Iceland and the story of a very British invasion

May 10, 1940 is known in Britain as the day when Winston Churchill became prime minister. In my home country of Iceland that same day, 80 years ago, is remembered for a very different reason. On the day Churchill took control of defending the United Kingdom against invasion, Iceland was invaded: by the United Kingdom.

When the invading force arrived in Reykjavík in the early hours of the morning they were met by a policeman on a bicycle. What followed turned out to be a quintessentially British – and simultaneously Icelandic – affair.

Since gaining independence in 1918, Iceland had stuck to a policy of neutrality. Britain had already offered the country protection and trade deals in exchange for joining the Allies. After the Germans invaded Norway and Denmark in April, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, pressed Iceland for an answer. The country declined and a day later sent a message to Denmark to inform them that as King Christian X, monarch of both countries, was no longer in a position to perform his duties, they would be taken over by the Icelandic government.