Evening star., 1940-04-17
Nazi Bombs Silence
Morse Fort B|ockinu
Line Seized by Ruse
Germans Tighten Hold
On Southern Norway
Behind New Defenses
D. the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
STOCKHOLM, April 17.-A heavy
bomb attack on the 50-year-old Nor
wegian fortress at Hegra, about Is
miles east of the German-occupied
Atlantic port of Trondheim, ap-
peared today to have silenced the
fortress batteries, it was reported
here.
The Hegra guns, although directed
mainly against an attack from Swe-
den, formed an obstacle to Ger
many's control of the railroad ex-
tending from Trondheim to Sweden,
along which the Nazis are consoli-
dating potential line of defense.
A trainload of German troops
slipped by Hegra's guns yesterday
by ruse and reached the Swedish
border, which is about so miles from
Trondheim.
Mop Up in Southern Norway.
Meanwhile, German troops has
tened mopping up operations in
Southern Norway behind the poten-
tial line of defense from Trondheim
to the Swedish frontier.
The front, apparently planned as
q bulwark against possible attack by
British troops reported to have land
ed on Norway's northern shores. was
established yesterday when the in
vading Nazis gained control of the
railway cutting across the country's
narrow waist"
The only German armed forces
north of Trondheim appeared iso-
lated in the vicinity of Narvik, 400
miles away, and there was increasing
evidence that the invaders intended
to concentrate on consolidating their
position behind the newly estab-
lished line in middle Norway.
Narvik Operations Minimized.
This theory was supported by Of
hcial Berlin statements minimizing
the Importance of operations at Mar
vik, which Norwegian sources said
alreadey had been occupied by the
allies. and emphasizing the strength
Of the German position in the south.
Observers pointed out that the
Germans apparently have control
of virtually all strategic points on
the Norwegian coast below Trond-
heim-including the ports of Kris
tiansund, Bergen and Stavanger-
and are in good position to repel
allied attacks from the sea.
Severed lines of communication
made it impossible to obtain exact
knowledge of German operations in
Southern Norway, but there were
reports of scattered fighting in
which Norwegian troops were said
to be retiring before superior Nazi
detachments.
Kongsvinger Reported Occupied.
Kongsvinger, northeast of Oslo
and about 30 miles from the Swedish
frontier, was reported occupied by
the Germans after street fighting
with small force of NorWegians left
to impede the advance
Norwegian military headquarters
announced ski troops had made a
successful counterattack on the
flank of German forces near Haka-
dal, east of Oslo, but said that
farther south the defenders were
retiring before strong Nazi units.
Scattered remnants of the Nor
wegian Army continued to pour
across the southern border into
Sweden, where they were disarmed
and interned.
Morse Hold F0sSeim District.
The Norwegians said their posi-
tions in the Fosseim district, 125
miles northwest of Oslo, still were
intact. They reported that two
German planes had been shot down
during yesterdays operations and
said that the crews of three other
Nazi planes which made forced land
ings in the border area southeast of
Oslo, had been destroyed.
Strong German forces were re-
ported moving south out of Trond-
helm. apparently With the object of
making contact with NaI forces
driving north from Oslo.
There were unconf1rmed rumors
Of naval fighting off the southern
tip of Norway.
Morse Disorganized In South.
A spokesman for the Norwegian
Legation in Stockholm conceded
that the defense forces in Southern
were disorganized and that |
they had lost most of their mnui-
ton sand equipment at the outset of
the lightning Nazi invasion of
April 9.
Although Norwegian military
has announced the oc-
cupation of Narvik by British and
forces. Swedish advices
indicated that the Germans still
were holding certain strategic points
In and around the town, which was
said to be mass of smoking ruins.
The Germans were reported in
possession of the railway leading
from Narvik to the Swedish border,
less than 20 miles away. The rail-
way connects with the important
Swedish iron mining center at
Kiruna.
Norwegian Force Overwhelmed.
Heavy fighting was observed yes
terday at Riksgransen, a way sta
ton on the Narvik-Kiruna Railway,
near the Swedish frontier. At near
by Bjorgen, force of 1000 Germans
was said to have overwhelmed about |
$50 Norwegians after five hours of
fighting.
Additional British troops were re-
ported to have been landed at Har-
stad, IS miles north of Narvik, under
the protection of five warships.
A score or more of soldiers
wounded in the fighting around
n :" ~ n