IN NORTH FINLAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1939, Page 8

IN NORTH FINLAND

RUSSIANS MAKE PROGRESS FINNS PURSUED DOWN ARCTIC HIGHWAY. ATTACK CUTTING COUNTRY IN TWO. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, noon.) LONDON. December 19. An Associated Press of America Helsinki message states that the Finns have mobilised 400.000 men. Detachments retreating from Pitkcjarvi set fire to buildings before the Russian motorised troops pursued them down the Arctic Highway from Petsamo to Rovaniemi. If the Russians reach Rovaniemi, which a railway connects with Tornio, they would effectively bisect Finland. A British United Press Svanik message states that in order to consolidate their gains before resuming the attack, the Russians are digging in in newly-conquered territory in the far northern front. They are erecting barracks at Salmijarvi, near which they have concentrated 12,000 men and two hundred tanks. ,

RUSSIAN BOMBING DESTRUCTION IN FRONTIER TOWN. (Received This Day, noon.) HELSINKI, December 19. Soviet bombers three times raided Turku, Finland’s main gateway to Scandinavia, a town largely constructed of wood. Several houses were destroyed and many buildings were burned. No one was killed. RAID ON HELSINKI FINNS REPORT SHOOTING DOWN TWO PLANES. (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) HELSINKI, December 19. Eighteen Russian planes participated in a raid. Only four reached the city, at a great height, -nd dropped eleven bombs. There were no casualties. The Finns claim that an antiaircraft gun brought down two planes. MONEY FROM AMERICA CABLED TO M. RYTI. (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) NEW YORK, December 19. Mr Herbert Hoover has cabled M. Ryti (Premier of Finland) 100,000 dollars collected in the first week of the Finnish Relief Fund campaign.