HOLDING STRATEGIC POSITIONS

Evening Star, Issue 23560, 26 April 1940, Page 7

HOLDING STRATEGIC POSITIONS

ALLIES' RELENTLESS PRESSURE FURTHER REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVING LONDON, April 25., (Received April 26, at 9 a.m.) The vigorous and relentless Allied pressure continues on the - Norwegian battle fronts. Further reinforcements are arriving and are pressing on to join the advance forces engaging the Germans. Despite snow 2ft to 15ft deep, fierce fighting is raging in the vicinity of Stenkjaer, and the encounters left the Allies in command of strategic ■, positions. , German planes are savagely bombing the Allied lines. A report from Stockholm says British bombers attacked the Agdenes fortress at the mouth of , Trondheim Fiord and met fire from the fortress and from three destroyers. The Norwegian News Agency says the Germans are ruthlessly bombing civilians in Western Norway, dropping incendiary bombs and heavy bombs on fishing ports, and machine-gunning streets, cottages, and boats. At least 60 people were killed. • ■ ■■ i ' LULL IN THE NORTH GERMANS DIGGING IN LONDON, April 25, (Received April 26, at 10.35 a.m.) A War Office communique states that there is no further fighting in the area northward of Trondheim, where the enemy is now apparently digging in just northward of| Stenkjaer. In the south increased enemy pros- . sure necessitated the withdrawal of the Allied forces from the position previously held near Lillehammer. There is nothing to report in the Narvik area. The War Office announced that the expeditionary forces in Norway can officially be described as the northwestern expeditionary force. Sir Edward Grigg announced in the House of Commons that 134 German seamen captured in the Norwegian conflict had been landed in Britain. ADVANCE FROM NAMSOS DOUBTFUL STORY OF BRITISH REVERSE NEW YORK, April 25. (Received April 26, at noon.) The ‘ New York Post ’ sensationally features a ‘ Chicago Daily News ’ Copyright report from Mr Lcland Stowe, from Gaeddo, declaring that the British force attacking Trondheim from Namsos consisted of two battalions, totalling under 1,500 men, in-