Continuation War, day by day.

[Dowly]

23 February 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 9

***

24 February 1944

Mannerheim orders wartime blackout.

Finnish daily losses: 13

***

25 February 1944

Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reveals J.K.Paasikivi's presence in Stockholm and the discussed prerequisites for Finnish-Soviet peace talks.

Finnish daily losses: 22

***

26 February 1944

Third bombing of Helsinki begins at 18.45 and lasts until 5.10 in the morning (27th). During the raid, over 500 Soviet planes make as many as 1,000 sorties against the city. Of the estimated 9,000 bombs dropped, only 350 fall in the city thanks to anti-air fire and German night fighters. Eighteen people are killed.

Oulu too is bombed by at least ten planes. One civilian is killed.

Finnish daily losses: 24

***

27 February 1944

Navy: Damages done by the Helsinki bombing: Patrol boats 8, 9, 11 damaged; Steamship 'Patria' sunk; MTBs 'Häijy' and 'Hurja 5' damaged.

Finnish daily losses: 27


University of Helsinki on fire following the bombing raid.


Combat Engineers' bunker assault exercise. (Petroskoi area)

***

28 February 1944

Oulu is bombed again. Dozens of buildings are destroyed, but no lives are lost.

Finnish daily losses: 28

Finnish losses in February: 503

Finnish losses in the war: 43,625


Katajanokka, Helsinki.

[Dowly]

1 March 1944

The recent bombings of Finnish cities accelerate child transports to Sweden. So far over 4,800 children have been transported to Sweden from the affected cities.

Finnish daily losses: 15


Infantry Regiment 53 assembled on the ice of Lake Eldankajärvi.

***

2 March 1944

II AK (Maaselkä): "In the Leppäjoki direction the enemy began a strong artillery preparation at 0.40 with artillery, mortars and direct fire guns. Approximately company size force attacked soon after, breaching into our positions in two areas. Our artillery, mortars and smallarms fire forced the enemy out of our trenches immediately, leaving behind five dead. Own losses 2 dead, 6 wounded."

Finnish daily losses: 12

***

3 March 1944

Mannerheim orders hastened fortification work to commence at the Viipuri - Kuparsaari - Taipale line on the Karelian Isthmus.

Starting 4th March, Karelian Group is split in two; III AK & IV AK.

Finnish daily losses: 11

***

4 March 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 14

***

5 March 1944

IV AK (Karelian Isthmus): "Enemy attack by a small ten man unit in snow camouflage near base "Sevastopoli" repulsed. Own losses 1 dead, 1 wounded."

14.D/Rukajärvi: "Our patrol ambushed a 40-man enemy patrol north of Lake Ontajärvi. Enemy casualties estimated at 30, no own losses."

Finnish daily losses: 14

***

6 March 1944

Five Me-109s of Squadron 34 led by Major Eino Luukkanen shoot down 8 of 39 Soviet planes near Kotka. Four of these are Pe-2 bombers, the other four La-5 fighters.

Aunus Group: "Svir sector: Two 50-man detachments attacked enemy positions in the Kalats and the brick factory areas. Both attempts were unsuccessful. Each group got over the river undetected, but on return trip both detachments came under fire. Own losses 10 dead, 40 wounded."

Finnish daily losses: 27

***

7 March 1944

Finland seeks to continue peace talks, but some of the prerequisites are seen as too steep. Especially interning all Germans in Finland and demilitarizing the Finnish army are seen as impossible to achieve.

Finnish daily losses: 27

***

8 March 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 14


Spotlight illuminates the night sky in Helsinki.

[Dowly]

9 March 1944

Twenty-one Finnish bombers infiltrate a returning Soviet formation and bomb three airfields near Leningrad. The enemy anti-air is too slow to respond and the Finnish planes return without losses.

Finnish daily losses: 21


Marshal Mannerheim at former President Svinhufvud's funeral.

***

10 March 1944

The Soviet Union gives Finland an ultimatum; Finland has to agree to the terms for starting peace talks before March 18th.

Aunus Group: "In the coastal area of Lake Ladoga, a small enemy detachment managed to assault part of our trench. Own losses 2 dead, 5 wounded and 2 missing. Enemy lost at least 4 dead."

