Comments on: Norwegian Gold Bullion Snatch http://royalnavymemories.co.uk/norwegian-gold-bullion-snatch/ HMS Devonshire and HMS Leopard and HMS Glasgow Portal Thu, 17 May 2012 21:11:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: stephen smart http://royalnavymemories.co.uk/norwegian-gold-bullion-snatch/comment-page-1/#comment-10735 stephen smart Thu, 17 May 2012 21:11:02 +0000 http://www.royalnavymemories.com/?p=129#comment-10735 my grandfather served on the devonshire i think as a steward and was taken under escort to the wine seller because of the gold stored near by , his name was jack giles , he was also on The Hood but was sick in hospital when she set out and sunk . he did't talk about it very much. my grandfather served on the devonshire i think as a steward and was taken under escort to the wine seller because of the gold stored near by , his name was jack giles , he was also on The Hood but was sick in hospital when she set out and sunk . he did’t talk about it very much.

]]> By: Mike Brown http://royalnavymemories.co.uk/norwegian-gold-bullion-snatch/comment-page-1/#comment-10733 Mike Brown Sun, 06 May 2012 21:27:09 +0000 http://www.royalnavymemories.com/?p=129#comment-10733 My father Eric was a Marine on the Devonshire, related how, after berthing in England, the Captain addressed the crew to explain why they had to leave their mates in the water back in the North Sea. The "Order," Not stop Under Any Circumstance" could not forsee that survivors from Glorius would be needing rescue. My father Eric was a Marine on the Devonshire, related how, after berthing in England, the Captain addressed the crew to explain why they had to leave their mates in the water back in the North Sea. The “Order,” Not stop Under Any Circumstance” could not forsee that survivors from Glorius would be needing rescue.

]]> By: Eric Downer http://royalnavymemories.co.uk/norwegian-gold-bullion-snatch/comment-page-1/#comment-10730 Eric Downer Wed, 02 May 2012 10:54:48 +0000 http://www.royalnavymemories.com/?p=129#comment-10730 My Dad, Stuart (Dingle or Digger) Downer, served on HMS Glasgow throughout the Russian Convoys. I believe he was the youngest CPO in the Royal Navy at the time, having been at sea with the NAAFI since the age of 16 and signed up for "Hostilities Only" at the outbreak of war. King Haakon of Norway and his family were taken on board during this time and brought to England. Three "Survivors Leaves" in 9 months were part of the picture of what he endured, but his pride in being on the Glasgow stayed with him until he passed away in 2004, aged 84. My Dad, Stuart (Dingle or Digger) Downer, served on HMS Glasgow throughout the Russian Convoys. I believe he was the youngest CPO in the Royal Navy at the time, having been at sea with the NAAFI since the age of 16 and signed up for “Hostilities Only” at the outbreak of war. King Haakon of Norway and his family were taken on board during this time and brought to England. Three “Survivors Leaves” in 9 months were part of the picture of what he endured, but his pride in being on the Glasgow stayed with him until he passed away in 2004, aged 84.

]]> By: Bob Pearson http://royalnavymemories.co.uk/norwegian-gold-bullion-snatch/comment-page-1/#comment-10703 Bob Pearson Sat, 07 Apr 2012 16:36:37 +0000 http://www.royalnavymemories.com/?p=129#comment-10703 Hi Philip, many thanks for your reply - very interesting. By chance, do you know if Hambro returned witht he team? Incidentally, Hambro was tasked with sorting out the trade agreement after earlier problems between the Norwegians and Lord ? whose surname escapes me at present. Hambro was trusted by the Norwegians, as was your father. I guess Hambro assembled a team that the Norwegians knew and could work with. Hambro was chased out of Oslo on April 9th. The Germans knew where he was and he escaped with minutes to spare. His route was Sweden - where at one point he met his cousin, the Norwegian President, CJ Hambro. This appears to be where Notraship started - backed by Hambros Bank of course. Hambro's step-daughter was 9 at the time, but she recalls the escape and how Hambro was convinced the flat they were in was bugged. The route back to England was via Russia and then the wrong way around the world back to UK. Thanks again for your message - it adds another piece to the jig-saw. Kind regards, Bob Hi Philip,

many thanks for your reply – very interesting. By chance, do you know if Hambro returned witht he team? Incidentally, Hambro was tasked with sorting out the trade agreement after earlier problems between the Norwegians and Lord ? whose surname escapes me at present. Hambro was trusted by the Norwegians, as was your father. I guess Hambro assembled a team that the Norwegians knew and could work with.

Hambro was chased out of Oslo on April 9th. The Germans knew where he was and he escaped with minutes to spare. His route was Sweden – where at one point he met his cousin, the Norwegian President, CJ Hambro. This appears to be where Notraship started – backed by Hambros Bank of course.

Hambro’s step-daughter was 9 at the time, but she recalls the escape and how Hambro was convinced the flat they were in was bugged. The route back to England was via Russia and then the wrong way around the world back to UK.

Thanks again for your message – it adds another piece to the jig-saw.

Kind regards,

Bob

]]> By: Philip Geddes http://royalnavymemories.co.uk/norwegian-gold-bullion-snatch/comment-page-1/#comment-10697 Philip Geddes Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:19:31 +0000 http://www.royalnavymemories.com/?p=129#comment-10697 Hi Bob I can fill in a bit of a gap on Sir Charles Hambro (1897-1963). Early in 1940 (before the invasion) Hambro was sent by the Ministry of Economic Warfare to negotiate a War Trade Agreemnt with Norway on the supply of vital raw materials to the UK, and of shipping to carry these goods. My father, David Geddes, whose family had traded with Norway for many decades, was asked to join the team because of his extensive knowledge of the whaling industry. At the same time a German delegation was trying to negotiate a similar deal. On 22nd February 1940 Hambro signed the War Trade Agreement, and the team returned to London. The result was that vast quantities of materials were sent to Britain, and in Norwegian ships (as a result of a separate matching shipping agreement, virtually the whole Norwegian merchant marine was contracted to Britain.) Germany only captured around one sixth of the merchant marine when it invaded Norway. I do not know if Hambro was involved in the gold episode, but as he went on to run SOE operations in Scandinavia for some years and had impeccable high level contacts, it would seem likely that he was involved . Regards Philip Geddes Hi Bob

I can fill in a bit of a gap on Sir Charles Hambro (1897-1963). Early in 1940 (before the invasion) Hambro was sent by the Ministry of Economic Warfare to negotiate a War Trade Agreemnt with Norway on the supply of vital raw materials to the UK, and of shipping to carry these goods. My father, David Geddes, whose family had traded with Norway for many decades, was asked to join the team because of his extensive knowledge of the whaling industry. At the same time a German delegation was trying to negotiate a similar deal. On 22nd February 1940 Hambro signed the War Trade Agreement, and the team returned to London. The result was that vast quantities of materials were sent to Britain, and in Norwegian ships (as a result of a separate matching shipping agreement, virtually the whole Norwegian merchant marine was contracted to Britain.) Germany only captured around one sixth of the merchant marine when it invaded Norway. I do not know if Hambro was involved in the gold episode, but as he went on to run SOE operations in Scandinavia for some years and had impeccable high level contacts, it would seem likely that he was involved .

Regards

Philip Geddes

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