FROM AREA SOUTH OF TRONDHEIM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 May 1940, Page 5

FROM AREA SOUTH OF TRONDHEIM

Announced by Mr Chamberlain SOME DETAILS OF NAVAL AND OTHER LOSSES INFLICTED ON ENEMY SILENCE MEANTIME AS TO CERTAIN OPERATIONS IN PROGRESS Just after the Prime Minister, Mr Chamberlain, had made a statement in the House of Commons, the War Office issue the following communique: “Allied forces which have been carrying out delaying - operations south of Trondheim during the past few days have now, after repulsing’ many enemy attacks, been withdrawn in the face of ever-increasing enemy strength and have successfully embarked at Andalsnes and other ports in the vicinity. This operation was effected m spite of the enemy’s incessant attempts to destroy these places by air action. . , j * v ' ■ “In Narvik our operations are continuing and detachments have been in contact with the enemy. There is nothing further to report from Namsos.” The withdrawal of our forces from Andalsnes without loss had been announced in the House of Commons by Mr Chamberlain, who disclosed that the idea of taking Trondheim from the south had been given up. The outstanding facts, he said, were that the balance of the three weeks’ fighting was in the Allies’ favour, that German losses on land, sea and in the air had been tremendous and that the German Navy had been crippled. Mr Chamberlain said he and Mr Churchill hoped to be able to say a good deal more early next week. Mr Chamberlain went on to give fresh facts * about events leading up to the German invasion of Norway and to the attempt by the Allies to recapture Trondheim. All that could be said at present was that our troops had fought gallantly and with determination and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. They were faced with serious difficulties and above all, owing to all available aerodromes being in enemy, hands, they were denied the use of fighter aircraft. The decision to withdraw was made some days ago, owing to German local air superiority. Mr Chamberlain said the withdrawal of the whole of our forces in this area under the very noses of the German aircraft without the loss of a single man was only made possible by powerful forces of the Navy, the splendid courage of the men and the determination and skill of the commander. He had reason to believe that our losses had not been heavy in proportion to the scale of all these gallant operations. Mr Chamberlain went on to state that the Germans had suffered the following naval losses: Two capital ships damaged, three and possibly four cruisers sunk, eleven destroyers sunk, five U-boats sunk and thirty transports and supply ships sunk, scuttled or set on fife, with the loss of several thousands of lives and ten more transports or supply ships struck by torpedoes and probably sunk, a total of over sixty ships sunk or damaged. In the same period the British losses were: Four destroyers, three submarines, one sloop and five trawlers sunk, five other warships da,maged by air attack and one store ship sunk by U-boat torpedo, a total of 19. The German naval losses had completely altered the balance of naval power and the Allied Fleet had been redistributed and had now reverted to a more normal distribution of forces in the Mediterranean, in which area British and French battle fleet's, were on their way to Alexandria. Mr Chamberlain said his statement was ■ only an interim one. Certain operations were in progress and he must say nothing meantime that might jeopardise the lives of those engaged and he asked that the House defer comment until next week.

Mr Chamberlain was loudly cheered when he resumed his seat.

A German High Command communique states that German troops have entered Andalsnes. In the last 48 hours Stavanger Aerodrome has been attacked by the Pu.A.F. six or seven times. German fighter opposition was almost completely absent. In the early hours of the morning long-range bombers dropped cargoes of heavy bombs and set on fire aerodrome buildings and damaged the landing ground. The aerodrome was also raided in the afternoon. In a raid on the Aalborg Aerodrome, in ,Denmark, our planes, in spite of strong antiaircraft fire, inflicted heavy damage, while at the Oslo Aerodrome, where a further raid was carried out, three large fires were started. All our planes returned safely from these raids.