Operation Rubble
Encyclopedia
Operation Rubble was a British blockade running operation in which five Norwegian merchant ships escaped from Sweden to Britain. The ships involved were Norwegian steamships Elizabeth Bakke (5450grt), John Bakke (4718grt), Tai Shan (6962grt), Taurus (4767grt) and the Ranja (6355grt). In addition to their cargoes also on board were many British and Norwegian sailors who had been in Sweden following the failure of the Allies' Norwegian campaign. The ships left Gotenburg on the 23rd of January and ran the German blockade of the Skagerrak. They narrowly avoided being intercepted by the two German battlecruisers Scharnhorst
and Gneisenau
who were just starting Operation Berlin in the Kattegat. The ships navigated the North Sea with various warships being despatched from the UK to act as escorts. These escorts included HMS Naiad
, HMS Aurora
, HMS Edinburgh and HMS Birmingham
and the destroyers HMS Escapade
, HMS Echo
, HMS Electra
. The John Bakke and the Ranja were both under attack from the Luftwaffe when the cruisers found them. The ships reached Kirkwall in the Orkneys on the 25th January 1941.
The ships successfully delivered approximately 18,600 metric tons of materiel including ball bearings, machine tools, spare parts, iron, ingots, and steels of various qualities. The operation was directed by George Binney
who was a temporary attache to Stockholm representing the UK Ministry of Supply. He was on steamer Tai Shan. This operation was the first of a series which also included Operation Performance, Operation Bridford and Operation Moonshine.
German battleship Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15...
and Gneisenau
German battleship Gneisenau
Gneisenau was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the second vessel of her class, which included one other ship, Scharnhorst. The ship was built at the Deutsche Werke dockyard in Kiel; she was laid down on 6 May 1935...
who were just starting Operation Berlin in the Kattegat. The ships navigated the North Sea with various warships being despatched from the UK to act as escorts. These escorts included HMS Naiad
HMS Naiad (93)
HMS Naiad was a Dido-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company , with the keel being laid down on 26 August 1937. She was launched on 3 February 1939, and commissioned 24 July 1940....
, HMS Aurora
HMS Aurora (12)
HMS Aurora was an Arethusa-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Portsmouth Dockyard , with the keel being laid down on the 27 July 1935. She was launched on the 20 August 1936, and commissioned 12 November 1937....
, HMS Edinburgh and HMS Birmingham
HMS Birmingham (C19)
HMS Birmingham was a member of the first group of five ships of the "Town" class of light cruisers. She was built at Devonport Dockyard , and launched on 1 September 1936.-Early career:...
and the destroyers HMS Escapade
HMS Escapade (H17)
HMS Escapade was an E class destroyer of the British Royal Navy in commission from 1934 until 1946, that saw service before and during World War II, seeing service on Russian, Malta and Atlantic convoys.-Construction:...
, HMS Echo
HMS Echo (H23)
HMS Echo was an E class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service in the Atlantic, Arctic and Mediterranean theatres during World War II, before being transferred to the Royal Hellenic Navy in 1944, and renamed Navarinon, until scrapped in 1956.-Service history:Echo had a small role in...
, HMS Electra
HMS Electra (H27)
HMS Electra was a Royal Navy 'E' class destroyer . She was ordered on 1 November 1932 as part of the 1931 Naval Build Programme; launched on 15 February 1934 at the Hawthorn Leslie Shipyard at Hebburn, Tyneside...
. The John Bakke and the Ranja were both under attack from the Luftwaffe when the cruisers found them. The ships reached Kirkwall in the Orkneys on the 25th January 1941.
The ships successfully delivered approximately 18,600 metric tons of materiel including ball bearings, machine tools, spare parts, iron, ingots, and steels of various qualities. The operation was directed by George Binney
George Binney
Sir George Binney was a noted arctic explorer and Royal Naval Reserve commander. During World War II, he led or was involved in efforts, including Operation Rubble, to procure supplies of Swedish ball bearings for Britain....
who was a temporary attache to Stockholm representing the UK Ministry of Supply. He was on steamer Tai Shan. This operation was the first of a series which also included Operation Performance, Operation Bridford and Operation Moonshine.
Other sources
- UK National Archive: FO 371/29410 1941, Operation "Rubble" - FO 371/29425, 1941, Operations "Rubble" and "Performance": Includes "Discussions with the Swedes (including Swedish financier and wartime diplomat Marcus Wallenberg) about moving Norwegian ships from Gothenberg in the face of German opposition."
- warsailors.com:M/T Elisabeth Bakke (Accessed July 2011)