Finnish daily losses: 12

***

11 March 1944

Aunus Group: "In the morning our strike unit assaulted enemy positions near lake Gangjärvi, clearing 250 meters of trenches and destroying 3 dug-outs, one concrete bunker and a AT-gun position. Enemy losses 20 dead, 4 captured (1 dead later). Own losses 3 wounded."

Finnish daily losses: 11

***

12 March 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 16


A 105mm Bofors field gun (Fin. 150K/36). The caption mentions this was a one of a kind prototype that was acquired from Sweden during the Winter War.

***

13 March 1944

Aunus Group: "On the southwest side of lake Dolgjärvi, during the night our strike unit got into enemy positions under artillery and mortar support. In 40 minutes, they cleared 350 meters of trenches, destroyed six prepared fighting positions and with a satchel charge destroyed a living dug-out with 15-20 people inside. Patrol returned without losses."

Finnish daily losses: 16

***

14 March 1944

IV AK (Karelian Isthmus): "Platoon size enemy attack repelled at Rajajoki. Own losses 1 dead, 3 wounded, 1 missing."

Finnish daily losses: 13

***

15 March 1944

Aunus Group: "In the area of lake Vaskusjärvi, our patrol managed to get into the enemy's mortar position where they destroyed two living dug-outs and killed at least 25 men. Patrol returned without losses."

Finnish daily losses: 23


Wartime drawing by Alexander Lindeberg depicting a Finnish air raid on a Soviet airfield.

[Dowly]

16 March 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 15

***

17 March 1944

Finland requests more information of possible peace terms from the Soviet Union.

Germany warns Finland about the consequences of a separate peace.

Finnish daily losses: 32

***

18 March 1944

Ten Soviet planes are downed by Finnish fighters in the Hamina-Someri area.

Finnish daily losses: 22

***

19 March 1944

The Soviet Union informs that it is willing to receive a Finnish delegation in Moscow.

Finnish daily losses: 18

***

20 March 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 9

***

21 March 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 21

***

22 March 1944

German forces take front responsibility in Uhtua as Finnish 3rd Division is moved as HQ's reserve on the Karelian Isthmus.

Finnish daily losses: 27

[Dowly]

Here's the first part of the promised Soviet September 1942 offensive at Kriv.


***


Soviet side

On September 15 at 7.58am, anti-tank guns and regimental cannons of Lieutenant-Colonel Selihov's 1046.Infantry Regiment (1046.JR) began firing direct-fire at Finnish positions in the area of the railway leading northeast from Kriv ('ns. koillisrata' on map). After two minutes of firing, two companies split in multiple strike teams of 24 men began their advance. The strike teams captured Finnish trenches on top of the hill area and had advanced to the southern ridge by 9.00am.
Finnish counter-attack began around 9.30am with a strength of two companies. Accurate Finnish artillery barrages aimed between Soviet lines and the newly captured Finnish positions prevented 1046.IR's reserves from reaching the fighting area. By 12.12pm, the Soviet strike teams had had to retreat back to their starting positions.
Casualties for the Soviet forces were heavy, nearly 80%. Many of the wounded had to be left behind on Finnish territory. The attacking force also lost 9 LMGs, 31 SMGs and 48 rifles. According to the regimental HQ report, there were 148 casualties of which 74 were KIA and 68 WIA. Five of the dead were officers.
According to Lieutenant-Colonel Selihov's report of 23rd of September the attack failed due to low ammunition supplies and too few men committed to the offensive. The low supplies prevented artillery and mortars from dispersing the Finnish forces gathering for a counter-attack. Further, once the strike teams reached Finnish trenches, communications broke down as Finnish artillery cut communication wires to the rear. At the time when the reserve units were ready to advance to the front, Finns had already recaptured their positions.
(by Juri Kilin in "Jatkosodan Torjuntataisteluja 1942-44" ["Defensive Battles of the Continuation War 1942-44"])


