Narvik retaken, then Norway abandoned

The Allied advance north of Narvik continued despite the loss of the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Curlew to air attack near Harstad. Fleischer's forces retook Narvik on 27 May, demonstrating that the Germans could be driven back locally. The Royal Air Force could not maintain enough Hurricane cover, and no Spitfires were based there despite German claims of meeting them. Air attack continued to punish the land and naval forces holding the position. Once the Battle of France demanded attention, the Norwegian government departed aboard HMS Devonshire and the Allies began evacuating. German naval forces then operated to relieve pressure on the garrison south of Narvik before Norwegian forces surrendered on 9 and 10 June.