ALLIED ADVANCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 122, 22 April 1940, Page 7

ALLIED ADVANCE

B.E.F. IN EAST NORWAY. CONTACT WITH ENEMY. LONDON, April 21. British troops are now fighting in Eastern Norway, according to a Norwegian communique, which adds: “the Norwegian troops, taking up new positions, maintained contact with the enemy. German tanks were destroyed at Rands Fiord. The Germans bombed Rena and Osen. Fifty parachuting Germans were captured near Domaas.” British troops are reported to have landed at Laerdalsoren, which is important strategically, controlling the roads to Fagernaes, the terminus of the railway from Oslo, and to the Oslo-Borgeii railway. Norwegian and Allied forces ore ringing Trondheim and advancing satisfactorily after clashes with Germans towards Aasen, where the Germans are in strong positions. They are also fighting the invaders at Orkedalsoreti. The Navy patrols the fiord mouth, where Hegrev holds out. Air activity in this vicinity is very lively. A Stockholm message says five German ’planes flew over South-West Sweden. Anti-aircraft guns brought down one and the others turned back. Tlie German News Agency claims that German ’planes, while repelling British attempts to land at Romsdal Fiord, near Molde. sank a British cruiser and set on fire and sank a 15 000-ton troopship and also successI Fully bombed British troops which (landed at Andenes. off Narvik._ This mar be n. new version of lost night’s claim, which the -Allies officiallv denied. It is considered in London that there is some degree of probability in Swedish reports that operations may he expected in the area between Trondheim and Namsos, which is a railhead on the coast north of Trondheim. Trondheim Fiord for many reasons is an important centre. It is one of the centres of communication, and has a definite patriotic association, for the Kings of Norway are crowned there and it is on the edge of Norway’s historical battleground. North of Trondheim is a comparatively flat area which gives better scope for military operations than the rest of Northern and Western Norway. TRANSPORT WITHOUT LOSS. The War Office announces: "‘The operations in Norway are proceeding according to plan. Allied troops occupied certain points of vantage yesterday.” It was added that the transport of troops to Norway was completed without the loss of a single man. A further communique issued in London states: “Our submarines attacked an enemy convoy, and two transports were hit by torpedoes. Three German ’planes were shot down during attacks on our naval units and transports, but the enemy did not register a hit. An official Norwegian communique states that the Norwegian troops have taken up new positions and that their advanced troops have maintained contact with the enemy. British troops are taking part in operations in northeastern Norway. GERMAN ADMISSION. It is stated officially that 50 German parachute troops were taken prisoner midway between Hamar and Trondheim. The Germans admit that the advance from Oslo has been held up by blasted roads and bridges. Swedish observers think that the Germans at Trondheim are threatened by the Allied troops.- At Narvik, they say, the Germans appear to he isolated between Allied troops in the coastal area and the Norwegians inland. Messages from Sweden state that two British and one French division are reported to have landed at Molde, (120 miles south-west of Trondheim), Laerdal and Namsos. The British lorce which landed at Molde includes Canadians. They are now in positions for major operations in Norway. The correspondent of the British' United Press at Lulea (Sweden) states that heavy German bombers and transport ’planes have been bringing food and munitions, including mountain artillery, to NarVik in the last two days, with which the German landing party is trying to consolidate its position before the British and Norwegian forces strike.