FURTHER ADVANCE MADE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1939, Page 5

FURTHER ADVANCE MADE

FINNISH SUCCESSES AGAINST SOVIET CONTINUE Frontier Crossed at Fourth Point RESUMPTION OF RUSSIAN PUSH LIKELY (By Telegraph—Press Association.— Copyright.) LONDON, December 29. In addition to the recent, crossing of the Russian frontier in the northern and central regions and at a point neat 1 ie north of Lake Ladoga, the Finns are now reported to have pushed the Russians back across the frontier at a new point, north of Pielesjarvi (about 100 miles north of Lake Ladoga). The cold yesterday slackened activities on the majority of the fronts. A resumption of the Russian push is expected with better weather. A Finnish communique dealing with the eastern frontier records patrol activity north-east of Lake Ladoga. _ It adds that fighting is proceeding on Russian soil east oi 1 iclesjaiti ' where the Russians have been pushed back nearly to Thiuli and Lake Lavaare. The Finnish objective is Repola, an important Soviet base 30 miles north-east from the frontier. The.latest Russian bombing raids did not cause any deaths, but wounded some civilians. The initiative ,of Finnish. airmen is indicated by the bombing of a lighthouse at Baindlo, a Russian naval base.

WIPED OUT

TWO RUSSIAN COMPANIES ATTEMPT TO CROSS RIVER FAILS. COMMANDER TO BE REPLACED. LONDON, December 29. A communique states that hand-to-hand fighting marked the first Russian attempt to cross the Suvanto River, which is important to the flank defence of the Mannerheim Line, and of Karelia. Two Russian companies were wiped out. A Swedish survey of the situation shows that the Russians have nowhere penetrated Finland more than 30 miles. They were yesterday making a ■determined stand south of Salmijarvi, where they dug in after a hasty retreat from their advanced positions. Thp Finns failed to dislodge them, and withdrew for several miles. Some success attended earlier attempts to dynamite ill-guarded stretches of the vital Murmansk railway, the main avenue of supplies for the northern Russian forces. Some reports state that the Russians have already begun their new attack to push across the centre of Finland, and have brought into action large numbers of quick-firing artillery to assist their attempt. These troop concentrations, however, have not prevented the Finns from pressing their attack further •north, and the disruption caused to rail traffic following Finnish bombing has caused a food shortage in Murmansk. The Russian version of the fighting is that no events of importance have taken place. A Moscow report, however, states that the commander of the Leningrad military district is to be replaced. His successor is one of Russia’s youngest generals, whose experience consists chi’efly of fighting against the Japanese in Mongolia. In the district around Petsamo the Russians have completely lost the initiative, and are in a state of siege. On the north front, the Finns have relieved a threat to their own railway in their advance east of Petsamo. In their retreat the Russians lost a large number of men and much material. Helsinki learns that in their attack north-west of Lake Ladoga early this week the Russians endeavoured to outflank the Finns, and succeeded in crossing Lake Savonlinna, but they were subsequently driven back, and two divisions were wiped out. The capital had its first night air raid on Wednesday, but no damage was done. It is announced that Finnish airmen bombed the Leningrad-Murmansk railway in the northern section, causing considerable damage.—By radio.

NIGHT RAID

SOVIET PLANES OVER HELSINKI. RAILWAY REPORTED CUT. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) HELSINKI, December 29. The first night air raid occurred at midnight. Two explosions were heard. It is reported that a Finnish suicide company, breaking through from Sulla, destroyed part of the Murmansk-Len-ingrad railway. CRACK TROOPS ARRIVAL ON KARELIAN ISTHMUS. BATTALION OF WOMEN REACH MURMANSK. HELSINKI, December 29. One hundred thousand crack Ogpu troops have arrived on the Karelian Isthmus to stiffen the Russian assault. A battalion of 800 women, mostly Leningrad and Moscow factory hands, is reported to have arrived at Murmansk. FOREIGN PLANES ASSISTANCE FOR FINLAND. TRAINED AIRMEN READY. LONDON, December 29. It is reported in Helsinki that 40 English and 20 Italian aircraft have been embodied in the Finnish air force. A thousand trained airmen are waiting to take over the delivery of aeroplanes from England and America. Aid-for-Finland sentiment is growing in Norway, where the private aid given totals £222,000 apart from the augmentation of national defence. From Norway a contingent of ski experts is to go to Finland. In Sweden farmers’ wives have collected butter and 10,000 Swedish farmhouses are to receive refugees from Finland. Sweden has also sent 20,000 skis to Finland. From Denmark it is reported that further volunteers have left for Finland. Danish newspapers' also state that Italian volunteers have already reached Finland, but there is no confirmation of this. —By radio.