BRITISH WARNING

Grey River Argus, 25 September 1941, Page 5

BRITISH WARNING

FINLAND AN ENEMY. IF HER TROOPS GO OVER OLD FRONTIER. (Rec. 7.30). LONDON, Sept. 24, “The Times" says: Warning has been given in Finland by the British, after consultation with the Russians. It is that if Finland continues to inyade purely Russian territory, Britain will have no option but to treat Finland as an open enemy, both now and at in peacemaking. Each yard that the Finns go beyond their old frontier is regarded purely and simply as aggres sion ” 150 FINNS KILLED. (Rec. 11.10). RUGBY. Sept. 24. A Moscow- communique states: Fighting against Finnish troops. 150 enemy troops were killed, and seven machine-guns, important documents ana a large amount of ammunition were IN FAR NORTH. 8.0.W. RUGBY, Sept. 23. A military commentator, reviewing the position of the East, from reliable information available in London, stated: In the north there is no further news from the Murmansk sector, where enemy activity has been greater recently. On the Karelian Isthmus, the Russians appear to be successfully' holding the Finns on approximately the line of the old frontier, and to have inflicted very heavy casualties on the Finnish troops. LONDON. Sent. 24. Reports from Stockholm say that German and Finnish forces continue to make, slow progress eastwards towards th P White Sea from the Salla region Between Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega the Finns apparently are about 20 miles from Petrozavodsk, which they are bombing. FIGHT FOR ISLANDS. LONDON, September 23. Fighting is still raging on the island of Oesel, off the coast of Estonia. .. On Sunday the Germans claimed that only scattered remnants of the Russian garrison remained on the island. Now thev say Russians are hitting back hard. Soviet Spokesman. ON BRITISH AID. AND GERMAN FABLES. (Rec. 12.40.) MOSCOW. Sept. 24. Expressing warm approval of Britain’s “tanks for Russia week,” M. Lozovsky (Soviet spokesman), at' a press conference, said: “It is not onlv of military and economic importance. It is of great political significance, showing solidarity between the two countries and co-operation whereon a joint victorv must rest.” In reply to a Question he said the Germans were not superior in the air in the Kiev area, but they had more tanks. He said: “The German air losses have been much heavier than ours. Their force has been greatly weakened, but it is still powerful.” M. Lozovsky ridiculed the German High Command’s figures of their casualties in the eastern front up to September 1, as 395,000 dead, wounded and missing. He pointed out that the civil death rate in Germany in 1940 was thirteen per thousand, whereas the mortality rate at the front claimed bv the Germans was between five and six per thousand onlv. He said: “According to these claims, the front is a health resort.”

Hard to Smash LENINGRAD’S DEFENCES. GERMAN ADMISSION. LONDON, September 23. A semi-official German military review admits that the defences of Leningrad are extraordinarily severe, necessitating heavy losses. The review, which was cabled from Switzerland, says that the obstacles before Leningrad consist of huge tank-traps, also rows of pine trunks jammed several yards in the earth, and extending for a mile in depth. Forests have been cut down a yard above the earth. Additional to countless concrete pyramids and barbed-wire, the Russian garrisons occupy new great rings of garrisons, immediately squads of workers finish their construction. The forts are fully protected against all but the heaviest bombs and shells. It said that the Russians also launched several tank attacks in the Leningrad sector, and that very heavy losses have been inflicted on the German attacking forces. Russian artillery is pounding the German positions, and the guns of the Baltic fleet are shelling the German flank. Thousands of German corpses line the approaches to the city. Though very severe fighting continues, there is no appreciable change in the position. Particularly heavy losses apoarentlv. have been suffered by officers, and information from prisoners was that in some units twothirds of the officers are casualties. The weather is very cold and wet, and the forest area around Leningrad is becoming boggy. HARDER THAN EVER. LENINGRAD BATTLE. (Rec 1.20). LONDON. Sept. 24. In the battle for Leningrad, according to M. Lozovsky, the fighting has assumed such proportions that in the number of participants and casualties it has not been equalled even in this war. The battle continues with increasing violence. The latest Soviefreports state that Nazi forces were driven back in one sector with bayonets, while Russians charged through artillery fire to retake a vital bridge' LENINGRAD’S ORDEAL. LONDON. September 24-. “The Times” Stockholm correspondent savs: People in Leningrad are reported to be suffering great hardships not so much from the actual shelling, as from interruptions of the water and electricity supplies, which have disorganised th P public services. From Finland the environs of Leningrad are a terrifying sight, especially at ’ night, when there is ljicessant firing and the explosion o. RusslarTand German shells is seen across Kronstadt Bva. ..