GERMAN CLAIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 May 1940, Page 5

GERMAN CLAIMS

ANDALSNES EVACUATION ALLEGATIONS OF HASTE AND DISORDER. CAPTURES OF NORWEGIANS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) BERLIN, May 2. A German High Command communique says:— The British are evacuating in haste and disorder from the Andalsnes district. Three hundred Norwegians covering the retreat have been taken prisoner. Our advance troops are 25 miles from Andalsnes. The entire Dombas-Ulsberg railway is in our hands. Enormous quantities of equipment were captured near Dombas. The operations between Oslo and Trondheim have become a pursuit. Our troops from Bergen have been joined by those from Oslo. Others have reached the Sogne Fiord and have taken prisoner 300 Norwegian officers and 3200 men. “Our bombers sank a British merchantman and seriously damaged a cruiser and six merchantmen.’’ The communique adds that six British planes were shot down. The High Command claims that German planes successfully bombed two British aircraft-carriers and a destroyer yesterday off the western Norwegian coast, and also shot down two British escorting fighters. One German bomber was lost. HEATED INTERVIEW PREMIER AND LIBERAL LEADER. SIR A. SINCLAIR’S QUESTIONS. LONDON, May 2. The “Daily Mail’’ says that the Liberal Party leader, Sir Archibald Sinclair, is reported to have had a somewhat heated interview with P/Ir Chamberlain. It is believed that Sir Archibald Sinclair declared he felt it was his duty to the nation that he should deliver such a critical speech, as people throughout the country were gravely disturbed about the events in Norway, the Government’s handling of the campaign and the lack of official information. The “Daily Mail'’ adds that the at-