FINNS RESIST STURDILY

Southland Times, Issue 23998, 13 December 1939, Page 7

FINNS RESIST STURDILY

Fighting On Wide Front SWEDES APPEAR IN ARMY (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received December 12, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 11. Heavy fighting occurred at widely separated points on an 800 miles front from the Arctic to Lake Ladoga, the Finns sturdily holding most positions in spite of a Russian claim to further advances.

The Finnish night communique states that for the fifth successive day the Finns repulsed violent assaults near Lake Ladoga, destroyed seven tanks and annihilated three Soviet companies. The Finns abandoned Salla after bitter fighting. The Finnish batteries at Bjorko carried on a duel with the Red Fleet for two hours. It is revealed in London that some Swedes already are fighting in the Finnish Army, for >which thousands have volunteered. Finland’s Archbishop, Dr Kaila, appealed to Christians throughout the world to assist Finland in the name of the northernmost outpost of Christianity. The Norwegian newspaper Sjoefarts Tidende quotes an eye-witness as declaring that the Soviet naval base at Kronstadt is in flames after a bombardment.

A message from Rome says that a semi-official news agency report from Oslo states that 500 Russians were killed and 200 taken prisoner in the recent attacks in the Petsamo region.

Although more than two-thirds of Helsinki’s population has been evacuated the cinemas are reopening and the buses and trains are running to skeleton schedules. Food is abundant and cheap and six newspapers are published daily. Russian prisoners state that the Red Armies are without ambulances and doctors. Many Asiatics are fighting with the Aed Armies. A message from Stockholm says that M. Eljas Erkko, former Foreign Minister, and now Charge d’Affaires at Stockholm, revealed that 6000 Finnish schoolboys had tried to enlist. More than 600 Danish nurses have volunteered to join the Danish Red Cross unit going to Finland. Italian sources at Geneva state that fascist pilots and crews accompanied the Italian aeroplanes to Finland. Il Duce is willing to give the Finns all aid. A Finnish communique reports violent fighting at Karelia. The fighting is taking place in the light of powerful searchlights because of the Arctic darkness.