Evening star., 1940-04-29
ssth YEAR. No. 35,O62.
Nozis Are Reported Advancing
On Dombos, but Beaten sBaek in
Big Attack North Of Steinkierr
Allied Resistance
Is Increasing in
Trondheim Area


Trondheim Area
~ the Associated Press.
STOCKHOLM, April 29.-German
forces were reported tonight to have
occupied Kvam, IS miles southeast
Of Dombas, in their drive toward
Trondheim but to have been re-
PEELED in a violent attack on the
Steinkjer front north of that Nazi-
held port.
The Germans earlier had been re-
ported stalled at Kvam in their
surge north toward the vital DOM
has railroad junction, one of the
British-held barriers to the Nazis'
attempted approach to Trondheim
from the south.
Fragmentary dispatches reaching
Stockholm newspapers gave no de-
tails of developments either there
or at Steinkjer, where, they said,
German bombers supported the at
tack.
Reports from Narvik, on the dis
tant northern front, said fighting
there had developed primarily into
guerrilla warfare with the British
bombarding the fort periodically, ap-
parently to prevent the Germans
from sending reinforcements over
the railroad terminating at Narvik.
First Organized Resistance.
The allies are putting up what
may prove to be the first really Or
ganized resistance to Germany's ef-
fort to rush troops across Norway
to bolster NaZi-held Trondheim.
They are holding strategically-
placed, strongly-defended machine
gun nests and light artillery posi-
tions guarding narrow mountain
roads northeast of Dombas in the
Gudbrands Valley and between
Roros and Storen in the Glomma
River Valley.
German troops, driving over
snowy mountain tops, were reported
to have reached the vital railway
linking British bases at Dombas and
Storen. They were said to have en-
gagged an allied force in the first
phase of a battle expected to decide
control of Southern Norway.
The fighting was reported sharp
and some observers expressed belief
a situation had been reached in
which allied troops may be. able to
take ADVANTAGE of strategic defense
positions.
Much Depends on Planes.
The Germans, however, already
have proved their ability to ad-
vanoe swiftly over difficult noun
tain trails to outflank forces barring
their. way. But this has been largely
dependent on protection from Ger
man warpaaAes securing q patch
clear for the motorized units and.
from the allied viewpoint, much
depends on their air defenses.
Reports that the British have
concentrated troops at Hjerkinn,
on the Domas-Storen Railway,
and that fighting already is in prog
ress there were interpreted here as
evidence that allied resistance Is
developing.
The Norwegian radio broadcast
an announcement that a German
column had struck at the railway at
Hjerkinn, 20 miles north of Dombas
and about 80 miles south of Storen.
Success of the German attempt to
cut the rail line at this point would
isolate the British force at Storen,
which is exposed to attack by Ger
man troops concentrated at Trond-
helm, IS miles north.
Reinforcements Rushed.
Both the British and Germans
were reported rushing reinforce
ments to the Dombas front, and
Swedish sources expressed belief
that both sides were preparing to
throw every ounce of strength into
q decisive battle.
The German force striking at
Hjerkinn is an offshoot of column
which during the last week has
pushed northward up the Glomma
River Valley past Roros, 1876 miles
from Oslo.
To reach the Dombas-Storen
Railway-the Nazi troops had to
travel approximately 40 miles over
q narrow mountain road extend
ing westward from Alvdal, which is
Is miles south Of Roros.
Despite the resistance of the Nor
wegians, who reported last night
they had engaged the Germans at
F'oldal. midway between Hjerkinn
and Alvdal, the Nazis apparently
reached the Dombas-Storen railway
with lightning speed.
The Stockholm newspaper It'd
ningen said the British had con-
centrated a strong force at HER
kim and apparently were prepared
to meet the German thrust.
More Landed At Andalsnes.
The British War Office an
nounced in London last night that
more troops had been landed at
Andalsnes despite German air at
tacks, and it was reported that these
had been rushed by rail to DOM
bas, 65 miles southeast of the de-
barkation point.
The German column advancing up
the Glomma Valley In Eastern Nor
way, through which runs a railway
linking Oslo directly with Storen,
apparently had dug in just north of
Roros to await reinforcements.
Roros is about so miles southeast
Of Storen, on which another German
.lSee STOCKHOLM, Page A-5.)
Bulletin