24 September 1941

Detachment Lagus captures the village of Derevjannoje.

IR 50/11D. captures Polovina.

http://i.imgur.com/TX0aBgft.jpg

North Finland: Gebirgs-Korps Norwegen withdraw in the Petsamo area after suffering over 10 000 casualties since the start of the operation on September 7th.

Sweden's Prince Gustaf Adolf visits Mannerheim.

Finnish daily losses: 92

http://i.imgur.com/lMWomfLl.jpg
Graves of fallen Germans along the Alakurtti-Kantalahti road.

25 September 1941

Mannerheim writes a letter to the German leadership explaining extensively and in detail the situation in Finland. The letter is in response to an earlier letter sent to Mannerheim by Wilhelm Keitel on behalf of Hitler. In this letter Wilhem Keitel implicitly recognizes the deterioration of the German forces.

Mannerheim emphasizes the difficulties produced by the war in Finland. Business and industry calls for demobilizing of older age groups from the army. However, Petroskoi and Karhumäki are going to be captured before the onset of winter, but on the Isthmus and Svir further advance will not be possible.

Finnish daily losses: 114

http://i.imgur.com/7cgTqVhl.jpg
Lotta using an old aircraft fuel pump to pump water from a well.

26 September 1941

The President decides to give Parliament a bill for the purchase of livestock to uprooted people who are in need of 50 000 cows. People with six or more cows would be required to sell some of their livestock.

Finnish daily losses: 148

http://i.imgur.com/pOosCV8l.jpg
German camp in Alakurtti.

Mannerheim Cross recipient(s)

Private Emil Pasanen
- For holding an enemy counter-attack of around 200 men alone during the battle of Prääžä.

Corporal Veikko Vehviläinen
- For showing bravery and resourcefulness as a squad leader in a number of battles.

27 September 1941

Detachment Lagus advances to Orsega, 10km south of Petroskoi.

Prince Gustaf Adolf visits Svir.

In spite of the official policy of neutrality, the Swedish royal family follows
with interest and compassion the Finland's struggle. Prince Gustaf Adolf,
who has visited Finland often before, was received at the Karelian Army as
a guest to follow the ongoing military forays. The Prince visits Lotinapelto,
where he comes under Soviet artillery bombardment. Swedish military
attache Colonel von Stedingk points out that this is the first time for 150
years, when a member of the Swedish royal family is under enemy fire.

Finnish daily losses: 132

http://i.imgur.com/FwzMdB8l.jpg
Lake Ladoga's guard

28 September 1941

No entry for this day.

Instead, here is translation of the war diary entry of Field Post Office 1.



Finnish daily losses: 139

http://i.imgur.com/DS6mDGNl.jpg
Kuorilahti.

Nothing to report and yet 139 losses, almost as bad as during most of 1941 in the front...

I go by what's written in Jatkosota - Kronikka. Fighting was definitely going on yesterday, but the book chose not to mention it.

29 September 1941

East Karelia: Group O(inonen) is ordered to halt its advance on the northern flank of VII AK due to lack of progress.

Finnish daily losses: 114

http://i.imgur.com/pEAWKtkl.jpg
Colonel Malm, veteran of the Aunus Expedition of 1919.

That might be a reflection of the situation on the front as well. The advance was halting so there was no successes to report. Back at the day there probably was not much reported in the magazines or radio either. "Nothing new in the western front"

Indeed. Not too much happening other than the push to Petroskoi.

30 September 1941

Soviet forces begin to withdraw from Petroskoi.

11.Division cuts the city's railway and road connections to north.

Finnish daily losses: 102

http://i.imgur.com/36xsfuQl.jpg
Finnish tanks on the road to Petroskoi.

1 October 1941

Petroskoi is captured:

The Karelian Army is ordered to continue its attack towards Karhumäki.

http://i.imgur.com/mhGYfLDt.jpg

Finnish daily losses: 61

Finnish losses in September: 4949

Finnish losses in the war (so far): 20 344

http://i.imgur.com/x9JUB6sl.jpg
Petroskoi

Mannerheim Cross recipient(s):

2nd Lieutenant Pentti Iisalo
- For leading his platoon behind the enemy during the battle of Tiuri and holding the position until reinforcements arrived.

