GALLANT TROOPS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 137, 10 May 1940, Page 7

GALLANT TROOPS

STORY OF WITHDRAWAL. FOUGHT ALL THE WAY. GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION. (United Press Association—By Electric Tefegrapn—Copyright.) (Britisli Official Wireless.) Received May 10, 11.55 a.m. RUGBY, May 9. A graphic description of a succession of three actions in the Norwegian campaign ‘ enabling three British battalions fighting by day to withdraw during the short hours of darhness 103 miles over the single track railway down; Gudbrands Valley and Romsdalen to the sea was given to-day in London by an officer of General Paget’s staff.

Holding a position at Ivvam for 48 hours in the face of incessant air attacks to which they were unable to reply except by machine-guns, a battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry successfully held up the German advance until they were ordered to withdraw. The German column, led by tanks and armoured cars, made contact with the British troops early on the morning of April 26, firing somewhat indiscriminately into the houses on the roadside as they advanced.

Throughout the day Nazi ski troops vainly endeavoured to work round the snow-covered hills to pierce the flanks of the British battalion. When darkness fell the Yorkshires withdrew with precision down the railway line to the little village of Otta, where a battalion of Green Howards —together with one of the Yorks and Lancs Regiment —had prepared a. defensive position. Here on April 28 severe fighting took place and the troops often engaged in hand-to-hancl fighting. Such was the effect of the. British resistance, the staff officer said, that it was noticed the Nazi troops that day seemed unwilling to press home their attacks, and when the action was broken off that night the British troops withdrew unmolested to trains concealed in a tunnel about three miles 'behind the front line. The staff officer paid a great tribute to the efficiency and devotion to duty of the Norwegian railway and telephone services, which at great risk gave magnificent help to the British troops. As the troops withdrew, the demolition of bridges proceeded according to plan, and in no case did the planned demolition fail “to be blown.”' SPLENDID FIGHTING. The next phase saw them make Dombas, where, because of the successful destruction of bridges, the troops obtained one day’s much-needed rest, and it was not until April 30 that the enemy again made contact; having received macnine-guu replacements by air. During the afternoon the Yorkshires again fought splendidly, and at 9 p.m. again entrained at the Dombas station. It was anticipated that this battalion would go directly to Andalsnes and there, embark, but the train was derailed and the troops bad to march seventeen miles. The staff officer states that it says much for their morale that, in spite of having fought hard for six hours on April 30, suffering the train wreck and then marching seventeen miles, they readily deployed again at 5.30 p.m. on May 1 and easily held the enemy until dark, when they again entrained ancl, reaching Andalsnes, embarked, being the last troops to leave Norway. The staff officer described the German troops as efficient and welltrained. He paid high praise to these British Territorials, who held the enemy in spite of both air and artillery attack without means of replying. The ration position was satisfactory. Only the most advanced troops, who must always rely on such provisions as they have with them, did not receive regular and adequate supplies. He described the German claims relating to the capture of materials as fantastic, adding that he did not think there were such quantities taken into Norway. The British troops took out all they could carry and destroyed as much of what v’as left as they were able.