EARLY REPORTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 April 1940, Page 5

EARLY REPORTS

THE ATTACK ON OSLO BATTLE ON SEA APPROACH THE DECLARATION OF WAR. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, April 9. According to the Oslo radio, German planes bombed Kristiansund and the city has been evacuated. Oslo is also being exavuated. Paris messages state that the Germans are reported to have occupies Copenhagen, while Oslo radio says that all Denmark south of Jutland is occupied. Oslo radio also claims that the coastal batteries in Oslo Fiord repulsed a German attempt to force an entrance. German troops were landed at Egersund. Official Norwegian circles in London confirmed that Norway is at war with Germany and that hostilities have already started. The Oslo correspondent of “The Times” states that intense activity by foreign warships is reported along the Norwegian coast. Heavy lire was again heard to sea from Kristiansund, on the Skagerrak. The Norwegian Admiralty announced on Monday that, all lighthouses and radio beacons plong the southern coast from the Swedish frontier to Bergen would be out of action till further notice. There was a black-out. at Oslo, and a trial alarm was sounded at midnight—presumably a black-out alarm.

There seems to be little doubt tha; the occupation of Denmark by the German forces is going ahead rapidly. Part of the Island of Sjaelland has also been occupied. Reports from Amsterdam state that virtually the whole of Denmark is in German hands. The German army is known to have had for three year= plans for the occupation of Denmark in a period of 24 hours. German forces have attacked right round the coast of Norway and arc trying to land. The Norwegians are resisting them, shelling German ships. General mobilisation has been ordered.

German troops are reported to havw landed at one or two points. They have attacked ports all the way rounu lhe western coast of Norway. The ports of Bergen and Trondheim have been taken. The Norwegian authorities have ordered the evacuation of the civil population from Oslo and the Government has left for Hamar, in central Norway. OSLO QUIET FULLY HALF OF POPULATION GONE. LONDON. April 9. The British Minister to Norway sent the following message: “The Norwegian Government is in good heart and bent on resistance.” The Stockholm correspondent of the British United Press, in his first telephone conversation with Oslo since the city was occupied, learned that Oslo is completely quiet and (hat the population is not resisting. Fully half of the population of Oslo is reported to hawleft lhe capital before the German occupation. Norwegian opposition to the invasion is believed to have caused the sinking of two ships at Narvik.