***

2 October 1941

VII AK's attack towards Karhumäki begins.

7.Division reaches eastern Svir.

Finnish daily losses: 83

http://i.imgur.com/dtjW9VFl.jpg
Horses were of great help in getting supplies to areas inaccessable by vehicles.

***

3 October 1941

US Foreign Minister Cordell Hull congratulates Finnish ambassador Procopè for Finnish army's success on recapturing Karelia.

Finnish daily losses: 72

http://i.imgur.com/yTdpcY2l.jpg
At-gun in position. (4.Division's area)

Mannerheim Cross recipient(s)

Major-General Taavetti Laatikainen
- For leading the II AK.

4 October 1941

Battlegroup Kuistio, formed from elements of 7.Division, refuses to cross River Svir at Voznesenye.

The men are exhausted after fighting almost constantly for three months and cannot understand why they should advance further east.

http://i.imgur.com/3CjYzVlt.jpg

The age limit on driver's license is dropped to 17 years.

Finnish daily losses: 53

http://i.imgur.com/Jv38ijtl.jpg
Young Karelian boy and his kitten.

***

5 October 1941

4.Division's attack towards Kontupohja begins.

http://i.imgur.com/26ZWRPQt.jpg

Crossing River Svir fails again, as 7.Division's troops refuse to advance.

Finnish daily losses: 74

http://i.imgur.com/V6FaKhFl.jpg
Award ceremony for German soldiers.

6 October 1941

The twice failed crossing of the Svir will be tried for the third time at 14.00. This time the battlegroup commander, Colonel Kuistio, has ordered the artillery group to support the crossing.

After artillery fire preparation the troops move across the river under a smokescreen without much difficulty and the attack can continue.
The strongly fortified Voznesenye is captured by midnight. At the crossroads south of the town, the battlegroup is divided into two parts: IR 9 continues to the southeast and IR 51 to the west.

Finnish daily losses: 72

http://i.imgur.com/VP8GIbul.jpg
First snow falls on Summa.

7 October 1941

Group O reaches the village of Munjärvi.

http://i.imgur.com/UmFn4Nht.jpg

President Ryti awards Mannerheim with the 1. and 2. class Mannerheim Cross.

Others who received the Mannerheim Cross on this day:

Medical Colonel Simo Brofeldt (#19)
- For organising the evacuation of Detachment Lagus' wounded soldiers by air in East Karelia.

Sergeant Eino Mallila (#20)
- For leading his MG section out of encirclement, fighting through three enemy lines.

Colonel Kaarlo Heiskanen (#21)
- For successfully leading the 11.Division through operations with minimal own losses.

Finnish daily losses: 54

http://i.imgur.com/kr5X7KKl.jpg
Camouflaged AT-gun.

It won't be long and that thing will get a new name: The tank knock on device.:dead:

Posts #166, #169, #180, #184, #186, #190, #203 and #212 updated with Mannerheim Cross recipients.

8 October 1941

Supply & Service ministry urges building managers and janitors to make sure windows are kept closed to save fuel on heating.

Finnish daily losses: 71

http://i.imgur.com/CXISnlpl.jpg
Sergeant Skyttä leading an assault on enemy positions in Honkaselkä.

***

9 October 1941

The prolonged war begins to cause growing problems in the national economy and the livelihood of the population.

Finnish daily losses: 86

http://i.imgur.com/I0CGTJAl.jpg
Pommiansa M/41

http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/landmines2.htm

That picture about a sergeant leading his men in an attack is a harrowing one. The one man every rifle is pointed at at that moment and if he gets shot right there, the attack might stall immediately. No wonder officer and underofficer mortality was especially high.

Would be interesting to know the NCO casualty figures for Continuation War. I believe about 3,500 NCOs died during the Winter War.