Page
THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 7, 1939
SOVIET INVASION
HELD ON ALL
FRONTS
Helsinki, To-day.
THE SOVIET ATTACKS are being held on all fronts, During the past few days, over 80 Soviet tanks have been destroyed on the southern front, and many more have been put out of action on the front north of Lake Ladoga, where there is fierce fighting in heavy snow.
On the Arctic front, the Finns are holding up the ad- vance of the Russians, who are constantly re- 'inforced. Reuter.
STUBBORN RESISTANCE
CONTINUES
The stubborn
Helsinki, To-day.
Finnish resistance-
to the Red invasion continues, and, issued according to a communique by General Headquarters, 80 Russian tanks have been destroyed or dam- aged since the war started.
over
Air operations yesterday were confined to a few reconnaissance flights by Red planes Petsamo. Owing to bad weather Finnish planes again only went up on reconnaissance flights. Practical help is coming to Finland from countries outside Scandinavia, ITALIAN PLANES In addition to the suggested Ameri- to Finland can action in returning the next instalment of her war debt, Italy is supplying Finland with planes. Fifty or sixty Italian planes have already arrived at Helsinki.-Reuter. ELEVEN TANK DIVISIONS IN RED FORCES (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL") Helsinki, To-day. Latest data reveals that the Soviet troops attacking Finland are from the 7th Army. commanded by and comprising Merejkov, divisions. Five divisions are reported to be massed at the Karelian Isthmus north of and four divisions to the Lake Ladoga.
General 11 lank
One of the main objectives of the Russlane is the railway line from Peirjaervi to Oulu, on the Gulf of Bothnia and the Ladoga districts. Far to the north Soviet troops comprise skiers from Kan- dalaksha, on the White Sea. Well-informed quarters estimate that the Russians advanced 40 kilo- metres and sustained heavy losses in the process.
Swedish
that
sources estimate 400,000 Finnish soldiers are facing half a million Soviet troops support- ed by
an overwhelming number of
planes. Havas.
PLANES SHOT DOWN
London, To-day.
Eight more Russian tanks were des- troyed in the Karelian Isthmus yes- terday, says a Finnish communique, making a total of 80 destroyed in this region since hostilities began.
Two big enemy planes were shot down north of Lake Ladoga.--Reuter. MURMANSK RAID DENIED
Moscow, To-day. Headquarters of the Leningrad mili- tary area denies the report that 80 So- viet planes were destroyed in a Fin- nish air raid on Murmansk,
It is stated that no raids were car-
ried out by the Finnish or any other air force in the Murmansk area. Reuter.
MOSCOW SILENCE
Moscow, To-day.
The Moscow wireless yesterday den- led the Finnish claims, but made no claims on behalf of the Soviets.
It was announced that Leningrad's anti-aircraft guns had been in action against Finnish 'planes.-Reuter.
HALF IN KARELIA
Helsinki, To-day.
under
It is understood that the Russians have thrown the 7th Army, General Mereskov, into the region comprised by the Karelian
and Lake Ladoga.
The 7th Army consists
Isthmus
of seven
infantry and four tank divisions, and
over half this force is believed to be in the Karelian area.
Here a series of spear thrusts have pushed into the Finnish ad- vanced defences, with the inten- tion of reaching the railway line starting at Oulu, in the Bothnian Gulf, running south-east towards the Russian frontier.
Eighty thousand Russians and 40,- 000 Finns are said to be fighting in the Karelian Isthmus.
GOLOSHES FOR SNOW!
The Finnish Army numbers nearly 500,000, and is stated to include se- veral Russian Commissars who fought in the civil war of 1917.
The Russian troops are reported to be poorly shod and are wearing rub. ber goloshes instead of boots, which are uncomfortable for marching.
EVACUATION PROCEEDS The evacuation of Finnish towns continues, and only a few residents remain in Helsinki.
A journalist yesterday visited a hospital 20 miles from Helsinki and saw the victims of air raida. There were some 100 adults and 25 children. Many of the children were terribly injured.
SPIES SHOT
It is reported that the Swedish ar- maments firm of Bofors is passing to Finland 25 anti-aircraft guns which were ordered by the Polish Govern- ment but could not be delivered in time.
Three sples, alleged to have been discovered sending radlo messages to Moscow were shot yesterday.— Reuter.
NAVY GETS ANOTHER PRIZE
Capetown, To-day. Another German merchantman, this time, of 8,000 tons, has been captured by the Royal Navy. An attempt was made to scuttle her, but this was prevented and she is being taken in as a prizo.
Her crew are all safe on board a British vessel.
The ship sailed from Lourenco Marques 24 hours before war was declared. She was later seen al
Bahia Blanca.
The vessel is the liner, Ussu- kuma, and she was taken in the South Atlantic, according to an official statement.-Reuter.
DENMARK'S ATTITUDE
Copenhagen, To-day. The 'latest demonstration of sym- pathy for Finland came in the Danish Parliament yesterday afternoon.
When the Danish Communist leader rose to speak, the members of all the other parties-both Right and Left- got up and walked out, leaving him to address two men-his fellow Com-
munists.
a
When the session was resumed, member asked whether it was not high time that Denmark broke off relations with Russia.-Reuter.
LOOK
AT
THIS
VALUE
PENINSULA
HOTEL
1
ANOTHER R.A.F. RAID
London, To-day.
Another raid by British planes on German naval bases is announced in a brief Admiralty statement,
was
It is indicated that the raid completely successful and that all the machines returned safely.
was
The Berlin statement, which ad- mits the raid, says that the attack concentrated against bases in Schleswig-Holstein and claims that owing to the intensity of German anti- aircraft fire, the British planes were driven off without being able to drop any bombs.
No bomb it is asserted dropped on German territory.
The allegation is made that the Bri- tish machines escaped over Danish territory.-Reuter.
BRITISH DENIAL
London, To-day.
that The Air Ministry announces R.A.F. aircraft carried out a success- ful flight over north Germany last evening.
The announcement adds there is no truth whatever in the German asser- tion that the British aircraft flew over Denmark.
Reuter.
SWEDISH CABINET
RECONSTRUCTION
has
pro-
Stockholm, To-day. The Swedish Prime Minister confirmed that discussions are ceeding for the formation of a Cabinet on a broader basis.-Reuter.
BRITISH MADE TEA SETS FOR
6 PERSONS
[5. CHARMING NEW DESIGNS ·
MODERN STYLE
OUR PRICE
$1250
SET.
WHITEAWAY'S
Announcing NEXT
SUNDAY,
10th DECEMBER, '39
MILITARY
BAND CONCERT
THE BAND OF THE 2nd Bn. The ROYAL SCOTS (THE ROYAL REGT.)
By kind permission of LT. COL. D. J. MCDOUGALL, M.C. and OFFICERS.
UNDER THE DIRECTION OF
H. B. JORDAN, A.R.C.M.
IN THE LOUNGE-9 P.M. TILL 11 P.M.
No Admission charge
THE HONGKONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.