Operation Fish: The race to save Europe's wealth, 1939-1945

Operation Fish: The Race to Save Europe's Wealth, 1939–1945 is a historical book by British author Alfred Draper, published in 1979 by Cassell in London. The work reveals one of the largest and most secretive wealth-transfer operations in history, carried out during World War II to safeguard European gold reserves and securities from Nazi Germany.

Following the outbreak of war and the German advance into Western Europe, British authorities organized the secret transport of vast quantities of gold, currency, and securities across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada. The operation, codenamed Fish, involved warships, merchant convoys, banking institutions, and top-secret diplomatic arrangements.

Draper reconstructs in detail the dramatic maritime undertakings, the perils posed by German U-boats, and the complex logistics of rescuing national wealth. He pays particular attention to the gold belonging to Great Britain, France, and Norway, as well as its shipment to Halifax and secure storage in Montreal and Ottawa.

Drawing on historical documents, archival materials, and previously inaccessible data, the author illustrates the interconnection between financial reserves, war strategy, and the survival of the Allied nations. The book highlights the crucial role of economic resources in the conduct of modern warfare. Operation Fish presents a valuable documentary account of the hidden financial history of World War II, combining the suspense of a wartime chronicle with an exploration of international finance and political decisions.