SUCCESS AT NARVIK.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 157, 3 June 1940, Page 6

SUCCESS AT NARVIK.

One of the richest prizes the Nazi invaders of Norway hoped to obtain was possession of the small but highly important seaport of Narvik, through which are exported millions of tons of the rich Swedish iron ore, a commodity indispensable to the armament industry. That aim has been frustrated by the capture of the port and surrounding territory, as well as the railway which runs to it from Sweden, by combined Allied forces. True, during the summer months the enemy may obtain supplies from Sweden, though by a much longer journey; but this does not reduce the value of the Allied success, for a continuous flow of the precious commodity is essential to the Nazis for the maintenance of their fighting strength, and this will be denied them in winter. Doubtless in the weeks that have passed since the daring British naval engagements in Narvik fiord the enemy has had to draw substantially on his reserve supplies of ore. The capture is a success that may mean a very great deal to the Allies’ cause. Narvik was founded only about forty years ago as the main outlet for the fabulously rich iron ore fields of Swedish Lapland. It has commodious wharves which can deal with large vessels. A masterpiece of railway engineering—only thirtythree miles long—the Ofot railway runs between the port and the" Swedish border. It is along this railway that the Allied troops are now clearing up the remnants of the German defenders, cut off from the invaders of the south. The anxiety of the Germans to obtain possessiou of this port can be readily realised when it is stated that even the poorest ore shipped from Narvik contains a very high grade of iron, and the super grades are almost pure iron. The greatest portion of one high-grade mine has been sold to Germany for years ahead, and the enemy armament industry is largely dependent on this supply. Again, the quanitity of ore sent through Narvik has reached in recent years as much as ten million tons annually. The Allied success is doubly valuable, since it is a marked blow to the enemy and will ensure for Britain and Erance additional supplies of an essential war material in their trade with Sweden.