ATTACK BY NAZIS REPULSED

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

ATTACK BY NAZIS REPULSED

The War Office states that a further enemy attack against the British position in the Gudbrandals Valley has been repulsed. Another disembarkation was successfully carried out, in spite of enemy air action against Andalsnes and the British lines of communication.

There has been slight enemy air activity in the Narvik area.. This has not interfered with the Allies’ operations.

German aeroplanes again attacked British landing points and Norwegian towns and villages in waves at the week-end, according to unconfirmed Swedish sources. However, the growing power of the Allied anti-aircraft units and fighters has reduced the harassing effect of these attacks, and further Allied reinforcements have disembarked. In addition to the Andalsnes raids, Nazi bombers are reported to have raided Aalesund, Molde and Namsos harbour. A Norwegian agency says that Aalesund was seriously damaged during two hours’ bombing, but at Namsos the raiders were reoelled and one was shot down.

There is no substantial change in the disposition of the land forces. Tonight’s dispatches indicate that the Germans are endeavouring to speed up their left wing advance in the Gudbrandals Valley h. order to keep pace with the central drive along the Osterdal Valley, but the Allies are holding near Quam. The Allied forces at Storen are still barring the German approach towards Trondheim from Osterdal, and the Nazis now appear to have halted near Roros, where they are fortifying positions and awaiting the arrival of reinforcements from Oslo.

The military writer in The Times says: “It is frankly recognized that the Allies are under the necessity of recasting their plans in Norway and the prospect of the immediate capture of Trondheim has disappeared.” The thrust by the German mechanized column across the mountains westward from Roros has slowed down. According to a reliable source, strong British units are reported to have occupied, a high plateau in the region of Jerkin, which commands the Dombas-Storen railway, in order to meet any German attempt to cut the railway. A Norwegian communique says: “Our troops seriously engaged the Germans in the Hallin and Numed valleys in the Bergen-Oslo sector, but were forced Io retire to new positions.” The communique describes the German advance as unimportant, but admits the loss of Voss. It adds that one German aeroplane was shot down and three made forced landings during bombing attacks on the Allied and Norwegian forces. The German radio claimed that two British cruisers and four transports were hit by bombs off Trondheim. The Admiralty tonight issued a description of the minefields which have been laid off the northern Norwegian coast. One field extends completely across the mouth of the West Fiord, at the northern end of which is situated the port of Narvik. The other field 's laid near Steinvaer Island and guards the approach to Narvik from the north. These fields are laid to defend from submarine attack the British ships operating in Narvik waters and effectively to guard the approaches to that port.