Evening star., 1940-05-06

| I\0ZiS IAPeStSu ~ Seek
Control Of Hommerfest
And Kirkenes
BY the Associated Press.
STOCKHOLM, May 6.-German
warplanes continued today to pene-
trate over northernmost Norway in
such numbers as to indicate Nazi
plans to make victory in Norway
complete to the last detail If pos
sible.
One phase of this was an offensive
IN the Narvik region. Dispatches to
Swedish newspapers said more than
100 German planes were observed
flying in the direction of that Arctic
area yesterday, where the allies
have their last Norwegian foothold
and are trying to gain control of the
German-held iron ore port.
Observers here believe now that
the Germans not only will push an
offensive against Narvik without de-
lay-but also try to force capitula-
tion of such far-northern points as
Hammerfest and Kirkenes.
Fighting South of Trondheim.
The newspaper Aftonbladet, how
ever, reported at least one German
column still facing opposition south
OF Trondhelm. 1t said NorwegianS,
trying to hold the Germans east OF
Storen had reported victory this
morning over a NaZi force of 5000.
Two German planes which made
forced landings were seized and
their crews interned.
Increasing peril from mines adrlft
with the ice off the west coast
was reported. The crew of four
aboard Swedish fishing vessel wei e
killed when a mine sank their boat
near Goteborg. A German ship
bound for that Southern Swedish
port also was sunk by a mine, bu:
the crew was rescued.
Would Aid Soviet Communications.
Conquest of the long, narrow
stretch of Norway still unoccupied
by the Germans would help assure
uninterrupted NaZi communications
with Soviet Russia through Arctic
waters.
Germany's first task in trying to
bring the north within her hold is
to get reinforcements to her be-
sieged troops at Narvik and the
continuous flow northward of heavy
vN1o ivNliootnl cha al
ready had started to drop troops
and supplies.
The chief obstacle to Nazi plans
is the difficulty of dropping heavy
equipment to combat British attack
Rumors persisted that some of the
allied forces withdrawn from Namsos
have been landed south of Narvik.
but these had no confirmation.
The setting for this anticipated
new German offensive is unusual
both in terrain and foreseen diff
culties.
Allies Advantage Geographic.
BY land they must push northward
along narrow strip of territory
passable only along a deep valley
road which is blocked by exposure
to sea attack below Narvik and
which curves eastward into a maze
of mountains, fjords and forests
above Narvik.
Being established both in the
Narvik and Tromso areas with nu-
merous fjords accessible to their
fleets, the allies have a geographic
advantage.
The crew of a Swedish steamer
reaching Goteborg reported watch
ing a German destroyer capture a
British submarine Sunday morning
close to the three-mile limit of
Swedish waters.
First the destroyer was observed
dropping depth charges. A moment
later the submarine broke the sur
face and a man waving the white
flag of surrender appeared on deck,
the Swedish steamer crew reported.
The submarine disappeared south
ward under escort of the German
vessel.
Gold Taken to London.
A correspondent of the Stockholm
newspaper Tidningen reported that
Norway's gold reserve fund of 60O.-
100000 krona $4,000, ,0OO had
been sent to England for safekeep-
ing after being transported from
place to place by the fleeing Nor
wegian government.
The gold funds were dispatched
secretly aboard a British troopship
the newspaper said.
When the government fled Oslo
April in the face of the German
invasion, one of the few things it
was reported to have taken along
WAS the natinn's e0ld nacaruo