Though completely off topic, I find the operations surrounding Spi9tzbergen extremely intersting. According to the Naval Ships forum (mentioned above, there were a number of operations after the September raids, firstly that led to the re-establishment of a weather station by the Germans , and secondly concerning the return of the Norwegians to the island. These are events i knew very little about until undertaking this research
"Operation Fritham
Preliminaries
After representations by the exiled Norwegian Government to the Admiralty, it was agreed for Norwegian miners to reoccupy the settlements to prevent further deterioration of the mining facilities. The Norwegians thought that only a small force would be necessary which, in order to respect the terms of the Treaty, would be described as a group of patriots returning to their homeland in their own vessels.
Aerial reconnaissance on 5 April, by a Catalina of 210 Squadron, reported no enemy activity, but failed to spot the Banso weather station encampment only ten miles away, from the proposed landing site.
The Operation
On 30 April 1942, the Norwegian tug/icebreaker Isbjorn and the sealer Selis with 85 men, sailed from the Clyde. This was an all Norwegian operation with a Norwegian, Lieutenant-Commander Einar Sverdrup, in command. The 85 men were mainly ex miners from Spitsbergen who had undergone basic military training, but included some British Army and naval officers. They refuelled and loaded more stores in Iceland, leaving on 8 May.
On 13 May another reconnaissance flight by a Catalina of 210 Squadron in the Icefjord area, spotted tracks, radio masts and a Heinkel 111 by some huts. (This was the weather station Banso.) They opened fire on the Heinkel but caused no serious damage, and it was able to take off and return to Norway. The Norwegian ships were warned of possible air attacks, but it is doubtful if the message got through.
The Isbjorn and Selis arrived at the entrance to Icefjord at 20.00 on 13 May, but found the passage to their landing jetty was blocked by ice. Against the advice of the British military officers who wanted to start unloading immediately by relays of sleds, the Norwegian commander ordered the Isbjorn to cut a passage through the ice to the jetty, as it would be easier to unload there.
At 05.00 the next day, a Ju88 was seen flying at low level along Icefjord. The landing party's fears were confirmed at 20.30 when four Focke-Wulf Condors suddenly appeared without warning over the enclosed fjord. Making several bombing runs over the ships, the Condors sank the Isbjorn and set the Selis ablaze, which eventually sank. Thirteen men were killed including the Norwegian commander and a British officer Lieutenant-Colonel Dan Godfrey.
Nearly all the equipment, arms, ammunition, food clothing, radios and supplies had been lost, being still aboard the unloaded ships. Fortunately for the survivors, after the hurried evacuation of the previous year, there was shelter, accommodation, food, fuel and clothing left behind intact, enabling them to survive in relative comfort. Each day thereafter, the Germans flew a reconnaissance aircraft over the area.
Afterwards
Nothing of what had happened to the expedition could be reported as all the radio equipment had been lost. It was not until German Enigma signals from the Banso weather station were intercepted and decrypted that it was learned that two ships had been attacked and sunk. Aerial reconnaissance was ordered, and on 25 May, 210 Squadron sent a Catalina to look for survivors, and managed to make contact with them by signal lamp, learning of the wounded.
The same Catalina returned on 28 May at 04.30 packed with emergency supplies and comforts. As they were unable to land due to floating drift ice, everything was dropped with long orange streamers attached for easy location in the snow. A further supply flight on 1 June had to be abandoned because of snow storms.
The abandoned flight was resumed on 6 June, loaded mainly with arms and ammunition. This time the fjord was sufficiently free of ice to enable a landing to be made. The cargo was unloaded and six wounded survivors taken on board. Another supply flight took place on 15 June, bringing back Lieutenant-Commander Alexander "Sandy" Glen and two Norwegians.
peration Gearbox
When Naval Intelligence received Sandy Glen's report on Operation Fritham, it was decided that the objectives of Fritham could be achieved by reinforcing the Norwegians in an operation to be called "Gearbox".
For this operation, the land forces would again be Norwegian, but the transport and supply would be organised and implemented by the Royal Navy. The cruiser Manchester and destroyer Eclipse, under Rear-Admiral Bonham-Carter, were assigned for this and their movements would be disguised by sailing with the First Cruiser Squadron (Rear-Admiral Hamilton) which was providing the cruiser covering force for convoy PQ17. They would sail with them from Seidesfjord, Iceland as far as Jan Mayen Island then head north to approach Spitsbergen from the west.
A Catalina of 210 Squadron was again detailed to provide reconnaissance photographs of the area in and around Icefjord and report on the state of the sea ice in the fjord, and reconnoitre for a suitable safe refuelling location for future PQ convoy escorts. It was also to report on the position of the Arctic ice sheet to the north of Bear Island for PQ17, and take Sandy Glen and another British officer Major Andrew Croft to Spitsbergen.
Taking off from Akureyri, Icelend on 26 June, the Catalina achieved all its objectives, even destroying a Ju88 on the ground on the way. They returned at 23.30 the next day, having been airborne for over 24 hours. Rear-Admiral Bonham-Carter received the report and photographs only a few hours before he sailed with the First Cruiser Squadron from Seidisfjord.
The Manchester and Eclipse were carrying 60 Norwegian soldiers and 116 tons of equipment and supplies, including anti aircraft guns. Arriving at Barentsburg at 12.30 on 2 July, the men and supplies had to be unloaded in small boats due to the jetty being silted up, taking 120 trips and six hours in all.
When the operation was completed, the two ships joined the Home Fleet of Admiral Tovey, the distant covering force for PQ17.
Later Gearbox operations
After Operation Gearbox was completed, there were further re-supply operations which became known as the Gearbox support operations. When they were combined with another operation they were sometimes given a number such as Gearbox 2, Gearbox 3, etc. to distinguish their actions from the main operation.
8 September 1942 - Re-supply by HMS Jamaica HMS Keppel, HMS Bramham, HMS Mackay, HMS Montrose.
17-18 September 1942 - Operation Gearbox 2 (part of Operation EV, the escort for Convoy PQ18). Re-supply by HMS Cumberland, HMS Sheffield, HMS Eclipse.
19 October 1942 - Operation EZ. Re-supply by HMS Argonaut, HMS Inglefield, HMS Obdurate.
25 November 1942 - Re-supply by HMS London, HMS Suffolk, HMS Obedient, HMS Obdurate, HMS Orwell.
10 June 1943 – Operation Gearbox 3 (part of Operation FH, escorting corvettes Camellia and Bluebell from Russia). Re-supply by Force R - HMS Cumberland, HMS Bermuda, HMCS Athabaskan, HMS Eclipse.
18 October 1943 - Operation FQ (following the Tirpitz attack).
Relief force – USS Tuscaloosa, HMS Onslaught, HMS Oribi, HMS Orwell, USS Fitch;
Covering force – HMS Anson, USS Ranger, HMS Norfolk, HMCS Haida, HMCS Iroquois, HMS Hardy, HMS Janus, HMS Vigilant, USS Corry.
16 June 1944 - Re-supply by HMS Jamaica, HMS Whelp.
15 September 1944 - Re-supply by HMS Jamaica, HMS Orwell, HMS Obedient."