HAIL OF BULLETS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 45, 2 December 1939, Page 5

HAIL OF BULLETS

MACHINE-GUNS AND BOMBS. SEVERAL TOWNS ATTACKED. REFUGEES UNDER FIERCE FIRE. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) HELSINKI, December 1. Two low-flying aeroplanes machinegunned citizens in the streets of Helsinki, but tho first was shot down, the crew vainly attempting to escape by means of parachutes. The second was forced to descend into the sea. The Finns claim to have shot down 10 Russian ’planes, mostly at Wiipuri. The Soviet ’planes apparently dropped no bombs in the raid in the morning and late afternoon, but a raid-at midday was devastating, a squadron smiting whole sections of the capital with machine-guns and bombs as firemen were searching the smouldering ruins caused by the raids yesterday. Fifteen bombs were dropped in the Munksnaes district, where 30-foot granite walls protected three munition dumps, which were not damaged. Fifteen bombs fell in the workingclass district of Samas. Soviet air squadrons hailed machinegun bullets on Salmijervi, a small town joined with Kirkenaes, in Norway, by a bridge across the Pasvik River, as 600 Finnish refugees dashed to safety. The bombers finally demolished the bridge, cutting off further retreat except over the frozen stream. Other towns raided were Kota and Turku, while the oil port and naval docks at Skattuddcn, near Helsinki, were set on fire. The nickel works at Petsamo were burned, 30 women and children being killed.