The Eiði radar station, a remnant of World War II in the Faroe Islands

On April 9, 1940, during World War II, Nazi Germany began its military occupation of the Kingdom of Denmark.

The landscapes of the Faroe Islands, a beautiful Danish archipelago in the North Atlantic
The incredible lighthouse of Thridrangar: a place not suitable for people with vertigo or claustrophobia

The invasion was swift and met with little resistance. The small Danish Army was no match for the massive German war machine. In addition to mainland Denmark, the German invasion had consequences throughout the Kingdom's territories, including the Faroe Islands (occupied by the British on April 13) and Greenland (which became a protectorate of the United States on April 9, 1941, at the request of the local authorities, who effectively acted as a sovereign nation, ignoring orders from the German-installed puppet government in Denmark).

Furthermore, Iceland, which was then a kingdom headed by the King of Denmark, was occupied by the British on 10 May 1940, becoming a protectorate of the United States in July 1941, and becoming an independent republic on 17 June 1944.

The Faroe Islands were of considerable strategic importance in the North Atlantic, serving as a transit area for convoys sailing from the United States to Murmansk in the USSR. The British occupation of the islands was peaceful and even profitable for the islanders, who were able to sell their fish on the British market at a high price due to the shortages caused by the war. Furthermore, the British built an airfield on Vágar Island, RAF Vagar, which later, after years of neglect, became the current Vágar Airport in 1963. In addition, the British installed coastal artillery pieces, such as those still preserved at Skansin Fortress in Tórshavn, and five radar stations, at Mykines, Eiðiskollur (on Eiði), Borðan (Nólsoy), Søltuvík (Sandoy) and Suðuroy (Akraberg).

A few days ago, Frontline Ulster launched a video series exploring World War II memorabilia in the Faroe Islands. The first installment is dedicated to Eiði Station, the northernmost of the five British radar stations on the islands. It was built from concrete, equipped with a Type 273 naval radar (with 0.91-meter diameter parabolic antennas) and capable of detecting targets at a distance of 41 kilometers:

You can see some screenshots from this video here. We start with one of the old naval cannons from Skansin Fortress in Tórshavn, a preview of upcoming Frontline Ulster videos from these islands.

An overview of the Eiði radar station. The operators of this station must have endured a particularly cold and windy war.

The building that housed the Type 273 naval radar. The higher station is being built.

Other radar station buildings. The construction was not of very good quality and inclement weather has ended up ruining the buildings.

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Main image: Frontline Ulster.