FALLING BACK

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20186, 2 March 1940, Page 7

FALLING BACK

FINN DEFENDERS RUSSIAN PRESSURE ISTHMUS AND ARCTIC BATTLE FOR WIIPURI GUNS RAKE BAY MINES UNDER THE ICE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Mar. 1, 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 29. To-day’s messages from Helsinki state that the Finns are facing continuous high pressure onslaughts on the Isthmus and the Arctic and have retreated on poth fronts. A Finnish communique states that , the position is the most grave since the outbreak of hostilities. The communique admits withdrawals from Wiipuri Bay as far east as Lake Vuok. The Russians claim that they crossed the strategically important Salmenkaita River just west of Lake Vuok and consolidated the advance on Wiipuri. Attacks on Taibela failed, but the mid-isthmus thrust suggests an attempt to encircle Taibela, which . hitherto has been a strong deterrent to the westward advance. Finnish guns raked the ice on Wiipuri Bay throughout the day preventing Russians from crossing to outflank Wiipuri and also protecting the Finns who were planting mines under thd ice, but the most optimistic defenders do not expect that Wiipuri will he much longer in Finnish hands. Tile #mns also retired from Nautsi on the Paats River, where the Russians are attempting to drive down the Arctic highway to Rovaniemi.