LAND OPERATIONS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 97, 24 April 1940, Page 7

LAND OPERATIONS

ALLIES COOPERATE. Resisting Pressure In South Of Norway. COUNTER-ATTACKED NORTH (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, April 23. The War Office announced that operations in Norway are proceeding in co-operation with Norwegian forces. "In the south our troops, in conjunction with the Norwegians, are resisting enemy pressure. Our troops north from Trondheim have been counter-attacked. A sharp engagement. ensued." A Berlin message says British naval forces shelled the town and port of Narvik yesterday but did not attempt a landing. A threat to the British rear in the fighting at Stiklestad, north of Trondheim. was staved off when British units lining the road from Steinkjaer drove back troops who had been landed from German destroyers in the north part of Trondlieim Fiord. French and British units, which are believed to have landed at Namsos are thrusting south toward Trondheim in co-operation with Norwegian forces. They are stated to have gained complete control of railway communication down to the head of Trondheim Fiord, in spite of German air bombing and machine-gunning, and now appear to have had a direct major action with the German outpost defences of Trondheim. Meanwhile, Allied forces are reported to have started big drives to Trondheim from both the south and the west. A battle for Narvik is also considered imminent, stated an earlier message. According to reports received to-day from eye-witnesses, the German force of 1000 men in the town itself is hopelessly trapped. i The Germans still hold the short stretch of railway to the Swedish frontier. but it is understood they are surrounded by Norwegians. A British and French force is stated to be advancing to Narvik from the north-west, and Norwegians from the north-east. Fierce fighting is occurring between the British and German forces at Stiklestad, a flag station on the Trond-heim-Namsos branch railway, near the head of Trondheim Fiord, says Reuter's correspondent on the Swedish-Norwegian frontier. Reports are reaching London that the Allies are making progress, closing in on Trondheim from the north and The railway line from Namsos in the north, where some of the Allied forces are supposed to have landed, and along which they are advancing, has been bombed several times by the Germans. The latest bombings indicate that the Allies must now be only 37 miles north of Trondheim. TBy special arrangement Reuter's World j Service, in addition to other special sources j of information, is used iu the compilation of the overseas intellige:— e publish* d in this issue, and all rights theriiu in Australia and New Zealand are reserved. Such of the cable news on this page a? is so headed has appeared in "The Tiaics" and is sent to this paper by special j permission. It shou'd be understood that the opinions are nor those of "The Time9''| anlcH to m