Picture: German paratroopers were dropping out of Junkers Ju52 transport planes over Narvik. This was the only way for the Germans to reinforce their troops at this isolated position in northern Norway.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1940

Air War: German bombers raid Scapa Flow (night April 22-23).

Home Front Australia: Prime Minister Menzies threatens to re-open coal mines by force if miners do not end their 6-week strike (strike settled by arbitration May 15).

Home Front Britain: Second War Budget presented by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir John Simon: income tax raised to 7s 6d in the £; higher duties on beer, spirits and tobacco; increased postal charges; planned introduction of a new Purchase Tax.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1940

Sea War: British battleship Warspite and three cruisers bombard Narvik, planned landing of troops from cruiser Vindictive is cancelled.
Three French destroyers engage German patrol boats in the Skagerrak (night April 23-24) and repel air attacks.

Picture: the battleship HMS Warspite is bombarding a land target.

THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1940

Sea War: British armed trawlers Bradman, Hammond and Larwood sunk by German aircraft off Andalsnes (they are subsequently raised and operated as German patrol boats Friese, Salier and Franke).

FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 1940

Norway: Norwegians and British halt German advance along Gudbrandsdal Valley at Kvam. Norwegian CinC General Ruge issues optimistic Order of the Day: 'now the time of retreat has come to an end..., Stand fast ... and the victory will be ours !'

Picture: under the cover of a Panzer I, German infantry is cautious advancing against a village in Norway.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 1940

Diplomacy: (MAIN EVENT) Germany officially at war with Norway. Ribbentrop attempts to justify German invasion of Norway by describing vast, carefully prepared, Anglo-French-Norwegian 'conspiracy' (he does not mention Germany's actions in Denmark).

Occupied Norway: Terboven appointed Reichskommissar for Norway (formerly Gauleiter of Essen).

Picture: German guards with a heavy machine gun MG34 at a crossroads in Oslo.