Vessels Carrying Goods To Norway

Southland Times, Issue 24113, 30 April 1940, Page 5

Vessels Carrying Goods To Norway

BRITISH NAVY SUFFERS SLIGHT LOSSES (United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Received April 30, 12.45 a.m.) LONDON, April 29. The British Navy is still successfully hampering the German attempts to get supplies to its forces in Norway and the Admiralty announced this morning that three more supply ships had been torpedoed and sunk while on their way to Norway. The same communique reports only slight British losses. One trawler was bombed by enemy aircraft and sunk and another was set on fire by incendiary bombs. There were no casualties on either ship. Major-General Adrian Carton de Wiart, V.C., Commander of the British forces in Norway, in an interview with a British war correspondent, said that the British position was much better.

“The men are settling down and reinforcements are arriving in good numbers,” he said. “German air attacks have greatly diminished since the Allied anti-aircraft guns and fighters have gone into action. The fighters already have brought down two German bombers at Namsos.

“We must not be impatient if there is little action in the early stages,” said Major-General de Wiart. “Big things are likely to happen soon.” He admitted that food supplies provided a difficult problem because of the destruction of some Namsos stores, but he emphasized that the situation could be quickly remedied.

The French General Staff is equally confident. Officers said that more and more troops were arriving at frequent intervals.

The troops are cheerful, often labouring to the waist in deep snow. The French alpine troops are accustomed to the conditions.

Namsos has been completely destroyed, but the harbour is functioning. British sailors are directing the salvage of stores from the lumber-strewn waters of the fiord.

A British officer said that the German attacks were diabolical in their fury. Bombs fell at the rate of 70 hourly, but the casualties were slight as the civilians had been evacuated. Only a few troops remained.