Slædepatruljen Sirius

"Slædepatruljen Sirius" or informally "Siriuspatruljen" ("The Sirius patrol") is a Danish unit and dog sled patrol conducting long-range reconnaissance (LRRP) and enforcing Danish sovereignty. The unit is operationally under the Greenland Command and administratively under the Royal Danish Navy. The patrol represents Denmark's military presence in Greenland.

The patrol operates in the northern and northeastern part of Greenland from the westcoast of Hall Land (Petermann Fjord and Glacier) coord|81|04|N|61|40|W| to Kap Biot north of Fleming Fjord coord|71|53|N|22|33|W|. The distance as the crow flies is circa 2100 km, but the length of the coast following all the fjords is far greater, 16.000 km, and the Greenland ice sheet is not a part of the patrolled area.

The unit was activated during World War II in Summer of 1941 to prevent German landings along the northeast coast of Greenland. The patrol discovered a German weather station "Holzauge" at Hansa Bay, northeast coast of Sabine Island, which was subsequently destroyed by USAF bombers from Iceland.

The unit is stationed at Daneborg (coord|74.18|N|20.14|W|format=dms), and have personnel at Station Nord, Danmarkshavn and Mestersvig. They also have more than 50 depot huts scattered across the patrolled area. The depot huts are resupplied by small boats in the southern area, and by aircraft in the northern part.

They will form six dogsled teams for the duration of the year, each consisting of two men and 11 to 15 dogs. When traveling, each team will carry approximately 350–500 kg, depending on the distance to the next depot.

The sledge patrolling is divided in two periods. Depending on when the ice is thick enough, the autumn patrol starts sometime in November, and lasts until 22 December. The sun sets for the last time around the start of November, and in the increasing darkness the winterstorms get progressively worse and more frequent. Getting home before Christmas is therefore not always possible. Around the end of January, when the weather stabilizes and the sun reappears, the longer journeys begin and last until June, when the ice will begin break apart and drift southwards. Within this period, the six sledgeteams will cover a large part of the coastline, and within a period of 3 to 4 years all areas will be visited.

Volunteers for the Sirius patrol, must have completed their compulsory service. At the try out 7 men will be chosen to start on about 6 months of different courses.

Courses
*Survival course in Greenland (5 weeks)
*Shooting course
*Demolition course
*Engine & mechanics course
*Reconnaissance course
*Firefighter course
*Radio & communications course
*First aid course
*Extended first aid course
*Sewing course
*Truck course

Starting in December, they will have completed them by the end of May. The final group consisting of 6 men or less is picked as late as 2–3 weeks before they go to Greenland for 26 consecutive months.

External links

* [http://forsvaret.dk/GLK/Sirius/ The Sirius Patrol]
* [http://www.sejersen.dk/Sirius/Hytter.asp List and Photographs of 41 depot huts]

Template group
list =