MOVING SOUTH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 April 1940, Page 7

MOVING SOUTH

CENTRE OF MILITARY ACTIVITY ALLIED TROOPS CLOSING IN ON TRONDHEIM. LITTLE ACHIEVED BY ENEMY BOMBING RAIDS. LONDON, April 23. The centre of military activity in Norway, according to unofficial reports, has moved back to the area round ironaneim, Norway’s historic battleground. Allied forces are closing in from the north and south and are reported to have made marked progress. Reuter’s correspondent on the Swed-ish-Norwegian frontier says that fierce fighting is occurring between British and German forces at Stiklestad. The- Allies have advanced steadily down the railway from Namsos. The Germans have apparently achieved very little from their prolonged bombing raids. At Namsos the town was' wrecked, but only one French soldier was killed, because the Allies had moved south by the time the German planes arrived. POSITION AT NARVIK. ' The Stockholm correspondent of the British United Press quotes an authorised Norwegian military source to the effect that the Allies have begun a final assault on Narvik. The Germans are said to have been surrounded in three groups, namely a thousand in the town itself, 1500 at Gratangen, which is 25 miles north, and nearly 2000 on the Rombaks Heights. French and Norwegian troops are reported to be operating at Gratangen. The British landed in Beis Fiord, between Elvegard and Narvik. Reports from the Swedish frontier state that British and German troops are fighting at Vaerdalsoren, northeast of Trondheim, at the junction of the road from Trondheim to Grong with the road to the Swedish frontier. Swedish correspondents say that reports of fighting between Namsos and Grong are incorrect, and affirm that Namsos was severely damaged by German bombers, some civilians being injured. NORWAY RESOLUTE WILL OFFER FIRM RESISTANCE TO AGGRESSION GRATITUDE FOR ALLIED HELP. HOPE OF STRONG AND RAPID ACTION. RUGBY. April 22. “The people of Norway had enjoyed peace for more than 100 years,” said Mr Erik Colban. the Norwegian Minister, in a speech in London today. “The war in which Norway is now engaged will show that individual freedom and persona] liberty of action and opinion do not lessen but rather increase the power of resistance of a nation. Every home in Norway is a stronghold of freedom. The enemy may destroy much, but he can never stamp out of Norway her spirit of independence and persona] freedom. “Norway was taken unawares and in defiance of international law. We. were militarily tinprepared.” Just because they felt the terrible injustice of their position, the Norwegians were determined to resist the aggression to the utmost, Mr Colban said. Referring to the fact that Canadians were among the British forces in Norway and to messages of sympathy and material aid received from New Zealand, Mr Colban commented: “I believe that the whole of the British Em-