GERMAN GAINS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 May 1940, Page 6

GERMAN GAINS

IN CENTRAL NORWAY CAPTURE OF IMPORTANT RAILWAY TOWNS. CLAIMED BY HIGH COMMAND. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received This Day. 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, April 30. Events in Norway are rapidly approaching a crucial point, vitally affecting not only the future course of the campaign in the strategically important Trondheim areas, but other Norwegian territories. The tide of battle at present is favouring the Germans in Central Nor-

way. Whereas the latest, War Office communique does not take the official story of the fateful fighting in the Dombas area past Sunday night's tactical withdrawl, the German High Command claims important successes in today’s fighting, including the occupation of Dombas and Opdal. resulting in “German control of the main Oslo-Trondheim railway.” This implies confirmation of Swedish reports that the Germans have occupied the key town of Storen.

According to a special German night communique, the forces occupying Opdal came from Trondheim, while troops moving up Gudrandsdal Valle.y from Otta entered Dombas at midday. The High Command earlier claimed that forces from' north and south, via Tonsaet. had made contact on the railway south-eastward of Storen. R.A.F. ATTACKS HEAVY DAMAGE DONE TO OSLO AIRPORT. ONE BRITISH PLANE LOST. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.35 a.m.) RUGBY, April 30. Oslo's principal airport, Fornebu, which the Nazis are using as a base for troop transport from Germany, was attacked for the fourth time last night by the R.A.F. Bomber Command. The attack took the form of a series of raids, starting shortly after midnight, and continuing for over an hour. Attacking singly and in succession, the British aircraft dropped a large number of high-explosive bombs on the aerodrome across the landing ground. Parachute flares were dropped to assist observation, and bursts were seen in a line spreading from north-

west to south-east. In spite of strong ' opposition from gun batteries and searchlights, which increased in intensity as the raid developed, all the attacks were pressed home. At the cost of one aircraft, which failed to return, considerable damage ' is believed to have been done to the airport and to aircraft dispersed round it. HITLER BOASTFUL BUT TOTAL POSITION STILL OBSCURE. REPORTS OF REINFORCEMENT OF ALLIES.

(Received This Day, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, April 30. Hitler’s order of the day proudly proclaims thitt “The inexorable advance of the German troops has established land connections between Oslo and Trondheim. Thus the intention of the Western Powers to bring Germany to her knees by a belated occupation of Norway is finally crushed.” German Press despatches from Norway pay tribute to the courage and toughness of the British resistance in the Gudbrandsdal Valley, in which wave after wave of bombers is reported to have preceded and accompanied the German advance.. Meanwhile, in the absence of independent confirmation of the German claims, Swedish sources report that the Allies are strongly reinforcing their troops along the Dombas-Storen Railway and also southward of Dombas. These reinforcements are reported to have moved up from fresh landing points between Trondheim and Bergen. Fighting broke out in Jerkin (near the railway north of Dombas) during the morning, resulting from Allied resistance against a German mechanised detachment which came down from the mountains, after pushing across the snowbound road from the Osterdal Valley.