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WARSHIP SEARCH FOR AIR LINER
London, To-day.
A British warship is lead- ing the search for a British air liner carrying a crew of five and five passengers, which is overdue at Malta and is missing in the Mediter-
ranean.
The machine left Alexandria on Thursday and made a schedule call at Sollum, about 300 miles west of Alexandria. It then took off for Malta.
The plane's last massage was received by Malta wireless sta- tion at 10.30 p.m. (G.M.T.), since when there has been no trace of the machine, which gave out no distress signale.
An ships in the neighbourhood have been informed, and the Italian authorities are conducting a search
Reuter. along the Lybian coast.
D.S.O.'S FOR OFFICERS
LONDON, TO-DAY.
FIVE D.S.O.'S, AWARDED IN
CONNECTION WITH THE OPERA TIONS IN PALESTINE BETWEEN APRIL 3 AND JULY 30, WERE NOTIFIED IN THE GAZETTE LAST NIGHT.
The recipients are:- Colonel W. H. O. Ramsden, Ist Hampshires;
Lieut.-Col. A. M. Ritchie, 1st Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders,
Major A. K. Hamilton, 2nd Black Watch:
Major H. G. Veasey, 2nd East Burreys; and
Major Maxwell Border Regiment.
Eirington, the Reuter.
HEINKEL SHOT DOWN
London, To-day.
British Achterk who attacked. Get-" man Heinkel bombers in the Tirth of Forth yesterday report that advarent- by one-Heinkel sustained a direct hit. The Nazi plane was emitting black smoke and then dived into the clouds, A splash of foam was seen below the place of combat. -- Reuter,
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IN
ARMY
RETREAT
(SPECIAL TO “CHINA MAIL")
Oslo, To-day. THE REVIVAL OF VERY fierce fighting is reported in the vicinity of the Norwegian border; strong Finnish reinforcements are participating. The correspondent of the newspaper "Arbeiders Bladet" reports that the Soviets are still retreat- ing northward towards Petsamo under harassing fire from the Finns.
Another reason for the Russian re-
treat is the intense increasing cold fol- lowing the snowstorms of the days.—Havas.
past
RETREAT NOW A ROUT
Copenhagen, To-day. The Russian retreat in the extreme north of Finland continues, state re- ports received here yesterday.
The Finns are cautiously solidating their advance.
con-
It appears that the whole of the Russian forces in this area began to retreat in an orderly manner, but lat- er they retired in disordered flight, discarding their arms and equipment on the way.
on
RETREAT ABOUT 16 MILES. They are already 20 to 30 kilometres from the positions they occupied Wednesday, and they are evidently at- the tempting to return to Kola, on Murmansk railway, and not to-- Pet- Red samo, at which port most of the forces landed.
The tactics employed by Marsha Mannerheim, the Finnish commander- in-chief and national hero, are meet- ing with success, it is stated-Reuter.
350 PLANES UP
Helsinki, To-day. planes "Over 350 Russian over Finland yesterday but the
were
re-
suits they achieved were very small," declared a Staff colonel, summing up Finland's position after three weeks of war.
Interviewed by Reuter, the colonel said enemy activity had taken place at every possible point on the whole frontier.
"In the Karellan Isthmus, which we consider one of the essential points to defend, we allowed the Russians ta advance until the first lines were reached. These we are now halding, -
DETERMINED BID "The Russians made a determined bid to break this defence but were unsuccessful. They used. over 1,000
·tanīts and they have already lost,250. of them.
the
"Experience has shown that enemy forces” are ́not 'particularly -to be dreaded, and they have not achfev-. ed 'any important military success. "Our special observation posts; manned by women; are doing an axesflent, job, and Important in- formation is recolved immediate-
ly.
"It has been confirmed that "dur- ing the last three days "we have shot down 35 planes.
the
SQUADRONS SPLIT
Aefence mended in ey emy “* squadrons:
nall:
Testilted in bombs be-
ces anywhere.
illaris werd Including one
Regarding the sea, the colonel said: "The coast between the Karelian Isthmus and the Aaland Islands la perhaps the most strongly fortified coast in Europa. "The enemy's success hitherto has been limited to the outer islands in the Gulf, which are not fortified.
"The Soviet navy has not risked Coastal big engagements with our defences."-Reuter.
SEVERE LOSSES
London, To-day. The Soviet retreat in the far north of Finland is now believed to have cleared the area south of Salmilaervi of Russian troops, according to neutral observers near the Norwegian frontier.
These observers report that the Soviets are retreating in disorder and have suffered severe losses. ammunition They lack food and and cannot start their tanks and armoured cars because of the cold.--
with They are also taking back
less material than they them far brought with them in their advance. The Finns are reported to be only sending patrols in nursuit.-Router.
RUSSIAN PRESS SILENT
Moscow, To-day.
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DOG-FIGHT
OVER THE
MAGINOT
LINE
London, To-day. A "dog fight" between three four R.A.F. fighters and Messerschmidts occurred yes-
terday afternoon near the Maginot France.
Line in
eastern
The British aircraft claim to have shot down two of the enemy planes, but darkness fell before they could be located.
Two British planes, Hurricane fight- The pilots ers, were brought down. were killed.--Reuter.
London, To-day. An Air Ministry announcement in fight over connexion with the air the Maginot Line states Messerschmidts dived clouds and attacked fighter patrol planes.
Two of our patrol and one Mes- serschmidt were shot down.
that four
out of the three British
A second Messerschmidt was driven down but not seen to crash Reuter.
“STRONG - ACTIVITY
IN THE AIR"
Paris, To-day.
Last night's French war communi- que stated: "On the whole it was a quiet day along the land front.
"There was fairly strong activity in
Reuter, the air on both sides.”
www.
are claimed at any point.
on
A new Soviet decree imposes sen- The Russian press and radio still tences of 10 years' imprisonment
of the black-out rules in say very little about the progress of violators operations in Finland, and for the Leningrad and the neighbouring dis- third day in succession no advances | tricts.-Reuter. HUMAN
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