Operation Tabarin

Antarctic expeditions
International agreements
1932–33  International Polar Year 1957–58  International Geophysical Year 1959        Antarctic Treaty System
British Empire / Commonwealth
1901–04  Scott's first expedition 1907–09  Shackleton's first expedition 1910–13  Scott's second expedition 1911–14  Mawson's first expedition 1914–17  Shackleton's second expedition 1921–22  Shackleton's third expedition 1929–31  Mawson's second expedition 1934–37  Graham Land expedition 1943–45  Operation Tabarin 1955–58  Trans-Antarctic Expedition
France
1903–05  Charcot's first expedition 1908–10  Charcot's second expedition
Germany
1901–03  Drygalski (Gauss) expedition 1911–12  Filchner expedition 1938–39  New Swabia expedition
Japan
1910–12  Japanese Antarctic Expedition
Norway
1910–12  Amundsen expedition
Sweden
1901–04  Swedish Antarctic Expedition
United States
1928–30  Byrd's first expedition 1946–47  Operation Highjump 1947–48  Operation Windmill 1947–48  Ronne expedition 1955–56  Operation Deep Freeze
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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.

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 Land in an attempt to create a territorial claim, see New Swabia. In 1943, British personnel 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-boats 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 Enigma machine. 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 Islands 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.

Reaction

The decision to launch Tabarin was not, apparently, a political decision. Winston Churchill 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 Chilean 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 Survey (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 Highjump
• New Swabia
• List of Antarctic expeditions
• List of military operations

External links

• Britain's Antarctic Heritage (BAS site)
• Scouting Milestones pages on Scout Marr who went on to lead Operation Tabarin

References

• Jackson, Ashley (2006). The British Empire and the Second World War. London: Hambledon Continuum. pp. 73–75. ISBN 1 85285 4170. 

Coordinates: 64°49′S 63°31′W / 64.817°S 63.517°W / -64.817; -63.517