Serious Defeat' of
Finns Claimed
Reds Say 35 of
Foe
Captured as
Force
Is Surrounded
and
Position
Occupied
Moscow, Dec. 25.—AP—Th. Leningrad military
headquarters reported tonight that Russian reconnoitering units had routed two battalion,
of Finns near Jolomantri and occupied enemy positions at Suomusalmi after a
"serious" Finnish defeat.
The communique declared that the
action at Jolomantri the Russians had completely surrounded the Finns, who left
many wounded on the battlefield as they retired. Thirty-five Finns were reported
captured.
Suomusalmi, where the Russians said
they had overrun the enemy's fortified positions," is in middle Inland,
about 20 miles Inside the Finnish frontier.
Skirmishes, which the communique
said developed Into "serious encounters," were reported at several
other points on the front.
The successes, reported in the communique
were the first officially attributed to the Russian land forces in several days.
Advance Said
75 Miles From
Red Railroad
Defenders Report
of.
Russian
Battleship
Shelled; Minor
Victories
Announced
Helsinki, Dec. 35. — AP — The
Christmas Day communique of the Finnish command reported Finnish white-clad
troops fighting on Russian soil and reaching the vital Murmansk Railway.
Bombs from Russian warplanes fell
on more than half dozen Finnish cities, artillery shells exploded in one city
near the front, fighting in progress at several places.
War did not take a holiday.
"East of Llokja, military
operations ar. taking place .on the other side of the frontier," said the
Finnish communique covering the activities. of Dec. 24. It was the first
official confirmation that the war had reached into Russian soil. The statement
also announced Finnish batteries shelled the 26, ton Russian battleship Marat.
The Finns described minor
successes on several fronts while reports from Viipuri and Tampar indicated six
Russian warplanes had been shot down in Christmas day raids.
Military sources said the Finnish
troops in the Lieksa sector had driven across the frontier and were within 75
miles of the Murmansky railway, over which red army troops in the northern sector
must receive their supplies.
Russian
Planes Raid Finnish City Repeatedly
Then
Long Range Guns Begin Bombardment
BV LVNN
HENZERLING.
Viipuri, Finland, Dec, 26.—AP—
The shelling of this ancient city
by distant Russian cannon became more Intense late tonight after Russian
aircraft had delivered Christmas Day bombing of workers' section.
Two shells began dropping
simultaneously at half hour intervals.
One shell shook thw Kurt Posse Hotel. Soon after, another explosion started
a fire in the southeast section of the city.
Authorities cleared the
restaurants and dispersed other gatherings.
The only casualties from the earlier
aerial bombardment were two women injured and a girl who were injured. As the
raiders turned away and darkness fell, long range Russian
artillery took up the attack for the second successive night but they, to,
caused little damage.
The Christmas Day bombing of Viipuri,
whose famous castle built in 1793 was the center of the spread of Christianity.
In the Karelian area, kept most Finns huddled in cold, bombproof shelters.
King
Says People
Will
Sacrifice
All
for Freedom
British Ruler
Sends
Christmas
Message to
Empire and
Forces
Sandringham, England, Dec. 25
King George VI declared in a Christmas
war broadcast today that his people were "prepared to sacrifice everything
in order that freedom of the spirit may be saved to the world."
His address went to all parts of
the empire of 500 million people and to Britain’s fighting forces "which
Included a message from a royal air force pilot
flying at 6000 feet somewhere over England and from a destroyer leaving a
harbor to go on patrol duty.
"We can not tell what the
New Year at hand will bring—If It brings the peace for which all men want, how
thankful we all shall be, thanking all.
"But if It brings a a
renewed struggle it shall find us, undaunted."
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