members! > > Tim -- Homepage: http://members.tripod.com/only_2/ ICQ: 6063691