January 2, 1940; FINNS CAPTURE RUSSIAN ARMY BASE:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, JANUARY 2, 1940:

SMASH SOVIET TANK

ATTACK ON EASTERN
WAR FRONT

Associated Press Leased Wire)

HELSINKI, Jan. 2.—The capture of a Russian army base and the smashing of an all-day tank-supported Red army attack at two points on the eastern front were reported today by the Finnish army communique.

The Russian base at Aittajoki "passed from hand to hand during tire day" before the Finns finally took it, the communique said, adding that three machine guns, a field kitchen and 400 overcoats fell into their hands. Near Lake Lavajarvi the Russianswere said to have attacked the whole day with tanks supporting the infantry only to be repulsed with the loss of a tank destroyed.

Gains northeast of Lajfe. .Ladoga and in the Suomussalmi "region, scene of the week-end triumph overthe Russian one hundred and sixty third division, also were reported,.

Down Seven Planes
The Russians, the communique said, were being pursued in the direction of Juntuaranta, near the Finnish-Russian border.
The Finns reported seven Red army planes were shot down during raids yesterday in which the southwestern port of Turku (Abo) suffered heavily/ Large sections lay in smoking ruins today.

Unofficial reports said numerous Russian bombers had been forced down in Finnish territory by frigid weather and blizzards.

Claims Vary

 British Pilots
Battle Nazis \ in Raid

(United Pross Leased Wire)
LONDON, Jan. 2.—The air ministry announced that three Royal Air Force bombing planes fought 12 German Messerschmidt planes near the German coast today, shooting down one and perhaps two others. One R. A. F. plane was shot down a second is believed lost. One returned to it,s base. The German planes were long range fighting craft, the statement said.
(In Berlin, it was announced that three British bombers were shot down in the fight over the Helgoland bay, but that no German planes were lost.)