IN NORTHERN NORWAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 May 1940, Page 5

IN NORTHERN NORWAY

EARLY FALL OF NARVIK EXPECTED GERMAN COMMANDER SAID TO HAVE DEPARTED. ALLIES DAMAGE ENEMY PLANES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON. May 1. Swedish sources predict that Narvik will fall to the Allies within a week. The Allies are not making any such definite promises, but German sympathisers in Sweden are suggesting that the German forces at Narvik have fulfilled their purpose, which is claimed to be to distract the Allies while the other positions are consolidated in southern Norway. The Germans apparently have evacuated Tromso. The Stockholm' newspaper “Dagens Nyheter” says that the Allies have also driven the Germans from Gratangen, midway between Tromso and Narvik, inflicting heavy losses. Allied planes damaged a large number of German planes at Narvik. Refugees reaching Sweden say that the German commander at Narvik slipped away, and the remaining Germans are under the command of subalterns. Provisions' have run very low. POSITION AT NARVIK GERMAN FORCES HARD PRESSED. WITHDRAWAL FROM HEIGHTS. LONDON. May 1. The Stockholm “Aftonbladet’s” correspondent on the Swedish frontier declares that the Allied plan is completed for an encirclement of the German positions at Narvik. The Germans arc reported to have withdrawn from the heights near the town and to be now entrenched on the shore. British warships are reported to have silenced all the heavier German guns. The German News Agency claims that the Germans are strongly resisting every British attempt to capture Narvik. Outside the main areas of the conflict the Germans, according to reports. have reached Gudvangen. on one arm of Sogne Fiord. STATEMENT TODAY PROMISE BY THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.50 am.) RUGBY. May 1. Tlie Prime Minister. Mr Neville Chamberlain, has announced that he hoped to be able to make a statement on the position in Norway in the House of Commons tomorrow.