ISLAND FORTRESS ABANDONED BY FINNS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 February 1940, Page 5

ISLAND FORTRESS ABANDONED BY FINNS

Flank of Mannerheim Line Weakened

MOTION IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

INSTANT HELP IN ACCORDANCE WITH LEAGUE RESOLUTION

(Press Association and Daventry Radio.) LONDON, February 27.

The fortress on Bjorko Island has been definitely abandoned to the Russians, and the Finns are preparing to evacuate civilians from Sakkijarvi, five miles inland opposite Viborg, across Viborg Bay. With the fall of Bjorko the western end of the Mannerheim Line has lost one of its strongest points. The batteries on Bjorko have been an important factor in holding up the Russian advance on the shores of the Gulf of Finland over the last three months, and their fire held back the Russian warships. They also stopped a, Russian flanking movement over the iee. Their loss is serious. Elsewhere, in spite of terrific Riissiau pressure, the Finns are holding their second line of defence on the isthmus, and toward the centre have counter-attacked. The latest report, indicates that the Russians are still no nearer Viborg than they have been for several days, and that, there are still miles of defences to be overcome before they can take the city. In London yesterday at the resumption of the session of the House of Commons Commander 0. Locker-Lampson (Conservative) tabled the following motion: “In view of Finland’s imminent peril of overthrow and the fact that the Allied armies are intact, that the Government free a substantial force for instant service in Finland under the League of Nations, and that the Government appoint a committee comprising members of the House of Commons for forwarding this purpose.’’

A DEVASTATED TOWN

The town of Viborg, which is the main object of the Russian offensive, has now lost many buildings through the Russian bombardment, and its sole inhabitants are soldiers. Though the Russians in places are only six miles from the town, the strong defensive lines will have to be overcome before they can capture it, and this will be done only with tremendous loss. The Russians shell Viborg every night, and it-is now the most devastated part of Finland. Household belongings lie piled in the streets where the civil population was unable to take them with them when moving out. There is no water or electric light, and the only building undamaged is the railway station.

A Finnish spokesman in London yesterday said that the retreat of the Finns on the Karelian Isthmus had been caused, not by lack of men. but’ by shortage of artillery ahd ammunition.

It was reported from Stockholm this morning that, though the. Finns had abandoned the fortress of Bjorko, they removed all the guns and withdrew the garrison with all its equipment to the mainland.

It is considered that the garrison could have held out longer, but rather than stage a spectacular finale, it. was thought better purpose could be served in withdrawing to the mainland.

Helsinki reports that 96 bombers raided the capital four times yesterday.

A great battle is reported to be raging in the Petsamo grea, in the far north, where numbers of Russian bombers carried out mass attacks. Finnish planes from other fronts have reinforced the defences to help drive off the assailants.

The Swedish Parliament has approved the change-over from free currency to control. Since last September

Sweden has' lost gold holdings to the value of £5,000,000. The newspaper “Dagens Nyheter” points out that defence involves large purchases abroad to help Finland, and has necessitated the exportation of large amounts of Swedish currency.

A message from Washington says that the Finnish Legation there reveals that it is considering ordering artillery projectiles. It has already ordered 1,100,000 dollars' worth of infantry cartridges and bought and shipped 44 planes.