MOST SERIOUS

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21042, 19 February 1940, Page 8

MOST SERIOUS

THE FINNISH POSITION ADVANCE OF RUSSIANS MARSHAL’S STIRRING CALL (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 13 The Finnish position in the Mannerheim Line is regarded as most serious, says a report from Helsinki. In the hope of gaining a respite, the Finns have bombed the railway on the Karelian Isthmus leading from Leningrad and set fire to several stations. The farthest point which the Russians have reached is believed to be about five miles from the outside edge of the line, which varies in depth from 10 to 20 miles. Finnish fighters and bombers are going ceaselessly ever the Russian lines, which are guarded by about 200 Russian fighting aircraft. The pressure on the Finnish line to the north-east of the isthmus is said today to have eased slightly. A stirring call which brings t? mind Earl Haig’s “Backs to the Wall” message of the Great War was issued last night by Marshal Mannerheim, Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Forces, to his hard-pressed troops on the Karelian Isthmus. He told his men that they must carry on in face of terrific odds in the new positions to which they have withdrawn, and called on them to defend the new line with such determination that the enemy forces would be exhausted. Marshal Mannerheim added that they were not fighting alone. Foreign help had arrived and more was on the way. He concluded his message by saying: “The situation as it is developing offers us every prospect of success.” Cries and Shots A great pall of smoke and fire yesterday spread over the Srnnma sector of the Mannerheim Line and eyewitnesses report that the Finns holding the line can, in places, hardly see the Russian troops. Then can hear their cries and shots as they advance through the smoke. The Finns have suffered the worst day for air raids with 300 bombers constantly raiding 14 towns, chiefly ports in the Gulf of Bothnia and railway junctions in the west of Finland. Incendiary machine-gun bullets set fire to buildings and bombs killed 10 civilians.