Driftless
Donor
An Alt-Altmark Incident
The POD I’m suggesting here generates several butterfly possibilities and I’m not sure which are the most plausible or possible.
The set up: Shortly after the outbreak of WW2 in 1939, the Altmark was a German naval auxiliary serving as both supply and prison ship for the 300 +/- survivors of ships sunk by the Graf Spee. Following the demise of the pocket battleship, the Altmark’s Captain Heinrich Dau attempted to avoid the the British navy and bring his ship back to Germany. He chose the long way round the British Isles and entered Norwegian waters on Feb 14, 1940, . Norway was still a neutral country at that point, but under great diplomatic pressure from both the Germans and the Allies.
The Altmark was originally intercepted by Norwegian patrol boats, and a running diplomatic cat & mouse game ensued between the Norwegians and Germans as the Altmark made it’s way down the Norwegian coast. IF the Altmark were considered a merchant ship, she would be allowed passage (more or less). IF she was considered a naval ship, legally she was required to return to international waters. Initially the Norwegian naval forces (led by Rear-Admiral Carsten Tank-Nielsen) in the initial contact area were doubtful of the Altmark’s contention that it was a merchant ship, but were over-ruled by higher authority. As events picked up pace, essentially, the Norwegians hoped to get the Altmark out of their hair as quickly as possible without international incident . It did not work that way.....
Meanwhile, a British Naval force, lead by Captain Phillip Vian on the Destroyer HMS Cossack(acting on direct instruction from First Lord of the Admiralty – Winston Churchill) intercepted the Altmark and the Norwegian naval ships in Jossingfjord near the southern tip of Norway. Long story made short, a boarding party from the Cossack stormed the Altmark well within Norwegian territorial waters, rescuing the captive British (and other) sailors and killing a number of German sailors in the process.
The Altmark Incident became something of a “last straw” for both Germany and Great Britain as far as both sides viewed the Norwegians as being ineffective at enforcing their neutrality.
The POD I’m suggesting is that Norwegian Rear-Admiral Tank-Nielsen orders a complete inspection of the Altmark immediately after it was intercepted on entering Norwegian waters on February 14.
I’m not sure of any of the outcomes of changes I’ve listed above. I’m interested in what others think here.
The POD I’m suggesting here generates several butterfly possibilities and I’m not sure which are the most plausible or possible.
The set up: Shortly after the outbreak of WW2 in 1939, the Altmark was a German naval auxiliary serving as both supply and prison ship for the 300 +/- survivors of ships sunk by the Graf Spee. Following the demise of the pocket battleship, the Altmark’s Captain Heinrich Dau attempted to avoid the the British navy and bring his ship back to Germany. He chose the long way round the British Isles and entered Norwegian waters on Feb 14, 1940, . Norway was still a neutral country at that point, but under great diplomatic pressure from both the Germans and the Allies.
The Altmark was originally intercepted by Norwegian patrol boats, and a running diplomatic cat & mouse game ensued between the Norwegians and Germans as the Altmark made it’s way down the Norwegian coast. IF the Altmark were considered a merchant ship, she would be allowed passage (more or less). IF she was considered a naval ship, legally she was required to return to international waters. Initially the Norwegian naval forces (led by Rear-Admiral Carsten Tank-Nielsen) in the initial contact area were doubtful of the Altmark’s contention that it was a merchant ship, but were over-ruled by higher authority. As events picked up pace, essentially, the Norwegians hoped to get the Altmark out of their hair as quickly as possible without international incident . It did not work that way.....
Meanwhile, a British Naval force, lead by Captain Phillip Vian on the Destroyer HMS Cossack(acting on direct instruction from First Lord of the Admiralty – Winston Churchill) intercepted the Altmark and the Norwegian naval ships in Jossingfjord near the southern tip of Norway. Long story made short, a boarding party from the Cossack stormed the Altmark well within Norwegian territorial waters, rescuing the captive British (and other) sailors and killing a number of German sailors in the process.
The Altmark Incident became something of a “last straw” for both Germany and Great Britain as far as both sides viewed the Norwegians as being ineffective at enforcing their neutrality.
The POD I’m suggesting is that Norwegian Rear-Admiral Tank-Nielsen orders a complete inspection of the Altmark immediately after it was intercepted on entering Norwegian waters on February 14.
• Captain Dau of the Altmark probably refuses to allow the inspection – What might happen then?
• Do the Norwegians attempt to board the Altmark? – doubtful, but possible
• IF Admiral Tank-Nielsen opts to force the Altmark out of Norwegian territorial waters, what is most likely to happen next – with regard to the British navy and the Altmark? Would the British attempt to seize the ship in international waters?
• How would this alternative action by Admiral Tank-Nielsen affect the perception of Norwegian neutrality? Remember, the Germans were already working on contingency plans for invading Norway by this point in time.
* What other diplomatic fallout is there from both the Allied and German sides? First Lord of the Admiralty Churchill was actively searching for a reason to intervene in Scandinavia for several purposes and the OTL Altmark Incident strengthened his hand.
• Do the Norwegians attempt to board the Altmark? – doubtful, but possible
• IF Admiral Tank-Nielsen opts to force the Altmark out of Norwegian territorial waters, what is most likely to happen next – with regard to the British navy and the Altmark? Would the British attempt to seize the ship in international waters?
• How would this alternative action by Admiral Tank-Nielsen affect the perception of Norwegian neutrality? Remember, the Germans were already working on contingency plans for invading Norway by this point in time.
* What other diplomatic fallout is there from both the Allied and German sides? First Lord of the Admiralty Churchill was actively searching for a reason to intervene in Scandinavia for several purposes and the OTL Altmark Incident strengthened his hand.
I’m not sure of any of the outcomes of changes I’ve listed above. I’m interested in what others think here.
Last edited: