Operation Tabarin
Encyclopedia
During World War II
, Operation Tabarin was a small British military expedition launched from the UK in 1943 to the Antarctic
to establish permanently occupied bases.
in an attempt to create a territorial claim, see New Swabia
. In 1943, British personnel from removed Argentine flags from Deception Island. There were also concerns within the Foreign Office
about the direction of United States' post-war activity in the region. So, one reason was to establish solid British claims to various uninhabited islands and parts of Antarctica, reinforced by Argentine sympathies toward Germany.
Secondly, there was a need to deny opportunities to the enemy. Germany was known to use remote islands as rendezvous points and as shelters for raiders, U-boat
s and supply ships. Also, in 1941, there had been a fear that Japan might attempt to seize the Falkland Islands
, either as a base or hand them to Argentina, thus gaining political advantage for the Axis
and denying their use to Britain. Deception Island, in the British South Shetland Islands
, possessed a sheltered anchorage with an old Norwegian whaling station. In 1941, the British (aboard ) had taken the precaution of destroying coal dumps and oil tanks there, to prevent their possible use by the Germans.
It has also been suggested that the operation may have partially been a disinformation exercise, nominally to detect suspected German naval replenishment activity - information which was, in fact, being obtained from the cracking of the Enigma machine
. Whether or not this was the case may be revealed when the remaining government files are released.
in two ships, HMS William Scoresby (a minesweeping trawler) and Fitzroy, on Saturday January 29, 1944. Marr had accompanied the British explorer Ernest Shackleton
on his Antarctic expeditions on the 1920s.
Bases were established during February near the abandoned Norwegian
whaling station on Deception Island (February 3), where the Union Flag
was hoisted in place of Argentine flags, and at Port Lockroy
(February 11) on the coast of Graham Land
. A further base was founded at Hope Bay
on February 13, 1945, after a failed attempt to unload stores on February 7, 1944.
British territorial claims were further enhanced by the issue of postage stamps.
was out of the country and a memo from him, following news of the bases in the press, also indicates that he was apparently unaware of the decision. In it, he expresses concern that the move may harm relations with the United States during the preparations for Operation Overlord
(the invasion of Normandy). A reply from the Foreign Office indicated that the operation was launched not because the USA had failed to recognise British claims to the territory, but to reassert British territorial claims against Argentine and Chile
an incursion.
(BAS).
The ownership of the South Shetland Islands has yet to be decided. British claims, and Argentine and Chilean claims, to the islands have been put to one side to allow scientific research to continue. The United States and Russia have reserved their right to make territorial claims.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Operation Tabarin was a small British military expedition launched from the UK in 1943 to the Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
to establish permanently occupied bases.
Reasons for the expedition
There were several reasons for Tabarin. Prior to the start of the war, German aircraft had dropped markers with swastikas across Queen Maud LandQueen Maud Land
Queen Maud Land is a c. 2.7 million-square-kilometre region of Antarctica claimed as a dependent territory by Norway. The territory lies between 20° west and 45° east, between the British Antarctic Territory to the west and the Australian Antarctic Territory to the east. The latitudinal...
in an attempt to create a territorial claim, see New Swabia
New Swabia
New Swabia is a cartographic name sometimes given to an area of Antarctica between 20°E and 10°W in Queen Maud Land, which within Norway is administered as a Norwegian dependent territory under the Antarctic Treaty System...
. In 1943, British personnel from removed Argentine flags from Deception Island. There were also concerns within the Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a 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...
about the direction of United States' post-war activity in the region. So, one reason was to establish solid British claims to various uninhabited islands and parts of Antarctica, reinforced by Argentine sympathies toward Germany.
Secondly, there was a need to deny opportunities to the enemy. Germany was known to use remote islands as rendezvous points and as shelters for raiders, U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s and supply ships. Also, in 1941, there had been a fear that Japan might attempt to seize the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
, either as a base or hand them to Argentina, thus gaining political advantage for the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
and denying their use to Britain. Deception Island, in the British South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...
