THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 6, 1939
LAST
BRITONS ORDERED
TO LEAVE LEAVE
HELSINKI
THREE A-M. CALL
BY LEGATION
TO EVACUATE
London, To-day.
"THE DEPARTURE of the last Britons from Helsinki was arranged in the early hours of yesterday," writes Reuter's special correspondent Helsinki.
in
"I and the British-born manager of a local tobacco factory were the only Britons sleeping in the heart of the city.
"We were awakened at 3.30 a.m. by telephone and instructed to present ourselves immediately at the Legation for a trip to a secret hide-out with other Britishers who spent the night on the out-
skirts of the city.
"The spirit and pluck of the young Finns to whom I talked before our
departure was amazing.
་་
"Our men are just playing with
the Russians, who are losing tanks
by the dozen,' declared one."
While Helsinki and other towns enjoyed their third day of uneasy respite, Finnish troops in the extreme north were feverishly digging them- selves in amid the charred and smoking ruins of Petsamo and Salmi- jaervi.
NO BOMBING
Although no Soviet bombers
ap-. peared over Helsinki yesterday, everyone listened and watched for the first sign of the mass air raid which is expected.
Now considerable fears are ex. pressed for to-day, which is the twenty-first anniversary of land's independence.
Fin-
Many Finns fear Moscow spared them yesterday in order that the threatened destruction should coin- cide with this anniversary, but con- ditions to-day are likely to be un- favourable for any air activity.
HEAVY FIGHTING
In the neighbourhood of Petsamo and Salmijaervi the Finns are pre- paring to offer energetic resistance to the Soviet attack, which is expected in the near future.
Fighting in the district has already been heavy, and it is ad. mitted that the Russians have gained a certain advance.
The Russians are pouring in troops by sea and rail, but hitherto the re- inforcements have not been strong enough to make a really successful
frontal attack on the main Finnish
positions.
Meanwhile, streams of fugitives continue to cross the Norwegian 'fron- tier, but not a single Finnish soldier has passed into Norway. Reuter.
Moscow, To-day.
SOVIET
RELIEF.
TROOPS INTERCEPTED
Rome, To-day.
Finnish aircraft yesterday at- tacked and dispersed Sovlet troops which were marching to- wards Petsamo according to a despatch from Helsinki, which also states that Finnish anti-air- craft defences have Infilcted heavy losses among Soviet air- craft attempting to bomb the hydro-electric plants at Imatra.
The report adds that 40,000 Finnish troops are holding 80,000 Russians on the Karelian lath- mus.-Reuter.
ALLEGED BRITISH
DECISION CRITICISED
Chungking, To-day. Chinese circles criticise the alleged British decision not to seize German arms exports, to Japan.
Mr. R. Sandler, the Foreign Minister of Sweden, who is the latest butt of the Soviet Press.
FINLAND'S APPEAL TO LEAGUE
RUSSIANS USING DUM-DUMS
Helsinki, To-day.
The Finnish authorities have evidence proving that the Russians are using dum- dum bullets. (A dum-dum
bullet is one with the nose sawed off, which has the effect of
spreading the charge to a terrible extent when it enters the body)..
The Finns also say they have evi- dence that the Reds are shooting their own men from behind.
In fierce Aghting at Salmi many prisoners were taken.
In one engagement eight out of ten Red tanks were destroyed.
Prisoners taken by the Finns are said to have been told it would take five or six days to conquer Finland, and that Finland was the aggressor!
FINNISH LOSSES
Finnish losses in the last few days
are stated to have been very small. that the Russians have taken the is- land of Tutasaari, and the Finns have moved to the mainland.
The Finnish naval authorities state
London, To-day. Replying to a question in the House of Commons yes- terday regarding Finland's appeal to the League, the Prime Minister said the ac-owing tion of the Finnish Govern-planes ment was taken on their own initiative.
i
The League Council had been sum- moned for Saturday, and the Assem- bly was expected to meet on Monday. Great Britain would be represented by Mr. R. A. Butler, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, who will make a statement on behalf of the British Government.
Reuter.
There was no air fighting yesterday to the weather, but Finnish made reconnaissance flights and bombed enemy troops.-Reuter.
GERMANS IN AFRICA FORM SANTI-NAZI ORGANISATION
Johannesburg, To-day. Germans have formed an anti-Nazi organisation in Johannesburg,
with branches in other towns.-Reuter.
RED ARMY GETTING SEVERE MAULING
Helsinki, To-day.
A FINNISH WAR communique issued last night says that in three days' fighting in Karelia the Finns captured 64 Red tanks.
Fierce
In one battle, 2,000 Russians were killed.
fighting is continuing north of Lake Ladoga. The Finns admit that the Russians have taken one
Finnish island and bombarded another.
:
There has been an engagement on port having destroyed 60 Soviet 'planes Lake Ladoga between light Russian] by means of small incendiary bomba. In a strongly worded article the in-naval forces and Finnish shore bat- Finnish troops are reported to have fluential "Ta Kung Pao"
declares. teries.
annihilated two whole Russian tank "We cannot understand the alleged A communique issued in Moscow regiments, of 40 tanks each. The gives no details of the fighting but tanks were destroyed by anti-tank. ar- simply denies all Finnish claims. tillery-Reuter, Reuter.
According to the latest Soviet bul-British decision not to seize German letin the Red Army has advanced arms exports to Japan. between 25 and 29 miles into Karellan Isthmus.
the
"We are all neutrals in the European war, and why therefore grant special the privileges to Japan? That is an in-
It is suggested by this that Soviet troops are only just within striking distance of the Mannerheim Line, Finland's main defence system, after five days of fighting-Reuter.
SOVIET LANDINGS
Oslo, To-day.
justice.
"That arms exports especially are montioned Is particularly strange.
-
NICKEL-MINES CITY BOMBED
London, To-day, Three Soviet aeroplanes bombed the nickel-mines' city near Petsamo yesterday,
According to reports, the city has been burned to the ground.
The Russians have landed addi- tional troops from a cruiser and two destroyers.-Reuter.
PROFOUND REGRETS
"The reason why Japan is import- ing arms from Germany is to wage the Soviet warships have been observ-war of aggression in China, and Bri ed landing troops on both sides of tain is alleged to have particularly ex- the Petsamo Fjord, according to re- cluded such German exports to Japan
· FINNISH AIR FORCE ports received here. ·
from seizure.
COUP AT MURMANSK The Finns, made no attempt to "We have no other explanation ex- stop the landing.
cept that Britain is deliberately mak-
Helsinki, To-day. They are awaiting the Russians ating matters difficult for China, and we Finnish 'planes carried out a sur- Petsamo, which is stated to be strong- must express our profound regrets.”—prise air raid yesterday on the Soviet ly fortified.-Reuter,
Reuter,
base at Murmansk, where they
SALMIJAERVI BOMBED
Oslo, To-day. Three Russian warplanes are re- ported to have bombed Balmijaørvi.
A number of explosions were heard on the Norwegian frontier.--Reuter.
FINNISH MINISTER HELD
London, To-day. The Finnish Minister in Moscow is being held in the Legation and is un- able to leave the country, according to a Finnish source in London.
In the Salmi region the Finns claim to have made a considerable advance, inflicting "very heavy losses."
They also claim an advance in the re-Karelian Isthmus. Router.
3