Operation Warden: British sabotage planning in the Canary Islands during the Second World War

Abstract

Between 1939 and 1945, the Canary Islands became protagonists in the Second World War. Although Spain was never formally involved in the war, the connivance of the Franco regime allowed ports such as Las Palmas to act as supply points for Axis submarines. In response, the Allied Powers did not hesitate to intervene diplomatically or militarily. Therefore, the main objective of this article is to reveal the most fundamental components of Operation Warden, a British sabotage plan designed in 1941 which, although not ultimately implemented, stipulated the sinking of several German and Italians vessels in Puerto de la Luz (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria).