Wednesday, April 10, 1940 - First Royal Navy victory at Narvik

Louis

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In the Norwegian Sea... The First Battle of Narvik. Captain Warburton-Lee leads five destroyers in a surprise attack up Narvik Fiord. There are 10 German destroyers in various inlets off the main fiord but in a series of quick, confused actions both sides lose two ships. The British have one more seriously damaged while the Germans have four vessels hit -- two very badly. The German pocket battleship Lützow is badly damaged by submarine attack while homeward bound. Other German merchant ships from a convoy for Oslo are also sunk. The German cruiser Königsberg is dive bombed by land-based British naval aircraft while in Bergen harbor and sinks. This is the first major warship to be sunk by this method of attack. This is very much an isolated success for the British air forces in this campaign since only one carrier is with the Home Fleet at this stage, the others being in the Mediterranean.

In Norway... With their seizure of so many of the country's large towns the Germans have taken most of the stocks of arms at the Norwegian mobilization centers. The Norwegians, therefore, have even less chance for resistance than might have been expected.

In Oslo... The Norwegian government and Royal Family have left Oslo and Quisling has been installed to lead a new government.
 
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