Finnish side

Defending the left flank of Colonel Autti's 3rd Brigade in the railroad area was Major Eero Rinne's 2nd Battalion (II./3.Pr.). The enemy attack began at 7.55am with a strong artillery fire which ended few minutes later at 8.03am. After the short barrage, enemy units moved to attack the bases of 6th Company (Mäntykukkula, Kumpu, Kulma), from which Finns had to retreat nearly entrirely. The company commander gathered all available troops and organized a counter-attack from base "Kumpu". Artillery also fired along the no-man's-land, causing casualties to the second wave of enemies.
Major Rinner ordered his reserves (7th Company) to join the counter-attack. Just as the company was ready to head off, the order was canceled; Major Rinne was worried of a second attack that might happen further northeast, where the enemy had laid a smokescreen. This turned out to be a feint and Rinne ordered 7th Company to move out to recapture "Mäkikukkula". Parts of the base were taken by 10am, and by 12pm the positions lost by the Battalion had been taken back. In the area around the bases were 61 and in front of the bases 233 enemy dead (latter is an estimate). Rinne's Battalion lost 14 dead and 31 wounded.
(by Ari Raunio, same source)


Map:

[Dowly]

23 March 1944

II AK (Maaselkä): "In grid 5070/3700, our patrol found a large base that had been abandoned for some reason. The patrol destroyed 70 firing positions, 36 living dugouts and a sauna."

Finnish daily losses: 16


Sturdy front line dugout with seven layers of logs as roof. (Rukajärvi)

***

24 March 1944

10,000 Finnish children have been evacuated to Sweden since the Helsinki bombings began.

Finnish daily losses: 7

***

25 March 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 25


Finnish patrolmen in Suurlahti. Note how all their equipment has been also painted white.

***

26 March 1944

J.K.Paasikivi and former Foreign Minister Carl Enckell leave for Moscow.

Finnish daily losses: 13

***

27 March 1944

Battlegroup Kaleva leaves Lieksa to destroy a partisan base in White Karelia.

At the end of March, Separate Battalion 4, the headquarters unit responsible for long-range operations, gathered a large group of men from different units. Major Into Kuismanen, head of Detachment Kuismanen, commanded the 16 officers, 72 subordinates and 101 men. The task of this detachment, now named Battlegroup Kaleva, was to destroy the village of Suopassalmi and the air surveillance station of Suopasvaara in White Karelia. Suopassalmi was one of the bases for Soviet partisan activity in the area.
On the way to the Russian positions, Detachment Raipala was detached from the main force, whose task was to hit the Suopasvaara air surveillance station as the main force continued to Suopassalmi. When skiing towards Suopassalm, Kuismanen drew attention to the lack of enemy skiing tracks. The detachment was allowed to ski to the observation positions in peace. In the village of Suopassalmi, it seemed silent, only soldiers carrying on ordinary everyday tasks were rarely seen. However, in the forest next to the village seemed to be a dugout area. Thus, it was decided to attack from several directions so that some of the troops would bind the inhabitants of the dugouts in battle and the rest would hit the village.
The attack on the village of Suopassalmi went according to plan. Those who attacked the dugout area tied the enemies there to battle while the rest attacked and destroyed the village. The buildings were already burning in high flames when the soldiers from the dugouts got to the village. The Soviet forces did not have enough time to organize themselves, and therefore resistance was fragmented. Three Finns were wounded in the battle, one of whom was captured. His interrogation minutes were later found. During the interviews he had revealed that, for example, on a long-distance patrol in January, the Finns had been ordered to take prisoners. If he had skis, he was to be taken back, otherwise questioned and executed. The practice seems to have been the same on both sides.
After the successful attack, Kaleva's main force left for home. Meanwhile, the separated Detacment Raipala had continued to Suopasvaara's air surveillance station. The men were just approaching their destination and preparing to attack when the sky in the direction of Suopussalmi village turned red. Hopes for a surprise attack were forgotten. When observing the objective, it was noticed that there were trenches around the air monitoring tower. It would be very difficult to capture them without some kind of surprise attack, so Lieutenant Aulis Vehniäinen developed a plot. He would infiltrate with another Russian speaking man in the base and open the gates to others.
Vehniäinen and his comrades approached the base. When they were about 60 meters away, the sentry told them to stop and asked for a password. It was known to the Finns and so the men got in through the gate. Soon, the sentry saw the submachine gunners following the clever pair, and the situation was suddenly clear. Finns opened fire towards the sentry. At that point, the tower and the positions around it were about 30 meters away. At the foot of the tower, machineguns began to fire. The battle had begun. Private Vainio was able to throw a satchel charge at the base of the tower, and the house on which it was sitting on collapsed in half. There were also trenches dug around the adjacent house, from which fire was opened. Corporal Lauri Saari rushed in with his satchel charges and threw the explosives into the enemy's trench, falling to a submachine gun's burst himself. Vehniäinen also was mortally hit. At the same time, Russian soldiers were starting to encircle the Finns. The Finns had to break away.
Detachment Raipala arrived at their field guard on March 31. After a couple of hours, the rest of Kaleva arrived there. Detachment Raipala had suffered the loss of a total of four killed and one seriously injured.


