GERMANS CHECKED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 127, 29 April 1940, Page 7

GERMANS CHECKED

IN GUDBRANDSDAL VALLEY. SANG DINARY FIGHTING. LONDON, April 27. Ths German drive to relieve Tiond- ., lieim from the south is making slow progress. The left wing, which is proceeding up tlie GudhramJsdal Valley, has received a check, hut the right wing in the Oaten lal Valley lias made an advance. Heavy lighting in the strategic Dombas sector is reported in the latest. dispatches from .Norway. Tiie Allies are standing firm in the fac-e ui desperate German attempts to break through to Trondheim before the fud weight of the growing All.ed armies is brought into action. The Swedish Press to-night describes a daring German attempt to encircle the Allied forces in the vicinity of .Storon (about 40 miles south of I’rondheim). These reports, which must stiff he treated with the greatest reserve, say that a German detachment with armoured cars and tanks struck westward from Roros and crossed 4000 i feet of snow-covered, mountainous country between the Osterdal and Dovre" Valleys in an attempt to cut the Dombas and, Storen railways at a point 00 miles south from Trondheim. The position in other sectors is unchanged. it is learned that the Allied front at Namsos.is now stabilised. The Norwegian Telegraphic Agency reports that two German bombers were shot down near Alesund and some German raiders were shot down at Audalsnes after setting fire to houses. Swedish reports yesterday said that Allied forces blocked tlie German thrust in the Osterdal Valiev in the vicinity of Roros and inflicted heavy casualties. This valley constitutes an important route lor German communication with Trondheim. The mountain roads were crowded with refugees fleeing to Sweden. The Norwegians still appeared to be holding the right xving of the German advance in Tryssil district (near the Swedish border). HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES. The news from Namsos show that there have been patrol encounters in which Allied troops have taken German prisoners. In military circles this iiiiormation is regarded as a refutation of some sensational reports of serious leverses current in the past few days. Jn tiie Dombas area British forces have been attacked near Kvam, whieli is on the railway south of Otta, hut the enemy were pushed hack with Heavy less, The British troops came in for heavy machine-gun and mortar fire and withdrew slightly—presumably to positions in wliicn they will he lcoo subject to such fire. In the Bergen area the Norwegians are reported to be holding their ground ill the neighbourhood of Voss with tlie Germans advancing along the railway from Bergen and also possibly from Uardangor Fiord, where enemy troops are reported to have landed. Another report states that Norwegian forces are in the neighbourhood of Ness on the railway about 100 miles eastward of Bergen with the Germans advancing in that direction from , Tiry Fiord, about 50 miles south-west of Ness. NAZI ATTACKS HALTED. The War Office reports: “file position in me area north of StciUijaer is substantially unchanged. Our patrols were acute and captured some prisoners. A heavy German attack ou die Oudbrandsdal Valley against Allied forces in the Kvam area lias been driven off with considerable enemy loss. The enemy pressure is being maintained. A Norwegian army communique states: “Our troops in Eastern .Norway halted attacks at Gulsvik and at points in the Gudbrsnosdal Valley. The German troops were supported by artillery, tanks, and ’planes. Motorised and mechanised troops continued to advance toward Roros. ’Planes continued Ip, bomb communications behind our lines. The Germans in Western Norway shelled and bombed Voss, to which their troops are pressing on from Ulvik, Eide, and along the railway from Bergen.” It is learned that the British forces in Norway are making full use of Indian army officers who arc experienced in mountain warfare. GERMAN CLAIMS. The German High Command claims that enemy resistance' in Norway has been broken at all points. Among the prisoners taken on April 27 was a colonel of the Leicester Regiment. The town of Voss, near Bergen, has been captured from the Norwegians, who fled to the mountains, and 241 officers and 2821 men were taken prisoners in the Stavanger region. The Berlin News Agency reports fhat German ’planes on April 27 bombed and machine-gunned four enemy marching columns south and east of Dombas. inflicting heavy losses of men and material. Earlier the German High Command said: “The Germans surprised a British landing party at Andalsnes and took nearly 200 prisoners, including staff officers. Many important documents were secured. Another landing party was repulsed at Stenkjaer, and two British officers and 80 men wore taken prisoners.”