DECISIVE OPERATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 April 1940, Page 5

DECISIVE OPERATION

DETAILS OF THE BRITISH MINEFIELD GERMANS CUT OFF FROM NORTH SEA. BALTIC ENTRANCE CLOSED. LONDON, April 12. A navigational warning by the British Admiralty gives news of the most decisive operations since the invasion of Norway. Minefields, of which the British Admiralty gives notice, completely block the German entrance to the North Sea and close the Baltic. The field stretches 1200 miles from Bergen to Dutch territorial waters. The southern limit is north of the Zttyder Zee. Through this minefield one narrow channel to the Baltic 20 miles wide has been left to Swedish territorial waters. Where the Skagerrak turns into the Kattegat the minefield still goes on. From the Danish east coast to Swedish territorial waters has been declared dangerous. There is no entrance to the Baltic, except through Swedish waters. The Admiralty made no statement about its new operation, except the official warning. The passage of German ships from the Baltic or the North Sea to Norway will be impossible. The invading forces in Norway will be cut off from Germany, except for the limited contact by air. German warships which have established themselves on the west coast of Norway and those at large in I the North Sea stand the slenderest ' chance of getting hack.