Source: Enkenberg, 'Suomi toisessa maailmansodassa - Päivä päivältä'.
Google translation /w corrections.

Finnish daily losses: 20

***

28 March 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 17

***

29 March 1944

Molotov lists Soviet Union's peace terms to the Finnish delegation in Moscow.
- Petsamo will be given to the Soviet Union without compensation.
- Finnish forces are to withdraw to the 1940 borders by the end of April.
- The strength of Finnish army is to be halved by end of May.
- Complete demobilization of the Finnish army is to be concluded by end of June.
- $600 million in war reparations.

Finnish daily losses: 22

[Dowly]

30 March 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 20

***

31 March 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 16

Finnish losses in March: 537

Finnish losses in the war: 44,181

***

1 April 1944

14.D/Rukajärvi: "Our long-range patrol has completely destroyed a 10-man enemy patrol north of Tunkua and killed another 15 men from a larger enemy patrol south of lake Kompakanjärvi. No own losses."

Finnish daily losses: 17

***

2 April 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 10

***

3 April 1944

Germany halts food imports to Finland.

Germany had learned that Finland had sent negotiators to Moscow, and Ribbentrop ordered the suspension of food imports to Finland. Germany also used the situation in Hungary to press Finland to withdraw from peace talks with the Soviet Union. It had occupied Hungary for quite similar reasons just a little earlier. Erfurth, a German liaison officer at the Finnish headquarters, told Heinrichs, Head of the Finnish General Staff: "Do you think the German Empire can follow as a spectator when you leave your seat in one of the most important fortresses of Fortress Europe?"

Finnish bombers hit Kähy airfield near Leningrad.

Finnish bombers again came near Leningrad, this time Kähy airfield was bombed by 34 planes. The field had been photographed earlier and it was found that the number of planes there increased. It was counted there were at least 57 Li-2 bombers on the field.
The Finns dropped 26 tons of bombs at Kähy, which destroyed at least 14 enemy bombers and burned several structures. All Finnish planes returned despite the enemy's anti-aircraft fire.

Finnish daily losses: 19

***

4 April 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 18

***

5 April 1944

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 20

[Schroeder]

Didn't even know the LI2 was used as a bomber.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

Didn't even know the LI2 was used as a bomber.

I thought I had been abandoned!
But yes, same here. Never knew it was used as a light bomber. I had to double check since that was -mostly- google translation, but it indeed was used as one.


As an aside, I'd hope google would make Finnish-English translation engine better. It really sucks with anything military related. For example, the finnish word taisteluhauta [lit. combat grave; = trench] is constantly translated as a tomb of some sort. Another one that is often used is tykistökeskitys [Artillery concentration/barrage] and it very often is not translated anywhere near, eventhough the singular word translates correctly (somewhat) in google translate. But the best one has to be kasapanos [Bundled charge/satchel charge] which google translates to pot/casserole etc. I can work with it for longer texts, but it does take a lot of time to correct it all.



Ah well.

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Dowly

I thought I had been abandoned!

Nope, I read your entries every week. I just don't comment on all of them.

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Dowly

I thought I had been abandoned!

Not yet

[Dowly]

Of course it's the verdammten Germans.

