FINNS' SMASHING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 1, 2 January 1940, Page 7

FINNS' SMASHING

REDS HURLED BACK

Heavy Losses Inflicted

WEEK'S FIERCE BATTLE /

Attack on Mannerheim Line

;■ LONDON, January 1. The Finns have won a smashing victory over the 150-mile front between Suomussalmi and Kemittrask in Finland's bottlev neck, where a fierce battle has raged for a week, states a message from ifelsinki! -, The Russian forces, 18,000 to 20,000 strong", were hurled back across the frontier and beyond. They are almost surrounded. - The victory has culminated the Finns' counter-attack against the Russians'attempt to split Finland in twain. ' = ■: 'y 'A Finnish communique claims that they virtually destroyed a; Russian division of 18,000 men at Kiantajarvi, near Suomussalmi. The Finns captured enormous quantities pf war '•■."''materials.'- '■•■■•. \/ ; ■•' ..'•.•"•■' •'*'•'•. '■" '/'■,•■'■■■ Russian bomiViiiave attacked towns in southern Finland ; and dropped hundreds of bombs, though the damage is meagre. c/ The Rome radio,announces that the Finns are reported to have recaptured Petsamo. , The Russians launched aliew and furious onslaught oil the Karelian Isthmus in an endeavour to break the Mannerheim Line before the New Year. The bombardment of the Finnish defence lines was. intensified. : , Fresh Soviet troops, believed to be from the crack Moscow garrison- w'ei'e thrown into the attack on Saturday in a snow- ■, stormy '.'■• ';■■'.■/•■■ :; ■ "■. '■ ■' ■~ ■'. ;/ ■ ;'. ;,"■ ".. ■ ■ The Finiis now claim to have repulsed the attack. Sunday's Finnish communique stated; "The Russians' were forced back across the frontier at a third point, namely, the Kutno sector. ■:<■ / "A new Russian onslaught on the Mannerheim Line failed, and an enemy attack at Kitela was repulsed. Fighting continues further ■ . ■north.' ■.■■■'■■■ '•/ ' '••'.. ■.'■'.'' '■■ ■■''.'■ ' - ■' ' "The Russians bombed Kexholm, Wasa, and Jyvaskyla, killing some civilians and causing some material damage. "The air-raiders dropped 60 bombs on Hanko hospital, destroy-, four buildings and. injuring ten patients. They killed a child in a Helsinki suburb arid machine-gunned civilians in Jyvaskyla. "The enemy vainly reattacked on the Karelian Isthmus on Thursday. Near Kuolojarvi we destroyed five tanks and captured two. V The Russian infantry lost heavily. Artillery fire and patrol activity v prevailed elsewhere on the isthmus. , V "Our defences stopped an attack north-east of Lake Ladoga. ' The dispersal of two: Russian battalions'at Spvanto resulted in the ' death of 300 Reds and loss of arms and ammunition. We took one tank and one anti-tank gun on the Kutno sector and destroyed a . column of 40 pack-horses. ■;."■. "A battle north pf Suomossalmi lasted throughout the day. We destroyed the supply columns and an armoured car and took three tanks and two guns." . The Russian communique says: "There was nothing of import^ ance on Saturday. Our aircraft is successfully bombing some areas." Confusion in Kuolajarvi is increased by Finnish patrols penetrating the Russian^lines. A shortage of supplies due to the cutting of the Murmansk.railway has added to the Red army's discomfort, while the population of Murmansk, resenting the consequent lack of food, is creating disturbances. It is reported that patrols operating behind the Russian line

cut.bff 10,000, Reds by-destroying their lines of communication. As Vthe ice on the Suvanto River thickens Russian tanks are trying to cross, whiie the Finns are experimenting with methods of smashing the surface. .'. ■■>■■. •■'"■• ',"■'• •.■■■■■ ■■..■"■.■•' .. •■ -•''".;'■.■.'■ Towns subjected to Russian air raids at the end of the week were important railway centres near Helsinki, but they were little damaged.