, possessed a sheltered anchorage with an old Norwegian whaling station. In 1941, the British (aboard ) had taken the precaution of destroying coal dumps and oil tanks there, to prevent their possible use by the Germans.
It has also been suggested that the operation may have partially been a disinformation exercise, nominally to detect suspected German naval replenishment activity - information which was, in fact, being obtained from the cracking of the Enigma machine
Enigma machine
An Enigma machine is any of a family of related electro-mechanical rotor cipher machines used for the encryption and decryption of secret messages. Enigma was invented by German engineer Arthur Scherbius at the end of World War I...
. Whether or not this was the case may be revealed when the remaining government files are released.
The expedition
Led by Lieutenant James Marr, the fourteen strong team left the Falkland IslandsFalkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
in two ships, HMS William Scoresby (a minesweeping trawler) and Fitzroy, on Saturday January 29, 1944. Marr had accompanied the British explorer Ernest Shackleton
Ernest Shackleton
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
on his Antarctic expeditions on the 1920s.
Bases were established during February near the abandoned Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
whaling station on Deception Island (February 3), where the Union Flag
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
was hoisted in place of Argentine flags, and at Port Lockroy
Port Lockroy
Port Lockroy is a natural harbour on the Antarctic Peninsula of the British Antarctic Territory. After its discovery in 1904 by the French Antarctic Expedition it was used for whaling between 1911 and 1931 and British military operations during World War II and then continued to operate as a...
(February 11) on the coast of Graham Land
Graham Land
Graham Land is that portion of the Antarctic Peninsula which lies north of a line joining Cape Jeremy and Cape Agassiz. This description of Graham Land is consistent with the 1964 agreement between the British Antarctic Place-names Committee and the US Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names, in...
. A further base was founded at Hope Bay
Hope Bay
Hope Bay on Trinity Peninsula, is long and wide, indenting the tip of Antarctic Peninsula and opening on Antarctic Sound....
on February 13, 1945, after a failed attempt to unload stores on February 7, 1944.
British territorial claims were further enhanced by the issue of postage stamps.
Reaction
The decision to launch Tabarin was not, apparently, a political decision. Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
was out of the country and a memo from him, following news of the bases in the press, also indicates that he was apparently unaware of the decision. In it, he expresses concern that the move may harm relations with the United States during the preparations for Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
(the invasion of Normandy). A reply from the Foreign Office indicated that the operation was launched not because the USA had failed to recognise British claims to the territory, but to reassert British territorial claims against Argentine and Chile
Chile
Chile ,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...
an incursion.
Post-war developments
Following the end of the War, in 1945 Operation Tabarin bases were handed over to the civilians of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS), subsequently renamed the British Antarctic SurveyBritish Antarctic Survey
The British Antarctic Survey is the United Kingdom's national Antarctic operation and has an active role in Antarctic affairs. BAS is part of the Natural Environment Research Council and has over 400 staff. It operates five research stations, two ships and five aircraft in and around Antarctica....
(BAS).
The ownership of the South Shetland Islands has yet to be decided. British claims, and Argentine and Chilean claims, to the islands have been put to one side to allow scientific research to continue. The United States and Russia have reserved their right to make territorial claims.
See also
- Operation HighjumpOperation HighjumpOperation Highjump , officially titled The United States Navy Antarctic Developments Program, 1946-1947, was a United States Navy operation organized by RADM Richard E. Byrd Jr. USN, , Officer in Charge, Task Force 68, and led by RADM Richard H. Cruzen, USN, Commanding Officer, Task Force 68....
- New SwabiaNew SwabiaNew Swabia is a cartographic name sometimes given to an area of Antarctica between 20°E and 10°W in Queen Maud Land, which within Norway is administered as a Norwegian dependent territory under the Antarctic Treaty System...
- List of Antarctic expeditions
- List of military operations