BACK FROM NORWAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 May 1940, Page 5

BACK FROM NORWAY

SIR E. IRONSIDE WELCOMES TROOPS BRAVERY AND DISCIPLINE PRAISED. HARD FIGHTING AT DESPERATE ODDS. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. LONDON. May G. 11l welcoming British and French troops from central Norway who landed at a northern port on May 5, General Sir Edmund Ironside (Chief of the Imperial General Sialr) said: “Tell your people how well you fought and that you have returned with your tails up. Don’t, think you were driven out of Norway; you were ordered out, and the great thing is that your discipline brought you out. “You were the advance guard, and we thought we would be able to get you guns and aeroplanes which would have made it possible to fight such a machine as opposed you, but, as you know, very soon the race went against us.” The men made no sign as he read a message from the Secretary of War, Mr. Stanley, congratulating them on their stand south of Dombas and praising the withdrawal as an operation worthy of the British Army’s highest traditions, but when General Ironside added., “to that I wish to add my little thanks,” the men’s soldierly restraint broke down and they clapped, cheered, shouted and whistled, those behind climbing on the backs of those in front as General Ironside passed down their lanes. General Paget, who conducted the with* drawal of the troops from southern Norway, revealed that his men were 100 miles from their base when he received the order to withdraw. That it was succesfully carried out was mainly due to the splendid endurance and fighting qualities of the units engaged. They fought five separate rearguard actions on their way back. The men told vivid stories of air attacks to which they were subjected. A sergeant of the Royal Engineers who served in the last war said, “The shelling and machine-gunning was less heavy than in the last war, but the air bombing was something fearful. At one time 40 aeroplanes were over us simultaneously, and they dropped 400 bomjis. “The Germans did not discriminate between Red Cross ambulances’ and anything else. They just bombed everything off the road. Spies were everywhere, and every move we made was known to the Germans almost as soon as we made it.” Another sergeant with nine years’ regular service praised the gallantry of the withdrawing troops. “It was wonderful rearguard fighting, specially as the men had had nothing to eat for 36 hours,” he said. GRIM ORDEAL GALLANT TENACITY OF BRITISH TROOPS. CONTINUOUSLY BOMBED AND ’ SHELLED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, May 7. The great courage and tenacity of the British troops in Norway and the paralysing effect of the air superiority which the Germans possessed are two of the most striking features revealed in stories told by returned British soldiers. The incredible difficulties under which the troops were fighting and the extent of the enemy's local superiority in armament are well illustrated in an account by a captain, who said his force went south after landing, in the direction of Lillehammer. They dug trenches all night and next morning. The Germans were about 5000 yards away. “The battle started at 8 a.m..” he said, “and they shelled us, bombed us and machine-gunned us. The battle raged until 6 p.m. That night we withdrew 41 miles and look up new positions in trenches dug for us by another company. Our overnight withdrawal was carried out along a frozen river on which the ice was thawing. Next day we had a terrible pasting from the air for 40 minutes. It is incredible that there were so few casualties to our men. The Germans were firing all over the place. The next day we had a terrific pasting from shells and again from bombs, and at night we again withdrew. Eventually we reached Dombas and entrained for Andalsnes. We got about 12 miles by train, travel--1 ling .very slowly, but the line had been damaged by bombers. The engine crashed into a huge crater. Many were killed and injured in the crash. There was nothing for it but to form up and march. Hurrying over a distance of five miles to get to a tunnelat Venma, we had nearly reached ii. when we sighted Germans nearby, but we blocked the road, with the help of Royal Marines, and delayed the Germans long enough for us to get to the tunnel. There we were forced to stay all day, and bombers attacked the tunnel, but scored no hits. From there we went by train to Andalsnes. In four days we fought four battles and travelled nearly 200 miles. Every move we made seemed to be known to the Germans.”