OPERATION ECLIPSE
FOREWORD
As WW2 in Europe drew to a close, the Russians and Western Allies agreed a dividing line in Europe to prevent accidental clashes as their troops converged. This line ran from Lubeck to Switzerland and left Denmark in the Allied sector. In April 1945 we received intelligence that the Russians intended to take Denmark to provide an ice-free naval base for their Fleet, in defiance of the Yalta Agreement.
To frustrate this plan, the Allies launched a 3 pronged operation – the Navy to take Copenhagen, a “T” Force Commando Group to take Kiel and the 3rd Parachute Brigade to stop the Russians at Wismar.
The Paras got to Wismar 4 hours before the Russians and stopped them there – 4 hours which saved Denmark from Russian occupation and perhaps prevented WW3 starting before WW2 was finished.
I’d be grateful to anyone on WWW for any documentary evidence concerning orders from and to Marshal Rokossowski about Denmark and Bornholm and the negotiations between the United Nations and Russia about handing back Bornholm to Denmark.