[Dowly]

Soviet side of the second part of the Kriv offensive of September 1942(Finnish side probably later)

In the area of ​​the 289th Infantry Division in the north end of Krivjärvi, three 1048th infantry regiment companies started their attack at 8am. The Finnish troops were surprised and their resistance was low and they had to abandon their positions. The companies took over the Finnish positions in the area and reached their targets within about an hour. The Third Company of the Regiment was at the northwestern end of the hills and the second and fifth companies at the southeast end. According to the Battle Report, the casualties of the troops at this point was only two dead and three wounded. There were 27 enemy bodies found in the captured area.
During the evening, the enemy's repeated squad and platoon strength counterattacks were repelled. On 16 September at 2am, Finnish artillery fired a very strong concentration in the captured area. It is estimated that there were 20 mortars and 40 field guns firing. The enemy was estimated to have shot 3600 artillery grenades and the same amount of mortar ammunition.
After the artillery concentration, Finns started counter-attack with two companies. The fifth company had to partially withdraw to its starting positions. In the northwest, the third company lost a small part of its area. Major General Tommola arrived at this time at the 1048th Infantry Regiment and took the lead. The Fifth Company, Ninth Company and one company from 1044th Infantry Regiment, supported by artillery and rocket launchers, began their attack at 5am. Previously lost positions once captured from the enemy in the southeast were recovered.
The Finns then shot the area with an estimated 18 mortars, 52 cannons and an armored train. The enemy had 66 tubes for every front line kilometer. The total number of munitions used by Finns on September 16 was about 10,500. The firing caused severe losses to the troops grouped into the conquered hillside. The next night, they continued to repulse attacks by small enemy units.
On 17 September, Major General Tommola decided to recapture the areas lost by the third company. Lieutenant Colonel Sklovski's 1044th Infantry Regiment's Second Battalion replaced the exhausted 1048th infantry regiment troops in the captured Finnish positions during the night of 17-18 September. The battalion captured the Finnish positions in the hills area on September 19, at 5 am. The Finnish army's artillery concentration began at 8.45 in the north end of Krivjärvi. At 11 o'clock, the attack of two reinforced enemy companies began. In the north-western part of the hills area, the troops held their position, but in the south-eastern area, the Finnish troops seized the western slope of the hill.
Major General Tommola's 289th Infantry Division switched to defence on September 19 at 22:00. Later in the HQ report, Krivjärvi's northern end operation was considered a success. However, it came with a heavy price. The division's total losses were 873 men; 220 dead and 653 wounded. Of the fallen, 22 were officers. The heaviest losses were in the infantry regiments that attacked in the northern end of Krivjärvi, of which 1044th losses were 325 men and 1048th 333 men.
As a general rule, the enemy's losses were estimated to be greater than own. According to the report, the enemy's losses were 1460 men*. In the battles, two men of the Finnish 3rd Brigade were taken prisoner of war. Three machine guns, three rifles, three rifles, six submachine guns, one mortar and two radio transmitters were captured during the operation. Own equipment losses were one machine gun, eleven rifles, 147 rifles 49 machine guns and one destroyed 120mm cannon.
(by Juri Kilin in "Jatkosodan Torjuntataisteluja 1942-44" ["Defensive Battles of the Continuation War 1942-44"])
Google translation w/ corrections. (and yes, the writing is as confusing in the book as it is here)


*Finnish losses (KIA) between 15th and 19th September 1942 were 209 men/women. This includes all fronts and all causes of death.



Map:

[Schroeder]

The numbers seem legit. After all Finland is huge with a large population. No wonder they could absorb so many losses and had so many guns and shells...

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

The numbers seem legit. After all Finland is huge with a large population. No wonder they could absorb so many losses and had so many guns and shells...

At the time Finland had around 3,5 million people. By the end of the war, the strength of the Finnish army was around 650 000 men. (Strongest it had ever been at the time)
The Finnish casualties (KIA) numbers I took from the database, which is very accurate.



It kinda blows my mind still to think how many men Finland could put on the field today. That is if poop hits the fan and absolutely everyone who gone through conscription needs to be called that are still within the age range (I think the upper limit is 50 something). Our total reserve is almost a million men today, that's nearly 1/5 of our population.