2nd Battalion Scots Guards at Heligoland surrender: 11/05/1945

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From War Diary: 2nd Battalion SCOTS GUARDS, Jan - Dec 1945
11 May 1945
At an early hour in the morning, Right Flank embarked on board five German mine-sweepers and were soon on their way to HELIGOLAND, the Battalion having been ordered to take over the Island from the 2,000 odd Germans who were there. The ‘Times’ Article (APPENDIX J)
Right Flank disembarked at 1300 hours and formed up a small guard of honour to receive Rear-Admiral MUIRHEAD-GOULD, ROYAL NAVY as he came ashore.
The Commanding Officer accompanied the party, and together with the Admiral, inspected the Island, which was a complete shambles after to CUXHAVEN in an R-boat.
Right Flank’s mine-sweepers were all German manned and still sailed under the German flag.
A useful acquisition on the Island was 3,500 bottles of beer.


APPENDIX J
The Times, May 15th, 1945
OCCUPATION OF HELIGOLAND
SCOTS GUARDS TAKE OVER
ADMIRAL’S VISIT
From a Correspondent
HELIGOLAND, May 13
The British occupation of Heligoland, the tiny island fortress which dominated the entrance to the German ports, had several remarkable features.
This was the first time for many generations that a British admiral and British infantry, a company of SCOTS GUARDS, have taken over an island and have used enemy warships for the purpose.

Rear-Admiral MUIRHEAD GOULD, naval commander in north-west Germany, travelled to Heligoland with a staff of gunnery and disarmament expertes in two German R-boats, small but powerfully armed coastal escort vessels, with German crews. The discipline and seamanship of these Germans were good, and whatever they may have been feeling about the trip their professional pride forbade any slacking. The commander was wearing the Iron Cross. Before the Admiral was piped aboard breech-blocks of guns were taken away and scuttling charges removed. These were common-sense precautions, though the whole attitude of the Germans around Wilhelmshaven is that of willing and genuine cooperation. During the voyage the German crew gathered in the stern except for the commanding officer and a German signalman, who both stayed close to the British admiral, and it was the German commander who said respectfully: “Heligoland in sight, sir.”

At this stage we were joined by five ships of the 7th German Minesweeping Flotilla, ships of the famous M class, who gave our men a lot of trouble during the war. These ships carried the men of the SCOTS GUARDS who are to form the temporary garrison under the command of Major RAYBURN [sic]. They came fresh from their triumphs with the GUARDS ARMOURED DIVISION, and some senior officers accompanied them.

As we steamed into the dock at Heligoland we passed two merchant ships full of German soldiers, the 2,500 men who had formed the garrison, men who had maned the giant guns. They were being taken to the mainland, five sleek black U-boats lay just outside, and there was another in a U-boat pen. The commander of each stood stiffly at the salute in the conning tower.

R.A.F DAMAGE
Ashore, awaiting our party, were German naval and military officers and a crowd of fishermen many of them hoping that the order to evacuate the island would be postponed. The admiral stepped ashore on a jetty strewn with the debris of the last R.A.F. raid. There were two big raids in which 1,300 bombers were used. One of his staff produced a document by which the Germans bound themselves to keep the surrender terms faithfully and in detail. The German commander, Captain ROEGGELER, using an overturned water-tank as a table, signed at once.

The present intention of the British is to destroy every form of armament on the island, including, of course, mines, and to evacuate, at least temporarily, the population except for a few who are being left behind to operate such essential services as are functioning.

Until the disarmament experts have completed their work it is difficult to say how many guns were put out of action in the two R.A.F raids. I saw several big ones which had been knocked sideways, with great gaping holes in the turrets. One gun barrel was pointing skyward, but little was left of it apart from the barrel. It seemed evident that no thickness of concrete could withstand a fair and square hit from the biggest bombs, although by some queer chance the huge U-boat pens had suffered nothing except that bits of concrete were chipped off the roof. Inside, the roof showed no signes of even a crack, and all the apparatus for repair and maintenance was in good condition. Outside, the spring sun blazed strongly down on the wreckage of homes and batteries, but inside the U-boat pen it was cool and refreshing. The great guns of the fortress had never been fired during the war except for practice shoots, but A.A. guns had been used a lot at raiders passing overhead.


APPENDIX K
ORDER OF BATTLE
2ND BATTALION SCOTS GUARDS
15 May 1945

BATTALION H.Q.
Lieutenant-Colonel H.N. CLOWES - Commanding Officer

RIGHT FLANK
Major W.D.M. RAEBURN, MBE
Captain M.J. FITZHERBERT-BROCKHOLES
Lieutenant G.C.W. RADCLIFFE
Lieutenant A.J. SINCLAIR
Lieutenant A.H.R. LYELL
Lieutenant D. MILLEN
C.S.M. J. LINDSAY
C.Q.M.S. G. COSGROVE

 

HELIGOLAND UNDER THE WHITE ENSIGN. 11 MAY 1945, THE SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN ISLAND FORTRESS OF HELIGOLAND TO REAR ADMIRAL G C MUIRHEAD-GOULD, DSC, NAVAL COMMANDER OF NORTH-WEST GERMANY.
© IWM A 28575
Object description
Rear Admiral Muirhead-Gould (right) on the bridge of the German R Boat which took him to Heligoland from Wilhemshaven. Left is the German commanding officer and in foreground a German signaller is passing a message to another craft.

