FRESH LANDINGS

Evening Star, Issue 23564, 1 May 1940, Page 7

FRESH LANDINGS

BRITISH REPEL FURTHER ADVANCES Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, May 1. (Received May 1, at 2 p.m.) A War Office communique states: “ The British, fighting with indomitable courage in the Damaas area, resisted any further enemy advances. Northward of Stenkjaer the British again proved their superiority in patrol work and inflicted heavy casualties. Fresh landings have been made along the coast of Norway.” The areas northward of Trond- ' heim yield bright reports. Norwegian headquarters assert that the Germans, without waiting for reinforcements from the south, violently attacked the FrenchNorwegian lines on both sides of Lake Snaasen. The Allies repelled the onslaughts, which were supported by planes and heavy artillery, The Norwegians are reported to be holding good positions eastward of Lake Snaasen and are also well dug in at Tangen. Swedish reports state that German bombers swept over Namsos seven timbes in 14 hours and concentrated their attacks on landing places. Antiaircraft guns and fighters took some toll. The Norwegian Military Attache at Stockholm declared that the Allies’ lines northward of Trondheim have been greatly strengthened. Another source points out that the Hegre fortress, the guns of which dominate the railways eastward and northward from Trondheim, is receiving steady supplies of munitions and food. BERLIN'S CLAIM DAMAAS IN GERMAN HANDS BERLIN, April 30. (Received May 1, at 9.30 a.m.) It is officially claimed that the German trrops captured Damaas and opdal. An earlier communique stated that a Norwegian infantry force, comprising 2,500, surrendered north-west of Lillehammer. The German forces continued to advance along all roads towards Trondheim and Damaas, repulsing the, enemy wherever they came in contact, and establishing contact between Oslo and Trondheim. GRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY HOSPITAL SHIPS ATTACKED LONDON, April 30. The German air attacks on Allied positions _.in, Norway - have .diminished considerably since the landing of antiaircraft guns and fighter planes by the . Allies, while the continued landing of Allied forces indicates that the German aircraft have been considerably impeded in their operations. Two Norwegian hospital ships have been bombed by German aircraft, five persons being killed. and many wounded. The first hospital ship was attacked by five German bombers, which, despite the fact that the vessel was clearly marked with the red cross on a number of places, passed over her twice and dropped bombs without success, and then passed over again a third time at a low altitude and scored a hit. Several persons were killed, and the ship altered course and ran aground. Even after those who were able to had disembarked, they had to shelter behind rocks on the shore to escaip© from ma-chine-gua attacks by the planes. On the second ship which was bombed there were no casualties. VICIOUS AND MERCILESS RED GROSSES PLAINLY MARKED BERLIN, April 30. (Received May 1, at 10.30 a.m.) The radio mentioned the Norwegian report of the bombing of the hospital ship Brand IV., and claimed that German airmen had been instructed to adhere strictly to international law and never attack hospitals or hospital ships under the protection of the Red Cross, provided they were marked. NORWEGIAN REPORT LONDON, April 30, (Received May 1, at 11 a.m.) The Norwegian Telegraph Agency interviewed the medical superintendent of the Brand IV., who said: ” Five German bombers attacked us three times. They must have seen the large red crosses painted all over the ship. The effect of the attack was appalling. Everybody on board was more or less seriously wounded by bomb fragments, The ship went aground and the Nazis machine-gunned us as we landed, and kept up their merciless attack for over ap hour.” SERIAL ENCOUNTERS SEVERAL ENEMY PLANES DAMAGED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 30. (Received May 1, at 10 a.m.) During the last 34 hours formations of the R.A.F. Coastal Command aircraft on patrol along the Norwegian coast report a series of encounters with enemy bombers. One small flight of Blenheims over Andalsnes gave chase to a Junkers 88, which took refuge in a cloud. Avoiding action of this kind

was also resorted to by a Heinkel 111, which the Blenheims intercepted and attacked from astern. The Blenheims next observed a Messerschmitt 110 climbing out of a cloud. The Nazi fighter had a rough encounter and was last seen spiralling down in distress. Two other aircraft saw a Heinkel 111 flying dead across their tracks. They pursued it for 10 minutes with sustained fire. This Heinkel also flew into a cloud and could not be found. Again another Junkers 88 was attacked effectively from the rear and its tail gun was put out of action. Great plumes of black smoke came from both engines. The German was losing height rapidly as he made off. Entering a fiord farther south Coastal Command aircraft met another Junkers 88, which turned and escaped iu the clouds. "INEXORABLE ADVANCE" HITLER'S ORDER OF THE DAY GERMAN PRESS PAYS TRIBUTE TO IRITISH COURAGE Press Association— By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, April 30. (Received May 1, at 1.15 p.m.) Hitler's order of the day proudly proclaims: " The inexorable advance of the German troops has established land connections' between Oslo and Trandheiro. Thus the intention of the Western Powers to bring Germany to b,er knees by the belated occupation of Norway has been finally crushed." German Press despatches from Norway pay a tribute to the courage and toughness of British resistance in GulWandsdals Valley, in which wave after wave of bombers are reported to have preceded and accompanied ihe German advance. Meanwhile, in the absence of independent confirmation of the German claims, Swedish sources report that the Allies are strongly reinforcing the troops along the railway, also southward of Damaas. These reinforcements are reported to have moved up from fresh lauding points between Trondheim and Bergen. Fighting broke out in Jerkin during the morning, resulting from Allied resistance against a German mechanised detachment which came down from the mountains after pushing across a snowbound rgad from, Osterdal Valley. I