FINNISH WAR

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21036, 12 February 1940, Page 7

FINNISH WAR

RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE ATTACK ON MANNERHEIM HEAVY CASUALTIES (Uniled Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 11 The Russians continue to pound the Finnish line from the Gulf of Finland to Lake Ladoga. The Finns claim that they have not yielded a yard. A Finnish war communique says the Soviet has maintained its offensive for the ninth successive day without success. The Finns have captured 32 tanks and shot down four enemy aeroplanes. The Karelian Isthmus is the scene of violent fighting. Heavy Russian artillery and tanks, supported by massed infantry attacks, were thrown against the Mannerheim Line, but were repulsed with heavy losses. The Russians lost another 800 men north-east of Lake Ladoga. The enemy pressure is heaviest in the Summa sector. All attacks have been repulsed, The enemy losses include a column of 60 lorries and two tanks. The commander of the 11th Russian Division, Colonel Borisov, was killed. The enemy’s weak efforts in the Suomussalmi sector were repulsed. The enemy lost four aeroplanes there. Russian Claim The Russians claim that they are winning against the Mannerheim Line. They announce the occupation of an artillery position just west of the Summa sector, comprising eight batteries, and also the capture of five similar positions between Lake Ladoga and Sakkola. The invaders are obviously sorely trying the endurance of the Mannerheim Line, at a daily cost of thousands of men, says another report. Finnish losses are also considerable, under closely co-ordinated attacks from artillery, tanks and aeroplanes.

The Russians are preventing the reinforcement of critical sectors by increased activity on the Arctic, Salla and Kuhmo fronts, and revitalised resistance north-east of Lake Ladoga. A Finnish communique says the Soviet losses since the outbreak of the war are 327 aeroplanes, 594 tanks, 206 guns, 572 cars, lorries and tractors, 63 field kitchens, eight ships and one submarine.