 

GERMAN SHIPS CARRY SCOTS GUARDS TO HELIGOLAND FOR ISLAND'S FORMAL SURRENDER. 11 MAY 1945, THE FORMAL SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN ISLAND FORTRESS OF HELIGOLAND TO REAR ADMIRAL G MUIRHEAD-GOULD, BRITISH NAVAL COMMANDER, NORTH-WEST GERMANY.
© IWM A 28576
Object description
German M class minesweepers which carried the Scots Guard garrisoning troops to Heligoland steaming in formation.

 

GERMAN SHIPS CARRY SCOTS GUARDS TO HELIGOLAND FOR ISLAND'S FORMAL SURRENDER. 11 MAY 1945, THE FORMAL SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN ISLAND FORTRESS OF HELIGOLAND TO REAR ADMIRAL G MUIRHEAD-GOULD, BRITISH NAVAL COMMANDER, NORTH-WEST GERMANY.
© IWM A 28577
Object description
German M class minesweepers which carried the Scots Guard garrisoning troops to Heligoland steaming in formation.

 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205159922\
© IWM A 28578
Object description
German M class minesweepers which carried the Scots Guard garrisoning troops to Heligoland steaming in formation.

 

GERMAN SHIPS CARRY SCOTS GUARDS TO HELIGOLAND FOR ISLAND'S FORMAL SURRENDER. 11 MAY 1945, THE FORMAL SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN ISLAND FORTRESS OF HELIGOLAND TO REAR ADMIRAL G MUIRHEAD-GOULD, BRITISH NAVAL COMMANDER, NORTH-WEST GERMANY.
© IWM A 28579
Object description
Rear Admiral Muirhead-Gould going ashore from a German R Boat to receive the surrender of Heligoland from Captain Roeggeler (German Navy) who is seen saluting.

 

THE ROYAL NAVY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
© IWM A 28580
Object description
Captain Roeggeler in the presence of Rear Admiral G Muirhead-Gould, British Naval Commander, North-West Germany, and his staff, signing the surrender document for the German island fortress of Heligoland on a water tank which had been blown onto the quayside by RAF bombs.

 

GERMAN SHIPS CARRY SCOTS GUARDS TO HELIGOLAND FOR ISLAND'S FORMAL SURRENDER. 11 MAY 1945, THE FORMAL SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN ISLAND FORTRESS OF HELIGOLAND TO REAR ADMIRAL G MUIRHEAD-GOULD, BRITISH NAVAL COMMANDER, NORTH-WEST GERMANY.
© IWM A 28581
Object description
Rear Admiral Muirhead-Gould with Scots Guards officers on his tour of bomb-battered Heligoland.

 

GERMAN SHIPS CARRY SCOTS GUARDS TO HELIGOLAND FOR ISLAND'S FORMAL SURRENDER. 11 MAY 1945, THE FORMAL SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN ISLAND FORTRESS OF HELIGOLAND TO REAR ADMIRAL G MUIRHEAD-GOULD, BRITISH NAVAL COMMANDER, NORTH-WEST GERMANY.
© IWM A 28582
Object description
Hoisting the White Ensign over Heligoland. Rear Admiral Muirhead-Gould and his staff are saluting while Guardsmen present arms.

 

GERMAN SHIPS CARRY SCOTS GUARDS TO HELIGOLAND FOR ISLAND'S FORMAL SURRENDER. 11 MAY 1945, THE FORMAL SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN ISLAND FORTRESS OF HELIGOLAND TO REAR ADMIRAL G MUIRHEAD-GOULD, BRITISH NAVAL COMMANDER, NORTH-WEST GERMANY.
© IWM A 28583
Object description
Rear Admiral Muirhead-Gould examining the surrender document after signing by Captain Roeggeler.

 

HANDING OVER OF HELIGOLAND
© IWM BU 6057
Object description
Original wartime caption: German minesweepers with Scots Guards aboard en route to the Island.

 

HANDING OVER OF HELIGOLAND
© IWM BU 6058
Object description
Original wartime caption: The ship with the Admiral aboard nearing Heligoland. The Admiral is beneath the flag.

 

HANDING OVER OF HELIGOLAND
© IWM BU 6059
Object description
Original wartime caption: Admiral Muirhead-Gould greeted by the German Garrison Commander, Captain Roeggeller, on stepping ashore.

 

HANDING OVER OF HELIGOLAND
© IWM BU 6060
Object description
Original wartime caption: Admiral Muirhead-Gould greeted by the German Garrison Commander, Captain Roeggeller, on stepping ashore.

 

HANDING OVER OF HELIGOLAND
© IWM BU 6061
Object description
Original wartime caption: Captain Roeggeller signing the surrender papers. Admiral Muirhead-Gould is on the left of the picture.

 

HANDING OVER OF HELIGOLAND
© IWM BU 6062
Object description
Original wartime caption: Scots Guards disembarking on the Island.

 

HANDING OVER OF HELIGOLAND
© IWM BU 6063
Object description
Original wartime caption: Scots Guards disembarking on the Island.

 

HANDING OVER OF HELIGOLAND
© IWM BU 6064
Object description
Original wartime caption: The Scots Guards piper Cpl. R. Crabb of Orchill, Braco, Perthshire, piping the Scots Guards ashore on the Island.

 

HANDING OVER OF HELIGOLAND
© IWM BU 6065
Object description
Original wartime caption: The Scots Guards piper Cpl. R. Crabb of Orchill, Braco, Perthshire, piping the Scots Guards ashore on the Island.

 

HANDING OVER OF HELIGOLAND
© IWM BU 6066
Object description
Original wartime caption: Scots Guards hoisting the Union Jack on the dock side.