The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-04-18
Sweden Reports Nazis
In Retreating Action
Continued From Page y

ish north of Narvik, in the Her
Jangerfjord Sector, for a combined
drive.
Nazis Reported Trapped
Some Germans were reported
trapped in the rugged snoW-covered
mountains between Narvik and the
frontier.
All reports indicated that the
Germans were fighting with the
greatest determination against ap-
parently hopeless odds.
There was no indication that the
Germans could find way out un-
less they managed to drive with
their whole force along the railroad
to the Swedish frontier and there
hand themselves over to the SWedes.
Reports believed to be reliable were
that one British force, effecting a
landing in the Herjangerfjord just
north of Narvik, joined a strong
Norwegian force and defeated a
German attempt to retreat to the
north.
The Germans were driven down
the Narvik- Elvegaardsmoen Road
toward the outskirts Of Narvik, it
was reported.
The second British force was be-
lieved blocking the sole means OF
German retreat to the south, after
establishing a base at the village
of Ankenes, on the south side OF
the Beisfjord just south of Narvlk'
Narvik Status Not Clear
The situation in Narvik town re-
NAMED unclear and reports were
confusing. The British had taken
part of the town, it was indicated
There were some reports that the
Germans had been driven out en-
tirely. But there were alternative
reports that the British designed to
cut off all means of retreat for the
German force of from 1000 to 2,5OC
men, then storm the Rombak Heights
on the north side of the RombakfJord
and finally take the whole town, an
operation for which they seemed
prepared to allot several days.
British forces landed first on a
Fiord, the name of which I have
been asked not to disclose, within
IL IL miles of Narvik. The main
force landed Tuesday, and was &C
complished within six hours. the
British landing force carried full
equipment, including light noun
tain artillery.
The Decentralization fleet steamed
out to the sea, it was understood, sc
that it would not disclose the posi-
ton of the landing base to any Ger
man bombing planes which might
arrive.
British Landing Base
The British, it was indicated, hac
selected their landing base with the
greatest care, SO that they coulc
combine with the Norwegians with
out delay and start a joint attack
This objective, it was indicated, they
had now attained.
Last night, according to frontier
reports, 10 German sailors from ONE
of the destroyers which the Ger
mans blew up at the base of Rom
bak Heights arrived at the frontier
and surrendered to Swedish au'
thorities.
Reports said that the oldest o.
the Germans was %. All, 1t wa.
said, were extremely depressed ane
had decided to surrender because
they felt the German position u
be hopeless.
Deutschland Aground
A dispatch to the newspaper
Svenska Dagbladet at Stockholm
From the Norwegian frontier re-
ported today that the l0,0OO-tor
German pocket battleship Luetzov
(DeutschlanO had gone aground OF.
Rissa, in the Oesenfjord neal
Trondheim.
The dispatch added only that the
Luetzow had grounded during
operations"
Confirmation of this repor
might mean that Germany had los'
the last of its three formidable
pocket battleships. The Admlra
Graf Spec was scuttled at Monte
video, Uruguay. Britain asserts tina