Royal Navy

HMS Somali

G33


WBS 6 München and HMS Somali - may 1941.

Operation "München" 1941

Iceland/Jan Mayen area (5.1941) - WBS 6 München
Caught on 7th May 1941 by HMS Somali south east of Iceland. Reported sunk to deceive the Germans and keep the Enigma code uncompromised. Sold to Faeroe Islands 1943 as "Froyen".



Ivigtut (3.10.1941) to Pay. Sub-Lieut Goldup, HMS Somali via RMS Nascopie.

HMS Somali was the leader of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla and spent most of the winter of 1940/41 screening Home Fleet sweeps. On 7th May 1941, she captured the German trawler WBS 6 München, a prize which yielded valuable documents. (Bletchley Park) 



Received from H. M. Ships to Australia.
Passed by Censor on 7.11.1941 and signed: J. Goldup.
On back: Recd 27.1.1942 and ex. H.M.S "Somali".

The first break for British crypto-analysts came with the capture of an intact Enigma machine and rotors from auxiliary supply/weather reporting ship WBS 6 München by a boarding party from destroyer HMS Somali near Jan Mayen island.

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Update: 7.12.2003
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