SEIZURE OF OSLO

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20275, 17 June 1940, Page 10

SEIZURE OF OSLO

GERMAN COUP HOW IT ALMOST FAILED A single shot fired out of turn by a Norwegian coastal battery came near to upsetting completely the earefully-worked-out German plot for the lightning seizure of Norway’s capital Oslo, writes Edmund Stevens 1 in the “Christian Science Monitor.” As it was, the resulting delay in the occupation of the city saved the King and Government from capture. This I learned from a German colonel, who added, "The worst thing we feared at the time of delay was a lightning reprisal by the British. Had they been able to strike then our entire expedition might have ended in disaster.” A small crowd of people stood on the Oslo waterfront in the small hours of'Tuesday, April 1). The group comprised the elite ot the German colony --the German Minister, Dr. Kurt Braucr. the Legation staff, the local correspondents of the German news agency a few representatives of German firms, and a miscellaneous collection of spies, many of whom had arrived on various pretexts during the last few days. But others had been residents for some time as “political refugees” (A few hours later we were to see some of these same men in olive grey uniforms marching with the German Army.) deception Committee Disappointed As 4 a.m. approached, the little group peered anxiously down the fiord in the dim grey light of dawn. When four o'clock had. passed and nothing appeared on the horizon, their excitement turned to anxiety, and by the time 5 a.m. had passed, to severe disapoointment. Finally, thoroughly chilled by the long wait, they dispersed. This was the reception committee awaiting to welcome the first 'German 1 troops of occupation. They had been tipped off the day. before that the flagship of the German expeditionary corps, the new battleship Blucher, would arrive at Oslo with Germans punctually at 4.15 a.m. Except for one slip, everthing would have proceeded according to schedule. This slip up was the sinking of the Blucher with all on board by the guns of the Oscarborg fortress at the mouth of the Oslo fiord. All save 40 of the 1500 passengers on board went down with the ship, among them the high officers in command of the entire expeditionary force —a disastrous beginning for Germany’s Scandinavian campaign. The Blucher had steamed within range of the Oscarborg’s powerful guns in full confidence that these had been sniked by Nazi agents within the fortress walls. This fortress, as well as others, including Balarne and .Bjarneborg on the fiord, had been left with only six rounds of ammunition for each gun. Moreover, orders had been received, presumably signed by the Foreign Minister’, Dr. Halvdan Koht, not to resist. However, some of the rank and file suspecting treason, ignored the order and fired the fatal shots just as the battleship was directly in front of the guns.