Finns Slowly Being Pushed Back By Reds

Northern Advocate, 15 December 1939, Page 7

Finns Slowly Being Pushed Back By Reds

LONDON, December 13. ’ (Received 1.30 p.m.) w .~.:rwr~r.rv. LONDON. December 14. THE BERGEN CORRESPONDENT OF THE BRITISH UNITED PRESS REPORTS THAT THE FINNS HAVE FALLEN BACK TO WITHIN TWO MILES OF THE NORWEGIAN BORDER: 7

A Keirkenaes message states that the-Russians are rapidly approaching Salmijarvi, which the Finns- are evacuating. They are falling back on their defence lines further 50uth.,..... Five towns are ablaze, and a vast region is covered with, .black smoke.

A violent Soviet offensive proceeds in North Finland, accompanied by continuous bombing of the nickel centres at Kolochoki and Salmijarvi.

The unlimited manpower of Russia is beginning to strain, the resources of the Finns. F. • ' , 'The persistent attacks on all fronts, regardless of losses, necessitate a constant switching; of reserves, says the; Helsingfors correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.’:’,, / 'The Finns mow down 100 Russians, but 1000 more appear; The greatest danger is in the Kutnp sector, where the Finns are defending the country’s waistline. They sadly lack artillery. • • AW "■ The Russians have long been constructing strategic roads to the Kntno and Kola frontiers, and these permit of r the ; spbedy'

movement of aVtillerv and tanks

Air Force Causes Transport Chaos It is estimated that 100,000 Russians are being hurled at Rovaniemi, but the Finns have recaptured Salla. The Finnish Air Force is concentrating its efforts on roads and failways in an endeavour to break up Russian reinforcements. Already they have achieved considerable transport chaos at Murmansk. The Finns routed the Russians at Tolvajarvi, near Lake Ladoga, and killed 2000 of the enemy, says a message from Stockholm. They are advancing a considerable distance. x Carry War to Russia It is reported from Helsingfors that the Finns carried the war into Russian territory when they attacked in the direction of the Murmansk railway in the central sector. A Finnish Army communique says: “There have been fierce attacks on the Karelian Isthmus and in Petrozavodsk section. “The enemy suffered heavy losses of men and equipment. “The coastal batteries at Bjorka and Ladoga assisted our land forces in breaking up and driving back enemy detachments.

Hanko Bombed / “The enemy bombed Hanko and the coastal islands. “Our Air Force successfully bombed and machine-gunned infantry and motorised detachments.” The Moscow radio i today stated: “Our troops advanced 65 miles from the frontier in the Kutno sector and also occupied Kitelia. “There was no air activity today, owing to the bad weather.”