AIR ASSAULT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23573, 6 February 1940, Page 7

AIR ASSAULT

FINNISH DISTRICTS SOVIET OFFENSIVE BIGGEST OP THE WAR BOMBS CREATE HAVOC By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received February 5, 9.10 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 5 The Russians rained thousands of bombs on southern and central Finland on Saturday, says an official message from Helsinki. Four hundred aeroplanes participated in the heaviest air offensive since the outbreak of the war.

The airmen's bombs killed 100 people, injured more than 100, and hit three hospitals and seven raid shelters.

Russians in 16 aeroplanes fired on a chapel at Sinaejoki, in the Wasa district, and killed 10 people. Thirty-six bombers attacked Kervo, causing serimis fires. 500 Bombs on Viipuri

Viipuri is now a ghost town of 2000 instead of its former 80,000 inhabitants. Successive squadrons dropped 500 bombs, scoring 150 direct hits, including hits on the cathedral and four banks. The bombing caused 16 fires, but owing to the evacuation of most of the population only 10 people were killed and 30 wounded. Russian aeroplanes dropped lo bombs on Turku, killing or wounding several people. . , The Finns on the northern front sent up the biggest fleet of aeroplanes engaged since the outbreak of the war. They drove back" Russian bombers which were reconnoitring over Petsamo. It is officially stated; that the Finns shot down at least 13, and probably 19, bombers on Friday. Repulsed at Mannerheim Line The Russian offensive against the centre of the Mannerheim Line is being half-heartedly' extended to Lake Muola, but attacks have been repulsed, says a message from Helsinki. The Russians advanced on armoured sledges, supported by tanks, but their offorts failed, their bodies being piled against the Finns' barbed wire. It is expected that the attack will continue, as reinforcements are being sent up. • *

The Russian attack on Summa seems to have failed, although intense shelling of the Finns' defences continues, r Heavy Russian Losses

Finnish reports of "Friday's fighting on the- Karelian < Isthmus and eastern front claim that the Russians lost more than 1000 killed, and that 60 tanks were destroyed or captured. Russian attacks north-east of Lake Ladoga, Salla and Kuhmo were repulsed. Patrols from Kuhmo are operating far into Russia.

Russian military authorities, 6ays a message from Leningrad, have issued a statement that,,in spite of modern aero-, planes from Britain, France, the United States, Sweden and Italy, Finnish airmen are incapable of protecting commanding points, including the Finnish headquarters at Lahti, Lovaniemiy Sortavala and Wiihurg, which Russian bombers have demolished. 1000 Airmen Killed The Swedish newspaper Social-Demo-kraten asserts that at least 1000 Russian airmen have been killed since the outbreak of the war, the casualties seriously depleting the trained reserve. Sweden , has given Finland an additional £60,000. ~ . The Moscow press is now giving prominence to the Finnish war, and is printing long denials of Russian defeats and also suggestions that Finland's resistance is ending. . AERIAL TORPEDO NEW RUSSIAN MISSILE EXPLOSIVE BULLETS USED ADMISSION BY PILOT (Received February 5, 8,30 p.m.) HELSINKI, Feb. 5 Russian airmen are using a secret weapon, .namely, a seven-foot torpedo containing three sections, one consisting of ordinary explosive, one of shrapnel and one of small incendiary bombs. They used these*missiles against Hanko and Sortavala.

A captured pilot admitted that one of every four Russian aeroplane macliine-gun bullets was explosive. lied Army parachutists dropped behind tlie Finnish lines wear uniforms which are hardly distinguishable from those of the Finns. Some of the men are refugee Finnish Communists. RUMANIA BUYS AIRCRAFT (Received February 5, 5.5 p.m.) BUCHAREST, Feb. 4 Rumania has increased her orders ior aeroplane imports.