Evening star., 1940-04-12
7 Nazi Warships Bott|ed at Oslo
AsNorwegians Tryto Ring Capital;
British Planes Sink Munitions Ship
Five Reich Ships
Also Reported
At Trondheim
By the Associated Press.


STOCKHOLM, April H.
Seven German warships were
reported in Norwegian advices
today to be bottled up in Oslo's
harbor and Norwegians, trying
to seal their conquered capital
within an iron ring, expected
important action at any mo-
ment.
The Norwegian government an
nounced by radio that the Germans
elsewhere we're masters of Kristian-
sand, on the south coast; Stavanger
on the southeast coast; Bergen, on
the west coast, and Narvik, on the
northern coast.
The situation at Trondheim re-
manned hidden under military Sc
crecy.
Five German warships, including
q pocket battleship, were reported
today off the port where British
were said to have attacked by air
and sea.
The Norwegians believed the war;
ships hid in the narrow, deep bays
of Trondheim Fjord yesterday, for
q Norwegian expedition sent to To-
cate them reported no vessels were
visible.
Highways Blocked.
To the north British naval activ-
ity continued, as Namsos, north of
Trondheim, reported that two Brit
ish destroyers this morning steamed
along the coast outside the harbor
of Folde Fjord.
All highways to the east and
northeast of Oslo were blocked by
Norwegian defense forces, accord
ing to advices reaching here, and
an effort was being made to weld
solid ring around the fallen
capital.
A semi-circle already has been es-
tanlished running from Moss, 35
miles south of Oslo, to the east and
thence north through Halden,
Kongsvinger, Elverum and Gjovk
the latter 60 miles north of Oslo. To
the northwest, strong formations
were reported concentrated in val
leys.
Elverum was destroyed by German
air vombs last night, but the number
Of killed was relatively small as the
civilian population had been ordered
earlier to withdraw.
Guard Forces Organized,
The guard forces meanwhile were
being organized and women were
called to labor duty.
Advices reaching Stockholm-the
only Scandinavian capital free OF
German control-said the Germans
occupying Trondheim had mined
all bridges, apparently to forestall
any assault by British landing
force.
The Germans were believed to
have about 1900 men in all at
Trondheim.
The Norwegian radio at Olesund
reported naval battle between
British and German sea forces and
British war planes were said to have
bombed German warships in Trond-
helm Fjord.
(The German command re-
ported that British planes and
light naval forces attacking
Trondheim were driven off,
The pocket battleship was identi-
fed tentatively as the Luetzow-for-
merly the Deutschland-sister ship
Of the scuttled Admiral Graf Spec
She and the Admiral Scheer are
the only two fighters in that 10000
ton class left in the Nazi fleet.
Bridges Are Blasted.
The Norwegian Minute Men,"
some of them unframed peasants
and men who had time only to
shoulder shotgun and join the
colors, were reported methodically
blasting bridges to obstruct the
Germans, and fortifying every pos
sible defense point not in Nazi
hands.
Indications of how completely
Norway was surprised by the Ger
man action included a report that
when mobilization was ordered
Tuesday, Norwegian officers and SOL
diers could not reach concentration
centers before several had been oc-
cupied by Germans.
A clue to how it was done was seen
here in dispatch reporting a con-
versation yesterday with an officer
outside barracks in Oslo. He spoke
fluent Norwegian, wore a Norwegian
uniform and was German.
When German reinforcements
landed as Moss, on Oslo Fjord be-
low the Norwegian capital, they
commandeered buses and private
automobiles for the overland trip ur
to Oslo.
One report said they drove
through Norwegian guard lines, the
guards never suspecting that the
invaders would arrive in interurbar
buses and private cars with Nor
wegian license plates.
Although the reported landing al
Moss indicated that Germans still
were reaching Norway by water
Swedish newspaper reports said thai
the army of occupation was being
(see NORWAY, Page A-4.)