HEAVIER FIGHTING

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 184, 1 May 1940, Page 9

HEAVIER FIGHTING

Both Sides Reinforced; Invaders Held Up

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.)

LONDON, April 29

German and Allied troops continue to pour into Norway and the bitterness of the fighting increases with the strengthening of the Norwegian and Allied resistance, which the Germans are answering with intensified bombing and machine-gunning not only of troops but also of villages, ambulances and a Norwegian hospital ship. Air battles are more frequent. Three German bombers leading a convoy of 60 air transports

savagely attacked a Red Cross unit which was taking Norwegian evacuees from the Osterdal region to Sweden. Eighteen men and four women fled into the woods, while one of the bombers swooped down with its machine-guns firing. A second bomber dropped a bomb 30 feet from ambulances, and a third riddled the ambulances with bullets. All the ambulances prominently displayed the Red Cross. German planes bombed and machine-gunned Norwegian trading and fishing ships along the coast, setting fire to and sinking one, and also heavily bombed the Norwegian hospital ship Brand IV off Alesund. killing five men, including a doctor, and injuring many others.

[Daventry radio late last night reported that a> second Norwegian hospital ship had been bombed, but there were no casualties.]

Air raids in the Stenkjaar area included widespread low-flying attacks on villages and field hospitals. Two children were killed in one village where 50 bombs were dropped.

The German’s main advance toward Trondheim is still held up at Kvam in the Gudbransdal Valley and has been checked a few miles north of Roros in the Osterdal Valley. A War Office communique states: “The position in the Gudbransdal Valley is unchanged. Heavy enemy air attacks were carried out against the towns of Andalsnes and Molde. There has been patrol activity in the Namsos area, but there is nothing further to report from Narvik.” The German news agency admits stubborn enemy resistance at various places in Norway and says that the British have evidently received instructions to stiffen their resistance.

An Auglo-Freuch communique issued at Aauisos states: "The British are in touch with the enemy north of Stenkjaar. Enemy patrols were repulsed with losses aud several prisoners were cap.ured. A British raiding party yesteiu y ambushed a German detachnj.. .Piling several men and taking pri. z.s. There has been considerable eiwm., air activity, but very few casualties. our anti-aircraft guns replied, and it is believed they shutdown one plane. Tae Allied morale is good.” -Norwegian sources admit that the Germans advanced JO miles west from Naas .o Gol, in the Hailingdal Valley, amt .hat detachments from Bergen are ad oilicing eastward.

For both sides the arrival of reinforcements is likely to be vital. Swedish messages say that Allied forces are arriving ever more quickly. Unconfirmed reports state that the Allies landed large forces at ports on North Fiord, 60 miles south-west of Amiaisnes aud in the Sundals Fiord. 30 miles north-east of Andalsnes. Those lauded in Sundals Fiord were sent to reinforce aud consolidate the defences on the Dombas-Sli-ren railway, and those lauded in North Eiord proceeded to Otta, iu the Gtidbrandsdal Valley. Large quantities of anti-aircraft guns and plaues were also landed.

The Germans are apparently using air transports, scores of which are daily flying northward over Boros. It is thought that they are intended to strengthen the garrison at Trondheim. The Germans are also reported to be landing more troops at Oslo. German bombers are paying particular attention to Allied troops south of Trondheim, where the Germans claim (hat their troops are within 25 miles of the German forces .coming from the south-east. Mountain Crossing. According to the reports, lighting is continuing at Kvam. A Gothenburg (south Sweden) message says it is reported that the Allied withdrawal from Lillehammer has ceased and a big battle in the Gudbrandsdal Valley is expected. The'Germans were thrown back south of Dombas. German planes are continuing merciless attacks on Dombas and Andalsnes. The Allies have held up the Germans at Jerkin, and fighting is also in progress at Kvikne, 30 miles south of Storen. It appears from the reports that only a few Germans are in the neighbourhood of Jerkin, where they met a strong Allied force. The main German detachments attempting to cross the mountains to the Dombas-Storen railway apparently have been checked. To meet these detachments Allied troops are reported to have taken up positions between Storen and Dombas to hold the railway communications. Parties of Germans set out from possibly two points in the Osterdal Valley to cross the mountains. There is one motor road which would bring them out not far south of Storen, and there are reports of Norwegian resistance along the route.

North of Boros the Germans are repairing biown-up bridges and bringing up armoured cars and field guns. Reports from Stockholm speak of German attempts to get at least motor-cycle units across a broken bridge. Both the Germans and Allies are strengthening defensive positions north of Trondheim. French and Norwegian troops have organized a continuous line through the forest in the Stenkjaar area, with British supporting them. Patrols are actively engaged with machine-guns and rifles and German bombers are incessantly attacking the whole front. The Germans claim that Nazi foices are threatening to isolate Andalsnes by a converging movement from four directions because a British landing party estimated at 8000 is inadequately equipped. The Nazis announced that 1300 Norwegians surrendered in the Stavanger district after fighting for 14 days. Norwegians repulsed a heavy German attack on Tangen station. Gothenburg reports that many German wounded are arriving in Oslo and that civilians are being removed from the hospitals. The Reich administrator in Nonvay. Herr Teilmveu. ;i: nouii ed (hat (he food silimlion I:: Oslo was very seroms ami that a quarter of the country’s cattle would have to be slaughtered to save fodder.