Colin1
Senior Master Sergeant
Sorry
I only noticed this today in yesterday's paper, doesn't quite belong in the 'War in Europe 65 years ago' thread as it wasn't 65 years ago
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Soviet Troops Reported in Revolt
Fierce fighting among detachments
'Planes and machine guns bomb own soldiers'
From our special correspondent, Helsinki, Friday
A revolt was reported late tonight to have broken out among Soviet troops in the Salla sector of the Finnish Arctic front. The official Finnish News Agency stated that Russian 'planes have been forced to bomb and machine-gun their own troops in this area.
"There has been fierce fighting between Russian infantry detachments" added the statement. "While shooting was going on, shouting and cries could be heard".
A detachment of Finnish troops, it was reported tonight, reached and damaged the Murmansk railway which carries the supplies from Leningrad to the Russian troops in the far north. Transport has been interrupted, stopping food supplies to Murmansk where the civil population was said to be in a state of revolt.
The Finnish ski patrols which have penetrated Russian territory east of Salla, were not confined, I was told today, to the one 'Suicide Company' of 250 men who were first sent forward to attack the Murmansk railway.
Several patrols of 100 or 200 men each are now operating behind the Russian forces attacking towards Kemijaervi. The Soviet forces, estimated at 10,000 men are thus completely cut off, since Finnish patrols are believed to have destroyed their slender lines of communication.
General Wallenius, commanding the Finnish Northern Army, has collected a considerable force to oppose the Russians, who are expected to make a frenzied push towards Kemijaervi.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports stated that the original 'Suicide Patrol' had penetrated as far as Kandalaksha, the important Russian base at the head of Kandalaksk Bay, an arm of the White Sea.
Exceptionally good war maps have been found on the bodies of Russian officers on the Salla front. They are of better quality than those used by the Finnish General Staff itself.
It is understood that these maps are of German origin and were prepared by the cartographical department of the German High Command.
There is very little change in the deadlock before the Mannerheim Line on the Karellian Isthmus. The Russians are still collecting huge reinforcements. These include Siberian troops who have been transferred from Manchuria because of their familiarity with severe weather conditions and the accuracy of their shooting.
Finnish military circles believed that an attempt might shortly be made to land Russian parachute troops behind the Mannerheim Line. Dispositions have been made accordingly.
I only noticed this today in yesterday's paper, doesn't quite belong in the 'War in Europe 65 years ago' thread as it wasn't 65 years ago
-----------------------------------------------------
Soviet Troops Reported in Revolt
Fierce fighting among detachments
'Planes and machine guns bomb own soldiers'
From our special correspondent, Helsinki, Friday
A revolt was reported late tonight to have broken out among Soviet troops in the Salla sector of the Finnish Arctic front. The official Finnish News Agency stated that Russian 'planes have been forced to bomb and machine-gun their own troops in this area.
"There has been fierce fighting between Russian infantry detachments" added the statement. "While shooting was going on, shouting and cries could be heard".
A detachment of Finnish troops, it was reported tonight, reached and damaged the Murmansk railway which carries the supplies from Leningrad to the Russian troops in the far north. Transport has been interrupted, stopping food supplies to Murmansk where the civil population was said to be in a state of revolt.
The Finnish ski patrols which have penetrated Russian territory east of Salla, were not confined, I was told today, to the one 'Suicide Company' of 250 men who were first sent forward to attack the Murmansk railway.
Several patrols of 100 or 200 men each are now operating behind the Russian forces attacking towards Kemijaervi. The Soviet forces, estimated at 10,000 men are thus completely cut off, since Finnish patrols are believed to have destroyed their slender lines of communication.
General Wallenius, commanding the Finnish Northern Army, has collected a considerable force to oppose the Russians, who are expected to make a frenzied push towards Kemijaervi.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports stated that the original 'Suicide Patrol' had penetrated as far as Kandalaksha, the important Russian base at the head of Kandalaksk Bay, an arm of the White Sea.
Exceptionally good war maps have been found on the bodies of Russian officers on the Salla front. They are of better quality than those used by the Finnish General Staff itself.
It is understood that these maps are of German origin and were prepared by the cartographical department of the German High Command.
There is very little change in the deadlock before the Mannerheim Line on the Karellian Isthmus. The Russians are still collecting huge reinforcements. These include Siberian troops who have been transferred from Manchuria because of their familiarity with severe weather conditions and the accuracy of their shooting.
Finnish military circles believed that an attempt might shortly be made to land Russian parachute troops behind the Mannerheim Line. Dispositions have been made accordingly.
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