FIERCE FIGHTING

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 87, 6 January 1940, Page 11

FIERCE FIGHTING

Russians Being Forced To Retreat RAIDS ON MURMANSK Third Onslaught Planned By Finland (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) Received Januatiry 5, 11 p.m. LONDON. January 4. Fierce fighting has broken out in the Kuolajarvi area, where Finns are reported to be forcing the Russians back in spite of air raids on the Finns’ communications. . including the railway to Sweden, states a message from Helsinki. The Finns plan a third onslaught comparable with that at Kiantajarvi and Tolvajarvi. Three or four divisions of Russians are in a dangerous position north of Lake Ladoga. Finnish patrols are swooping on the Russian communications, awaiting the demoralization of the harassed invaders before finally attacking in force. Mopping up continues east of Kiantajarvi. where the Finnish advance amounts to 12 miles. . . Ski patrols have established positions five miles within Russia. Finns made air raids on Murmansk, setting fire to a big petrol dump. They attacked many railway stations, goods yards, road junctions and bridges behind the Russian lines.

The Finus have rendered the Mur-mansk-Leningrad railway useless in at least five places with bombs. They are" also dynamiting bridges and power stations, cutting off the Kola Peninsula, where 50,000 Russians, mostly political prisoners and convicts hating the Soviet regime, are isolated. Twenty thousand troops who were sent to reinforce the “waist-line” thrust have also been cut off by the destruction of a side-track from tlie Murmansk railway.

Sweeping the frozen lakes on the Karelian Isthmus with searchlights, the Finns frustrated an attempt to outflank their positions. Artillery and machine-gun fire tore the Russian ranks and (broke the ice, throwing hundreds of the attackers into the water.

Russians twice raided Hanko from the air. There were no deaths and small damage. Finns replied with raids on Russian air bases at Dago and Osel, in which an Italian pilot led Italian bombers. Planes dropped incendiary bombs and started several fires.