HARD BLOWS DELIVERED

Southland Times, Issue 24002, 18 December 1939, Page 7

HARD BLOWS DELIVERED

RUSSIAN TROOPS REPULSED CAPTURE OF TANKS REPORTED MINISTER’S PLEA FOR PEACE (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received December 17, 6.30 p.m. HELSINKI, December 16. While M. Vaino Tarnier, the Finnish Foreign Minister, was broadcasting a plea for peace the Finnish armies launched a series of blows on the flanks of the Russian forces. A number of valuable successes was achieved according to the official communique, which apparently is not exaggerated. “The enemy attacked in several places in the Karelian Isthmus, supported by heavy artillery and tanks,” it states. “The Russians were repulsed everywhere. Several tanks were destroyed. On the eastern frontier the enemy at-’ tacked after heavy artillery preparations between Liomela and Lake Ladoga, but were beaten off. We captured five tanks and other war materials: “The Finns continued to advance to Tolvajarvi (believed to be near Lake Pielisjarvi). A total of 15 medium and heavy tanks was captured in this region. At Suomussalmi the Finns succeeded in cutting the road leading to the frontier. After four days’ stubborn fighting Suomussalmi was captured. Elsewhere the land situation is unchanged. A coastal battery .near Turku damaged and is believed to have sunk a Russian destroyer. Russian aeroplanes dropped bombs south-west, of the Finnish Archipelago at Petsamo. No damage was done. Finnish aircraft carried out numerous reconnaissances and successfully attacked Russian columns.” Moscow for the first time was blacked out. RUSSIANS PURSUED It is officially claimed that the Finns are Li entire possession of the district Oi Tolvajarvi on the southern front and that their troops are pursuing the Russians. The battle in this area lasted for three days. It is stated that two Soviet regi-. ments were destroyed. The Red Army, however, is progressing in the extreme north where four villages besides Salijarvi are ablaze. Throughout the night terrific explosions were heard on the Norwegian frontier. These are believed to indicate the blowing up of the nickel mines. . The Russians in central Finland claim to have reached a point 67 miles from the Soviet frontier. Pressure against Salla is strong, but the Finns have re-

ceived reinforcements and are holding their own and inflicting heavy losses. Thousands of Red troops are reported to have fallen in this area. The Finns have withdrawn huge herds of reindeer from the district and doubt whether it is possible for the Russians with their long and vulnerable lines of communication to provide their troops with provisions for any length of time. A Moscow communique states that the Russians continued to advance in the Murmansk and Kutno sectors. There were insignificant skirmishes elsewhere. The Finns retreated from Salmijapvi. Observers in Helsinki say that the Russian losses for the war are 50 aeroplanes 6 and more than 100 tanks and armoured cars. It is estimated that 100 Russian lives have been lost for every Finnish life. The Finns recaptured Kuolajarvi, halting the two-prong offensive towards the Gulf of Bothnia. Reports from the Norwegian frontier state that every Finnish house for 12 miles round Salmijarvi is ablaze. Forest fires are raging the Finns ravaging country as they rejreat. The Russians have still failed to achieve definite results.

The hospitals in Leningrad are overflowing and schools are rapidly filling with casualties from the Finnish war, about which the public are receiving meagre details. The newspapers at the outset, when the operations envisaged a glorious walkover, were filled with ardent dispatches. They now publish merely three or four line communiques, none of whieh claims the capture of a single important centre. The newspapers published the bare fact of the expulsion from the League without comment.

A Finnish Foreign Office spokesman welcomed Mr Chamberlain’s statement and said: "If only Britain would help we would be all right.” M. Eljas Erkko, the former Finnish Foreign Minister, in an interview in Stockholm, said: "Finland can hold out indefinitely if munitions and supplies are. available without delay.”