BRITISH PLUCK IN NORWAY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 190, 8 May 1940, Page 9

BRITISH PLUCK IN NORWAY

Hard-Fought, Orderly Withdrawal RETURN FROM SOUTH Men Describe Terrible Air Raids (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received May 7, 8.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 6. In welcoming British and French troops ’from central Norway who landed at a northern port on May 5, General Sir Edmund Ironside said: “Tell your people how well you fought and that, you have returned with your tails up. Don’t think you were driven out of Norway ; you were ordered out, and the great thing is that your discipline brought you out. “You were the advance guard, and we thought we would be able to get you guns and aeroplanes which would have made it possible to fight such a machine as opposed you, but, as you know, very soon the race went against us.”

The men made no sign as he read a message from the Secretary of War, Mr. Stanley, congratulating them on their stand south of Dombas and praising the withdrawal as an operation worthy of the British Army’s highest traditions,’ but when General Ironside added, “To that I wish to add my little thanks,” the men’s soldierly restraint broke down and they clapped, cheered, shouted and whistled, those behind climbing on the backs of those in front as General Ironside passed down their lanes. Five Rearguard Actions. General Paget, who conducted the withdrawal of the troops from southern Norway, revealed that his men were 100 miles from their base when he received the order to withdraw. That it was successfully carried out was mainly due to the splendid endurance and fighting qualities of the units engaged. They fought five separate rearguard actions on their way back. The men told vivid stories o£ air attacks to which they were subjected. A sergeant of the Royal Engineers who served in the last war said, “The shelling and machine-gunning was less heavy than in the last war, but the air bombing was something fearful. At one time 40 aeroplanes over us simultaneously dropped 400 bombs. “The Germans did not discriminate between Red Cross ambulances and anything else. They just bombed everything off the road. Spies were everywhere, and every move we made was known to the Germans almost as soon as we made it.” Another sergeant with nine years' regular service praised the gallantry of the withdrawing troops. “It was wonderful rearguard fighting, specially as the men had had nothing to eat for 36 hours,” he said.