BOMBING ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 December 1939, Page 5

BOMBING ATTACKS

DEATHS & DESTRUCTION IN FINNISH TOWNS MANY FIRES RAGING IN CAPITAL i PILGRIMAGE OF REFUGEES I ON FOOT. ' TO SNOW-COVERED WOODS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, December 1. in Helsinki last night rescue work was progressing rapidly. The population is completely calm, although harassed parents are frantically searching for their children. It is believed at least 200 persons were killed in the third raid on the main railway station, which was crowded with women and children preparing to evacuate. The town of Niipuri is also burning in several parts, and air-raid sirens sounded in Turku, Finland's second largest c'ty, as the roar of high-flying planes was detected. Twenty buildings in Helsinki were still ablaze at midnight. All trains are jammed, and a vast pilgrimage on foot is in progress to the snow-covered woods. Bombers raided tile city at 9 p.m. and were met with heavy anti-aircraft fire. One plane was shot down in Hames. Turku and Lahti were? also bombed mid four persons were killed. Soviet planes partially destroyed several small Finnish towns above the Ardic circle in the vicinity of the Norwegian frontier. I he lumber port of Kotka was also set ablaze by bombs, and there were severe casualties among the civilian population. that the Russian bombing of Finnish towns has not recurred. It was not known what effect the resignation of the Finnish Cabinet would have or whether it was connected with the ultimatum from Russia, which has not so far been confirmed, but it was recognised that the resignation of Professor Cajander. M Erkko and Baron von Mannerheim was one of the moves Russia desired and might, make future negotiations easier. Al. sea it was stated that the unlv Soviet success was the capture of a small island in the Gulf of Finland. The island of Hanko in the Gulf of Finland was being heavily shelled by Soviet warships.