Between Namsos and Narvik
At the moment of going to press no reliable news had come through as to the military position north of Namsos in the direction of the long mountainous route that leads to Narvik. King Haakon in his rousing proclamation to the people of Norway reminds the world that he and the Storting and his Government are still on Norwegian soil, and that strong posi- tions are still occupied in Northern Norway. It is evident that the Germans Will leave nothing undone to push forces north- ward to relieve the little army which is besieged in and around Narvik by British troops and warships. We hear little of the operations, and can only trust that proper measures, such as the destruction of roads and bridges, are being taken to check the German advance northwards from Namsos. It has apparently been left to the Norwegians to guard this succession of precipitous passes, where delaying action is essential to our capture and fortification of Narvik and the iron-ore railway. Adequately armed they should be able to do effective service. The success of small Norwegian forces operating with Swedish volunteers in the neighbourhood of Roros on the German lines of communication indicates that much might be done by organised guerilla warfare in the mountains to harass the invading army from the rear. It is imperative that the with- drawal from Namsos should not be understood to mean any withdrawal from Mr. Chamberlain's promise to extend "full aid to Norway."
