The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-12-15

niSh machine gunnerS gave the
Russians on the other bank about
800 yards away short burst OF
fire, and every few seconds the
snipers took shot at some moving
figure.
The Russians were concentrating
their fire on a little woods Of silver
birches. At each explosion big
chunks of frozen earth flew UP
about so feet, mixed with branches
of trees, and a cloud of black smoke
drifted away.
Not Doing Any Harm
"They aren't doing us any harm,
an officer said. I'VE are saving our
ammunition. We have many bat
teries up here which have not fired
We are saving them for a surprise
for the Reds"
He said that every night Finnish
raiding parties padded across the
river in boats, slipped up silently on
the Russian camps, and blazed into
them with little machine guns
which weigh only eight pounds
Usually there are three men to Q
party.
This morning we shot down two
Russians right on the bank over
there" said the officer. "They were
perched In trees, observing"
had one Of the best grand stand
seats I have had In covering II
wars or warlets.
The Finnish trench bent as 1t fol-
lowed the river bank and we could
stand In the front line and watch
without glasses as the shells cas-
caded into the Finnish territory on
our right 400 yards away. The
bursts were SO close one could feel
the conclusion on his face like q
gust Of wind.
Whine OF Shells
Every few seconds you would hear
the whine of a shell coming. In a
few seconds you saw a geyser Of
earth, snow and smoke shoot up.
When the shells burst In the woods
sometimes chunks of trees a dozen
feet long shot up SO or go feet. In
second or two after that you
heard and felt the explosion. You
couldn't help, try as you might, pull
ling your head down. You knew
the shell had already burst.
We tried to see the Finnish sub
marine on the lake. An officer said
briefly but eloquently that 1t was Sin
uSe." The Russians have fleet Of
lake boats. He said that Finnish
artillery last week sank three RUS
sian transports on the lake.
1t Is the strangest war I have
seen. 1t Is fought In a winter fai-
ryland. There Is an occasional
farm house and meadow. The rest
of the country Is covered with thick
spruce and birch forests. Every
twig of every tree Is coated thick
with glittering ice and snow. They
look like artificial trees made OF
spun glass.
Invisible Against Snow
The Finnish troops cover their
uniforms with snow-white parka
or cloak of ankle length, with a
hood covering their heads. They
are almost invisible against the
snow. Automobiles at the front are
whitewashed. Our own cars. were
"bleached" at Viipuri on the way up
1t Is bitterly cold most Of the time
particularly at night. I wore thicl
wooden underwear, O flannel shirt
q wooden sweater, O vest, coat
fleece-lined trench coat, heavy boot
and thick sheep skin cap, but ]
often shivered In the Icy wind. Tht
hardy Finnish officers who walked
along the front with us often wort
no overcoats, In some cases NJ
gloves. On outpost duty, the Fin.
nish soldiers wear heavy fur linet
coats. Nobody seems to be suffer.
ing In the slightest from the cold.
Russians Are Suffering
But the Russians, judging from
prisoners I have seen, are suffering
severely. Their shoes are thin ans
of poor quality. Nearly every pris.
oner brought In Is suffering from
frozen feet.
AS we left the front line as dark.
ness fell In mid-afternoon, lonl
lines Of Finnish transport sledgel
were coming up, long, a foot high
horse drawn. Each carries four sol
diers. In the dark we drove with.
out lights. We passed shadow,
columns Of men, going to the front
on the narrow Icy roads. Occasion.
ally we slid of the road into {
ditch and had to get out and push
back. There Is about a foot OF snow
at the front. The Firms hope FOL
more. They can ski-the Russians
can not. There are low white
clouds. There Is seldom any sur
during the five hours Of daylight.
I have been able to see the ex.
tensions In front Of the Mannerhein
line. They are impressive. Machine
gun posts are hidden among big
builders. There are miles Of
trenches and barbed wire and anti.