450 ID BOMBERS STRAFE CITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 10

450 ID BOMBERS STRAFE CITIES.

HUNDREDS OF BOMBS. Most Severe Fighting Of War At Salla. HEAVY LOSSES TO BOTH SIDES. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 2 p.m.) HELSINKI, January If). Russia replied with 450 bombers to the reinforcement of the Finnish Air Force, and the severe punishment which the Finns are inflicting on the Salla and Lake Ladoga fronts. Two hundred and fifty bombers swooped on the Isthmus front, while another 200 strafed Helsinki, Turku, Hanku and other objectives as far north i as the Paats River. They dropped 300 I bombs and machine-gunned streets, killing one civilian and injuring 45. The Finnish Air Force is much more active, having engaged in major air battles, in addition to bombing the .Russian rear and communications. It is announced that 205 Russian 'planes have been shot down since the outbreak of the war. Valuable Captures. Captures include 434 tanks, IS9 guns, 252 machine-guns, 522 cars, and 151)0 horses. The bloodiest fighting of the war continued to-day at Salla, the Reds doing their utmost to avoid defeat, which would be even greater than at Suomussalmi. Finnish casualties are believed to be much heavier than previously. There has been a constant procession of ambulances containing wounded men tn the rear, in addition to columns of prisoners. The Russians are now much better equipped and are entrenched more firmly. A Russian division north of Lake Ladoga, under the dircct command of Generalissimo Stern, i* also beginning to retire, and a large Russian force near •Kitela is reported to be cut off. The Russian objective, to attack the flank near the Mannerheim Line, thus seems to have failed. The Russians claim to have destroyed a Finnish battalion, but a Finnish communique records the capture of several enfrmy positions in this area and the destruction of several Russian patrols. Thousands of Finns, hitherto exempt, will bo available for the Army under the new volunteers scheme. OUTSIDE THE WAR. But Norway's Difficulties Are Many. KING HAAKON'S REVIEW. (Received 0.30 a.m.) ■ OSLO, January 19. "Fortunately Norway remains outside the war, but "the difficulties are many," said King Haakon, speaking at a banquet in honour of the opening of Parliament. "The war between Russia and Finland is a new factor of danger, but we hope they will soon make peace," he concluded, referring to the solidarity of the Norwegian people, whose goal was free, independent nationhood. BAD WEATHER BLAMED. CROSSING OF FRONTIER. (JleceiTetl 9.30 a.m.) MOSCOW, January 19. The Soviet has apologised to Norway for Soviet 'planes, accidentally crossing the frontier three times last week-end owing to bad weather. INCIDENT CLOSED. RUSSIAN APOLOGY. STOCKHOLM, January 19. Russia has sent a Note to Sweden expressing deep regi'et at the bombing of Swedish territory on Sunday. A Swedish Foreign Office spokesman said the incident was closed. RUSSIAN PURCHASES. UNITED STATES PETROL. NEW YORK, January 19. Since the outbreak of the Europea hostilities Russia has obtained ovc 1,300.000 barrels of petrol from th United States, says the Washingto correspondent of the "New York Times. Most of it, it is believed, Is beiii; used in the operations against Finland Little or none is being transliippe. to Germany, although the latter uia; have been the Russian purpose wliei the orders first assumed major pro portions, coincident with the Sovie seizures in Poland.