CONTEST FOR RAILWAYS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 May 1940, Page 5

CONTEST FOR RAILWAYS

ON APPROACHES TO TRONDHEIM Some Uncertain German Claims BRITISH BOMBERS AGAIN ATTACK AIRPORT AT OSLO \ FURTHER LANDINGS OF ALLIED TROOPS The main news of the fighting- in Norway concerns the road, and railway junction of Dombas, 100 miles from Trondheim, Daventry reports. The German News Agency claimed that a German detachment had taken Dombas but a German High Command ...announcement, made later, claims nothingmore than that their forces had reached Dombas at noon yesterday. In London there is no confirmation in well-inform-ed circles that Dombas has fallen. At most, the German High Command claimed that troops had reached Dombas and it is pointed out that the defending force, which on Sunday repulsed an enemy attack with the loss oi three tanks, was not likely to have much difficulty in holding up advanced parties of Germans. Another claim in the German communique is that the railway line between Oslo and Trondheim is in German hands. The statement is rather muddled, but it is claimed that communication has been’ established between German troops in the Oslo and Trondheim areas. No explanation is given about how the German troops managed to get past Stoven, where Allied forces hold strong positions and it is suggested that all that the statement about the holding of the railway means must be that some of their troops are sitting on the line about half-way between Dombas and Stoven. The route by which the Germans claim to have established direct corinnunication between the forces at Oslo and Trondheim is by neither of the main valleys between these places, but by a narrow track across the mountains, where a small force had earlier been reported as having set out for that purpose. In both the main valleys the main German forces are still held up. Further landings of Allied forces have been made north and south of Andalsnes. There is good road communication between these places and the Gudbrandsdal Valley. Other messages report increased forces reaching Namsos, where no important change in the position of the Allied forces is reported. Some of the troops fighting here are fully equipped key troops holding strong defensive positions, with their flanks protected by ski patrols as far as the Swedish border. Included in the recently landed troops are Czechs and Poles. At Narvik, things seem to be going well for the Allies. The troops have been reinforced and are closing in on the town. The Iron Ore Company’s building is on fire, but whether as the result of Allied bombardment or deliberate German action is not known. The R.A.F. has made another raid on Oslo’s principal airport, where high explosive bombs were dropped for more than an hour. Hits were made in a line right across the aerodrome from north-west to south-east. There was strong opposition from anti-aircraft gun fire and searchlights, but all the attacks were pressed home and considerable damage was done to the airport and to aircraft on the ground. One of our aircraft failed to return. Several British successes in air battles are announced. In one encounter a Messerschmitt got the worst of the battle and when last seen was dropping in a spiral, towards the ground. Other British air patrols attacked German planes at several'points along the Norwegian coast. German pilots have continued the bombing of unarmed civilians. A passenger steamer in a fiord was bombed and machine-gunned, but the captain managed to run the ship aground and the passengers took refuge amongst rocks and trees. Herr Hitler in a statement to the German troops, said that they had finally crushed the attempt of the Western Powers to bring Germany to her knees by a belated occupation of Norway. The German Navy,, Army and Air Force had brought to completion a model of co-operation. Herr Hitler has awarded the commanding officer in Norway the Knight Insignia of the Iron Cross.