GERMANS DRIVEN BACK.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 120, 19 April 1940, Page 7

GERMANS DRIVEN BACK.

BRITISH TROOPS BEGIN. LANDING TOOK SIX HOURS. Received April 19, 10.20 a.m. LONDON, April 18. The British United Press special correspondent on the Swedish and Norwegian frontier says the entire British force assigned to recapture Narvik has landed and made contact with tho Norwegians. The force lias begun to drive back the Germans down the road from Herjang Fiord to Elvegard, further east. Another British force, moving on the south side of Ofoten Fiord (in the same vicinity), is reported to have gained a foothold in the village of Ankenes on the west side of Narvik Bay. , . The main British landing took six hours and was carried out on Tuesday : at an unnamed fiord twelve miles from Narvik, from which there is a road direct to Narvik, and well-situated for an assault on Rombaks Heights. The force is fully equipped, includ-ing'-light mountain artillery. The accompanying Fleet sailed immediately in order to conceal the point of debarkation. The correspondent adds that the German report of a British landing at Heirstad (in the Lofoten Islands, just off the coast, is authoritatively denied. Some reports credit the British forces with gaining a commanding situation . in the Narvik area, hut they must not he regarded as conclusive until they are officially confirmed. HEROIC STAND FAILS. Superior German forces captured Rombaks Heights overlooking llombaks Fiord alter a resistance which extended over a week by the heroic Norwegians amid bloodstained mountain snows. The Stockholm radio this morning announced that the British are ad-, vanclng across the railway from Narvik to Sweden along which the Germans are lighting desperately. A German. High Command communique says tlie British forces on Wednesday attempted to land at Herjang Fiord, near Elvegard, hut were repulsed. It adds that the British air attack on Trondheim was unsuccessful. British naval forces shelled Stavanger from, long-range and damaged tour aeroplanes. Our air force attacked i British naval units and sank the ] cruiser already announced, and also j registered direct hits on a destroyer, light cruiser, and heavy cruiser. One listed heavily. Our advance continues in the Oslo district and our troops are 1 advancing north from Kongsvinger. The air force attacked two Norwegian torpedo-boats, and one went ashore and was abandoned.