Alain,

Interesting site there. How ever I beleive I have a bit more info on this:

1) 6-04-1942, U-252 lands agent "Ib Árnason Riis" (Note spelling of name is wrong in many books / sites) Mr. Riis was a ship Captain and Radio man before the war.

He was half Icelandic, half Danish. When German invaded Dennmark, he like so many other Icelanders, were stuck there, wanting to go home to Iceland. He soon got the attention of the Abwehr, German intelligenc agency. They asked him if he would be willing to command a ship sailing to Iceland, that they would provide him with. He reluctantly aggreed, as he wanted to get out of the war zone.

He was told that he was to bring a "secret" passenger with him. But he soon discovered that he was the "secret" passenger and refused to go. He was then threatened, and forced to go. He promised himself, that he would give himself up to the UK Garrison there at first opertunity, as he was anti nazi. He got some training in sending coded messages, and was sent on U-252 to a remote peninsula, "Langanes" in Iceland, via stop in Norway. First thing he did was to burry his Radio and pistol in the sand.

He was given the cover of a German Merchant Navy Officer, and was dressed up in uniform and coat with Nazi insignia! Sounds a bit silly, and so he says in his book "Britan´s double agent in Iceland" (only avialable in Icelandic)The weather was bad when he arrived and he almost got killed, having walked in the cold rain / snow for 17 hours. He saw a small light in the distance and walked to it, to find the small farm Fell. The time was past midnight, and the only reason the light was on, was because the farmers daughter had her birthday.

He was taken to UK Army outpost where he gave himself up. He was sent to Reykjavik (Not to UK like some books say) for interogation. He was then taken back to Langanes where he recovered the Radio.

Ib Riis worked in secret for 3 years, under the cover of a Naval Officer, on loan to Royal Navy, sending fake / partially true messages to his German handlers. He was involved in the destruction of ship convoy PQ-17 and sinking of the KM battleship Sharnhorst. He thinks the British gave the information about PQ-17 to make him more credible in the eyes of his handlers.

His pay from the Germans, was sent to his parents, living in Dennmark and that is what keept them alive during the war. Ironically, Ib Riis was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st class, which was sent to his parents house. To my knowladge, Ib Riis is the only Icelander in history to be awarded these medals.

Ib Riis is still alive today, at the age of 91. I am in contact with him. He just donated his Iron crosses to my museum work, a remarkable addition to my already large collection.

Total of 4 U-boats dropped of agents in Iceland. All were captured. Ib was the only one to give himself up. 1 more of the Icelandic "agents" is still alive, or 2 out of 6.

This is long enough for now.

Regards

Hinrik Steinsson
curator
Aviation / War museum project
Reykjavik
Iceland