Traveling
Tuesday: Weather Stations
Most civilians don’t pay attention to the weather
unless poor conditions may impact their plans such as outside chores, commuting,
or vacations. However, throughout history, weather has made a difference during
crucial moments. The scorching heat of summer and the frigid cold of winter
during Napoleon’s Russian campaign destroyed his Grand Armee, and torrential
rains on the battlefields at Waterloo contributed to his final defeat. When Kublai
Khan tried to overtake Japan, his fleet was destroyed by a typhoon. You can bet
that both those generals wished they’d had accurate forecasting abilities.
During World War II, every nation involved in the conflict
(and perhaps many that were not) had apparently learned from history and paid
close attention to the weather. Aircraft could be grounded by bad weather or
targets obscured by fog or clouds. Sea convoys needed clear weather to delivery
cargoes, and land offenses also depended on knowing what sort of weather was
around the corner.
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Greenland, Jan Mayen Island (a Norwegian island about
600 miles north of Norway), and the Svelbard Archipelago (a Norwegian island
halfway between Norway and the North Pole) were three prime weather-reporting
locations, but all part of neutral nations. The good news for the Germans was
that Greenland’s and Jan Mayen’s stations transmitted their weather data in
plain international code.
An interesting twist occurred to Hitler after he
invaded Denmark and Norway in early 1940. When their home countries became
occupied, the island colonies had to fend for themselves and chose resistance,
cooperating with the British and Americans. Weather information from these stations
was now only provided to the Allies.
As a result, Germany sent U-boats to the area to act
as weather-reporting stations. However, the General in charge felt that gathering
meteorological data came behind sinking enemy ships, so information was
sporadic, and by January 1941, the submarine’s full time weather duties ended.
The Luftwaffe then became responsible for weather reconnaissance, but was also
more intent on battle. Eventually, a program to use weather “fishing” trawlers was
thought to be a better solution.
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In the year since arriving in London, journalist Ruth
Brown has put a face on the war for her readers at home in the U.S. Thus far,
juggling her career and her relationship with Detective Inspector Trevor Gelson
hasn't proven too challenging. The war gets personal for Ruth when her friend
Amelia is murdered, and Trevor is assigned to the case.
Life gets even more unsettling when clues indicate her
best friend, Varis, is passing secrets to the enemy. Convinced Varis is innocent,
Ruth must find the real traitor as the clock ticks down toward Operation Husky-the
Allied invasion of Sicily. Circumstantial evidence leads Trevor to suspect her
of having a part in Amelia's death, and Ruth must choose between her heart and
her duty.
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