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Troops turnover

Between the US Army and the british army there were some misundertantings about the best way to preceed with the turn over (so-called operation Indigo (80) first and Galloper then), but the process was a step-after-step one. The first american marines arrived in Reykjavik the 7th july, 1941; the day after Curtis gave a solemn welcome speech:

 
“For strategic reasons England wishes to concentrated her forces. Therefore Iceland is inviting the USA to protect the island during the war (…) Today we are deeply honoured by the arrival of to token reinforcement of the famous US marines to cooperated mutually with us in safeguarding Icelandic democracy (…) AntiNazi This is to historic moment on the road to victory in the campaign when ounces again the troops of the United States of America and Britain stand shoulder to shoulder in common causes” (81).
 
The first marines were soon substituted by the troops of US General Bonesteel, and then started the change over: for the next two years, gradually, as the americans came, the british left, and only in 1943 the last english staff left Iceland.
 
In operation, the joint work of Bonesteel and Curtis was excellent: technically, the americans were not under british command, but every operation was carried on in cooperation. General Curtis was reimpatriated the 22nd of April 1942; in an official cerimony the british general left his men under the authority of the US army, and he was granted by the american president Roosvelt with the “Distinguished Service Medal” for exceptional merits to the government of the United States.
 
 

Note al testo:
 

80) Il piano "Indigo" originario prevedeva l'arrivo in Islanda di 28.000 uomini in breve termine, ma venne presto scartato. Seguì il piano "Indigo - 1" che fornì uno squadrone di P-40 per il controllo aereo e truppe di supporto. Il piano "Indigo - 2", proposto per l'autunno coinvolgeva 10.000 uomini, ma anch'esso fu scartato per il piano "Indigo - 3", da attuarsi a Settembre, che dimezzava le truppe ivi destinate.

81) Discorso trascritto dai registri conservati presso l'Imperial War Museum, Londra.

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