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THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 3, 1940.
British Withdrawal From Andalsnes: Giving Up Impossible_Task
(SPECIAL TO CHINA MAIL")
Paris, To-day.
FIGHT UNTIL
MR. CHAMBERLAIN'S REVELATION that the Bri- NORWAY IS
tish forces in South Norway have abandoned an impossible task and re-embarked at Andalsnes FREED has not disturbed French opinion.
The British Premier's speech reveals that the deci- sion to withdraw was reached at last week's
meeting of the Supreme War Council, and it goes far to explain recent puzzling news from
the Dombaas-Stoeren regions.
It is plain, for instance, that the main British forces were
discreetly retired and re-embarked some days ago and that a comparatively small covering party has been fighting a magnificent rearguard action for days.
parallel in contact with the enemy.
Mr. Chamberlain drew a
"There is nothing further to report between this highly successful opera- tion at Andalsnes, accomplished with-in Namsos."-Reuter. out loss, and "the action of Sir John Moore at Corunna which, though ac- companied by heavy loss of life, in- cluding the commander, has taken its place among the classic examples of British military skill."
Improving Positions In The North
London, To-day.
A further pledge that Bri- tain will fight until the free-
in a speech yesterday by Sir
MINISTERS OF MILITARY AGE
London, To-day. Asked in the Commons yester- day whether it was his intention to retain in the Government those Ministers under 40 years of age who are fit and eligible for mlij- tary service, the Prime Minister replied in the affirmative-Reu- ter.
dom of the Norwegian people has been restored was given ENORMOUS Kingsley Wood, Lord Privy DAMAGE IN
R.A.F. RAIDS
Seal.
Ribbentrop's explanation attack on Norway deceived no
of the one,
he said. The issue is clear and un- breachable; the stake is humanity and civilization itself.
Referring to the forces gathered and and Middle gathering in the Near East, he said that these were not in
any-
London, To-day.
The Royal Air Force con- to tinues to give no peace. Nazi air bases in Norway and Denmark.
Egypt or Palestine to menace
whatever one.,
They are there for (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL")
duty they may be called on to face, Paris, To-day. In the north of Norway, the Allies and their presence will fortify are continuing to move in and improve good friends, Egypt and Turkey. invested their positions.
It is pointed out in well-informed quarters that the Allied landing south of Trondheim was always with serious risk.
A strong German attack was launch-
Despite the careful preparation and Germans support from the air, the
It was a risk worth taking, in viewed at Steinkjer, supported by artillery, dis- including the guns of destroyers in the of the effect upon the German positions, which were widely dispersed Trondheim Fjord. in consequence, but its success depend- a swift advance ed primarily upon
conjunction with northward, in southward advance from Namsos, and the capture of Trondheim in the early stages of the operations.
Trondheim's Strength
Reuter.
FEEDING NORWAY'S
POPULATION
On Wednesday night they again our raided Stavanger, Fornebu and Aal- borg. The raid on Stavanger follow- ed two during daylight hours. During a reconnaissance flight over the Heli- goland Bight, RAF. 'planes shot down a German seaplane.
Pilots a were beaten back with heavy losses,
it is reported.--Havas.
A
Stavanger
who flew over
the after: Tuesday's raids describe damage was enormous. Not a single fighter came up to offer combat. —Reu-
ter.
Stavanger has now been raided 16 times, including six or seven attacks in the 48 hours ending yesterday even- London, To-day. Mr. A. T. Lennox-Boyd, parlia-ing. Aalborg has been raided six times mentary secretary to the Food Minis- and Fornebu five times. try, told the Commons' yesterday the Nazis Enter Andalsnes
Government was actively considering Berlin, To-day. that the Norwegian civil population in High Command communique areas where British troops are operat- at Trondheim says German troops entered Andals-ing be supplied with food--Reuter. The German forces were, however, considerably greater nes at 1 p.m. yesterday. Reuter. and more powerful in all respects than the known facts suggested, and they were able, with the co-operation of naval craft in the Trondheim fjord to hold the northern part of the Allied pincer in check while the swift ad- south vance of Germans from the compelled the British troops based on to meet the new Andalsnes to turn threat.
-
Had it been possible to land heavy artillery and tanks in sufficient num. bers to support the Andalsnes force, the situation might even then have been retrieved, but Andalsnes was within a hundred miles of several and was under German air bases constant concentrated menace. The British Air Force is now ex- pected to concentrate on the Oslo-
connections Trondheim railway break German communications.—
Havas.
to
Curious Report (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL") Paris, To-day. Reports from the Swedish frontier state that besides retaking Roeros and probably Tynset, Norwegian troops have occupied Dombaas and Stoeren, abandoned by the Allies.
In view of the lack of information as to the number of Norwegian troops taking part in these operations, it is, of course, impossible for the time be- ing to measure this Information.
Havas.
War Office Communique On Withdrawal
London, To-day. A War Office communique states: "The 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 face of increasing enemy strength.
They were successfully embarked at Aundalsnes and other ports in the neighbourhood.
in
Nazi Claims
Berlin, To-day.
communique A High Command claims a British aircraft-carrier was hit by a bomb when German, war- а British naval planes attacked squadron off the western Norwegian coast on Wednesday.
destroyer It also claims a British was hit and two British fighter planes escorting the warships shot down.
The communique admits one Ger- man plane failed to return.-Reuter. No Information (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL") London, To-day.
It is unconfirmedly reported that the Norwegians have recaptured Stoeren. and Dombaas. Nevertheless military quarters have no information whether the Norwegian forces are strong en- ough to maintain their positions. Havas.
NAZI RAID AT NAMSOS
London, To-day.
The Germans announced on Wednesday that British headquarters at Namsos had been bombed and that a des- troyer had been sunk.
Presumably, this destroyer was the sloop Bittern, which, the Admiralty announced yesterday, was set on fire Nazi after a prolonged battle with aircraft, in which one of the latter was shot down and others "severely handled." Bittern was sunk to avoid her becoming a danger to navigation, her crew being taken off by another warship; no casualties are yet re- ported.
a normal
An escort vessel with
complement of 125 officers and men, Bittern was completed in March, the 1988. She was one, of 68 specially "This was done in spite of enemy's incessant efforts to destroy built for escort purposes which Bri- these parts and communications by tain had in, commission at the begin- ning of the war. We had 179 com- air action.
"In the Narvik ares operations are pleted destroyera last September. continuing and detachments have been Reuter,
TRIPLE THREAT TO
SWEDEN
(SPECIAL TOTM”
' CHINA-MAIL “)
PARIS, TO-DAY. SWEDEN IS THREATENED BY THREE · DANGERS,
POLITICAL CIRCLES HERE STATED. Firstly, the presence of German troops on her south- ern border; secondly, the fact that the Swedish coast along the Baltic is in an exposed posi- tion, and, thirdly, the possibility of Soviet ag- gression in the far north of Sweden, though this seems unlikely.
world over due to the high quality steel and the high standard of the Swedish armaments industry.
Particular care has been devoted to Fully realising her special position, Sweden has made extensive military the organisation of coastal defence preparations for some time, and both while Swedish guns are known the her navy and army are now capable of inflicting heavy losses on an invader: Although no official figures are available. It is understood the Swo dish army comprises at least 200,000 well-equipped and fully trained men. whose morale is excellent. The Swedish navy is as powerful as any navy in the Baltic.
Power and Performance
The air force consists of about 500 planes. In case of emergency Allled assistance could be secured through
Narvik Havás.
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