Difference between revisions of "Hafnafjordur"

Revision as of 15:43, 17 October 2017

Defending HAFNAFJORDUR was a critical part of the Iceland strategy as viable ports were clearly essential to any enemy invasion plans.

The photographs below illustrate the harbour, initially in a modern context, using photographs taken by the author.

Hafnafjordur 1

Hafnafjordur 2

The next group are from the collection of historian and author Fridthor Eydal, who has kindly given permission for their use. This batch were taken in November 1941 and cover the streets surrounding the busy harbour, together with an unusual military image and a candid shot of local urchins.

Local street view 1

Local street view 2

Local street view 3

Local street view 4

Local street view 5

Local street view 6

Beached vessels

Local young Icelanders - hands in pockets clearly the preferred stance!

The next group of pictures, taken in HAFNAFJORDUR Harbour were taken by the author's late father in April 1941 and we are extremely grateful to the National Maritime Museum for the prompt identification of the warships concerned. It is quite possible that Lance Corporal R B Dixon should not have taken these pictures, for reasons of security,but they lay undisturbed in a family album for almost sixty years until his death in 1998, when they were recovered by the author.

Aircraft Carrier

Warship 1

Warship 2

Warship 3