BLINDING SNOWSTORM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 December 1939, Page 5

BLINDING SNOWSTORM

A blinding snowstorm yesterday plus the presence of a German refugee ship till the evening were apparently responsible for the day-long absence of bombers from Helsinki. The churches, nevertheless, as a precautionary measure abandoned their services. The school children have been given a vacation and allocated to evacuees. An army communique last night stated that the Finns were holding the line on the Karelian Isthmus through Vammelsuu, Kivennapa, Rautu and Metsapirtti to which they strategically retired after the first onslaught. The Russians occupied the unfortified islands of Seiskari and Lavacaari and unsuccessfully attacked the island of Hogland and Russaro, a port outside Hanko. Russia lost 21 planes. The communique added that the fronts were quiet yesterday except to the north of Lake Ladoga, where the front was very active. The enemy suffered heavy losses attempting to cross frozen lakes. They were easily seen, and where the ice was thin it frequently broke. The newspaper “Sanomat” says that about 1000 Russians were killed at Terijoki when land mines exploded. The Finns filled up trapped tanks With inflammable material and set them on fire. PETSAMO STILL HELD The newspaper adds that six Finnish divisions continue to hold the far northern town of Petsamo. The Russians unsuccessfully tried to land troops in Petsamo Fjiord from ships. The latest Red Army communique claims advances on all fronts, together with the occupation of the islands of Hogland. Seiskaari and Lavansaari. A Stockholm message says that the Russians claim advances from Uhtnaeg, which is in the same latitude as Uleaborg, representing an effort to cut Finland’s “waistline.” Military circles in Paris express the opinion that the Russian advances are small, namely, 12 miles along the Karelian Isthmus and just over three miles north of Lake Ladoga. The Moscow newspaper “Pravda” admits that the Finns are resisting more strongly and pays a tribute to the ef- ‘ fectiveness of the mines and sniper 1 posts concealed before their initial re- i treat. <