ATTACK ON NARVIK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21648, 8 May 1940, Page 7

ATTACK ON NARVIK

Snowstorms Raging

Difficult Task Faces Allies Nazi Forces Considerably Augmented United Pres# Association —By Electric Feiegi apli Copyright (Received May 7, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 6. The Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” states that the Germans are reported to have created an airfield in the Narvik district, and in any case the icefields can be used for several weeks. The Germans originally landed 4000 men, and since have augmented the garrison considerably.

The “News Chronicle” says that the Germans are sending in very considerable reinforcements to Narvik by parachute.

The German pilot who made a forced landing in Sweden said that he was returning from flying 80 troops to the Narvik garrison. The Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Mail” states that large numbers of German transports are going north, which explains the report from the frontier that the British, faced with largely superior forces, have been compelled to withdraw to other positions north of Narvik. It is authoritatively stated in London that the Allied forces are attacking Narvik where, it is believed, some 3000 to 4000 Germans are besieged. The Allies are gradually closing in, but no rapid success is expected, largely owing to severe snowstorms raging in that area.

The Germans who have been in Narvik for a fortnight have been abie to dig themselves in and a state approaching trench warfare has developed. It is pointed out that encounters must, therefore, take the form of attacks by British troops on set German positions. Reports that heavy naval bombardments have been directed against the town and shore batteries are regarded as greatly exaggerated.

German Drive To Bodo

Along the hazardous mountain tracks to the northward, Hitler’s alpine troops are pushing towards Bodo. Informed circles in Germany hinted that the objectives are not only Bodo and the relief of Narvik, but the establishment of air bases from which bombers will operate and air transports refuel en route to the north for attempts to occupy Hammerfest and Kirkenes. The occupation of Kirkenes would give the Germans a new line of communication with Russia because the Russians’ right of transit to Norway under the Russian-Finnish Treaty. The battle of Narvik continues with ruthless German air raids. The Germans are reported to be strengthening their entrenchments. The Norwegian and Allied strength of men and material here is reported to have increased from ten to twenty-fold since the withdrawal from Namsos.

The Norwegians east from Storen are fighting desperately, but their retreat and dispersal is regarded as a matter of days.

A German communique states: “‘The Allies continue to bring up artillery reinforcements from the north to Narvik. German fighters hit a battleship with a bomb, exploding a munition depot and shot down two Blenheim bombers near Terschelling.”

Loss of Blenheims Denied

The British Air Ministry, in denying that two Blenheims were shot down at Terschelling, said that two Sunderland flying boats were damaged by gunfire on the Norwegian coa,st.

A German steamer of 4000 tons and a Swedish trawler were sunk in the Kattegat by mines. The Germans, instead of sending ten thousand Norwegian prisoners to Germany, decided to release those unfit and too old for military service and employed the others in agriculture and industry.