NORWEGIAN ARMY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 May 1940, Page 5

NORWEGIAN ARMY

READY IN THE NORTH WELL TRAINED AND EQUIPPED. SOME ALLEGATIONS DENIED BY PROFESSOR KOHT. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 6. The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Professor Koht, received representatives of the Press in London tonight after he had seen Mr Chamberlain and Lord Halifax. In the course of Ids remarks lie referred to the welltrained, and well-equipped Norwegian ' forces, still unused, which-are standing by in northern Norway. “In the northern part of my country,” he said, “there is still an army. It has been absolutely unused in this war, and it will be of very good use because it is that part of our army which has been best trained. The reason for this is easy to understand. We were afraid of possible Russian aggression. Finland was attacked, but not Norway. We were afraid they might come to our country, and therefore we organised the northern army and trained it well.” Though these forces were well equipped, he said, they would need the support of aircraft and fuller provision of anti-aircraft guns. Questioned on the authenticity of highly sensational accounts of the German invasion purporting to prove that Norway was delivered into the hands of the invader by the treachery of Norwegians. Professor Koht said: “The Germans took Norway by means of surprise. REPORTS ABOUT TRAITORS. “You may blame us that we did not expect it, but I would prefer to tell you the truth, and that is simply that we did not expect it. I have seen reports about traitors helping the Germans in this aggression. There are sympathisers with Germany. There is a Nazi organisation in Norway which has been very active, but numerically it is not strong. It was not able to put a single man into our Parliament at the last election.” Professor Koht also denied allegations to the effect that Norwegian troops had been sacrified by being left to cover the withdrawal of the British and French forces round Trondheim. He said: “The Norwegian troops had retreated earlier in order to rest. They were worn out, and I can see no reason why they should have taken part in such an action.” Professor Koht said he had discussed with British Ministers co-operation in the future conduct of the war, but he emphasised that the liberty of Norway would only be fully assured by the final victory of the Allies. The visit of Professor Koht and the Defence Minister, Mr. Ljungberg, to London, is welcomed by the Press, which attaches great value to the help which their knowledge may afford the Allied Governments, especially in view of the difficulties of communicating between the Allied and Norwegian Governments on their forces in Norway. Among the first members of the Norwegian Army to arrive in England are Second-Lieutenant Colban (son of the Norwegian Minister to London), who reached Euchon from Scotland, and Second-Lieutenant Hambro( son of the Speaker of the Norwegian Parliament). They are to return to the Norwegian Army after spending leave in London. The Norwegian commander, General Ruge, who embarked aboard a British warship during the last stages of the Allied withdrawal from round Trondheim. is now again on Norwegian soil. The British warship was provided for him and his staff at his own special request after he had decided to transfer his headquarters to another region. The facts provide sufficient commentary upon the fanciful stories which have been put about in German broadcasts that he was taken on board a British man-o'-war against his own' wishes and held prisoner in the ship while the British sent out an appeal to Norwegians in his name calling upon them to continue their resistance. NAZI OUTRAGE ANOTHER HOSPITAL SHIP BOMBED. TWENTY-NINE PERSONS KILLED OR INJURED. LONDON, May 7. The Norwegian news agency reports that the Germans bombed and wrecked another plainly marked hospital ship. Twenty-nine persons were killed or wounded.