Winter War, day by day.

[Dowly]

21 January - DAY 53 of Winter War

Ladoga Karelia: Soviet troops attempt a breakthrough at Kollaa and on the River Aittojoki. A similar attempt is made in Ilomantsi.

Enemy artillery begins heavy shelling on the River Kollaanjoki at 8.50.

The enemy attack is supported by approximately 20 tanks.

The Finnish troops are outnumbered more than three to one.

The enemy loses six tanks and 450 men.

The Russian 8th Army launches a general offensive in Ladoga Karelia.

In the morning the Russian 1st Army Corps launches a broad offensive on Group Talvela's defensive positions on the River Aittojoki. The 155th Division launches a related assault at Kallioniemi and Oinaansalmi in Ilomantsi.

Northern Finland: Siilasvuo's 9th Division is redeployed from Suomussalmi to Kuhmo.

Eastern Isthmus: Finnish troops on the River Taipaleenjoki shoot down a captive balloon being used to direct the Soviet artillery fire.

In Ladoga Karelia, Finnish Blenheim bombers and dive-bombers cripple the air base built by the enemy at Karkunlampi in Salmi.

Stockholm: Hella Wuolijoki holds talks in the Swedish capital with Soviet emissaries Boris Yartsev and Grauer.

Foreign Minister Tanner prepares an unofficial memorandum for Wuolijoki with an eye to possible peace talks.

Abroad: participants at a major international skating event in Norway remember the Finnish world champion Birger Wasenius, who was killed at the front at the beginning of January.

Originally Posted by Diary of a Soviet politruk from 6th separate ski battalion

January 21: Exhausting trip, 27km. We're already in Karelia.

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Sergeant Kalpio emerging from his dugout. (Aittojoki)

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Same dugout 2 minutes after a Russian bomb fell directly on it. Sergeant Kalpio and 13 of his comrades died.

List of men from E/III/KTR 6 who died:
Sergeant Eino Kalpio
Sergeant Huugo Koski
Junior Sergeant Veikko Keto
Junior Sergeant Svante Tamminen
Junior Sergeant Eino Väre
Corporal Aallos Kaarto
Private Veikko Grönlund
Private Erkki Koskela
Private Yrjö Lindgren
Private Ilkka Pinomäki
Private Armas Rosenqvist
Private Valter Sievänen
Private Kaarlo Vainio
Private Kalle Viljanen

Daily losses: 102

[Dowly]

22 January - DAY 54 of Winter War

Ladoga Karelia: Soviet troops continue their offensive at Kollaa, on the River Aittojoki and in Ilomantsi.

Mikkeli: General Headquarters turns down the proposal by the Lapland Group to continue their advance to Märkäjärvi. The available forces are to be concentrated to consolidate the ground already taken.

Sortavala in Ladoga Karelia and Ivalo in Lapland are the focus of enemy bombing.

Three Soviet spies dressed in Finnish-style military uniforms have been captured off Ylläppäänniemi on Lake Ladoga.

Finland welcomes foreign volunteers willing to serve in the Finnish armed forces.

Abroad: in Leningrad, staff officers are executed for failing to provide proper protection for field kitchens.

The Norwegian rucksack collection for Finland reaches its goal of 50,000 filled rucksacks, which are duly surrendered to the collection committee.

The monarchist government led by the pretender to the Russian throne, Grand Duke Vladimir, recognizes Finnish independence and urges Russian émigrés to join in the work of freeing their country.

The great Finnish runners Paavo Nurmi and Taisto Mäki set out for the United States to publicize the situation at home and take part in exhibition races on behalf of Finland.

The French Academy invites Jean Sibelius to become an associate member of its composers section.

A correspondent on the English paper News of the World describes the Finns as the equal of the American Indians in forest warfare.

Originally Posted by Diary of a Soviet politruk from 6th separate ski battalion

January 22: We left for Vitele. Tiring trip. We skied for 28km and another 13km in trucks. I caught cold. My side and leg hurts. I want to sleep, but its so cold. No letters. I've stopped writing home, too tired. Soon, we'll be at the front and together we shall beat back the White Bandits with all our might.

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Destroyed convoy 4km North of Lemetti.



Daily losses: 178

[Dowly]

23 January - DAY 55 of Winter War

Ladoga Karelia: three battalions of Group Talvela launch a counteroffensive on the River Aittojoki.

Central Isthmus: heavier than normal enemy shelling in the Summa and Lähde sectors.

An enemy detachment of company strength attacks the islands of Suursaari and Rumakoira in Lake Muolaanjärvi. The Finnish defenders repulse the assault.

Northern Finland: Colonel Siilasvuo arrives in Kuhmo with the staff of the 9th Division and settles into the Jämäs barracks.

Group Ilomäki is placed under command of the 9th Division.

North Karelia: 11 enemy aircraft bomb Nurmes, killing 21 people and injuring 39.

Southeast Isthmus and Ladoga Karelia: Finnish troops repulse the enemy offensives in Taipale and on the northeast side of Lake Ladoga.

Northern Finland: a Finnish Gladiator fighter is hit by an explosive shell, bursts into flames and crashes behind enemy lines 3 kilometres west of Märkäjärvi. The pilot, Swedish volunteer Second Lieutenant Johan Sjökvist, is killed.

Finland's employers recognize the trade union movement. The Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) now has 80,000 members.

The author Frans Emil Sillanpää donates his Nobel Gold Medal to the defence of Finland.

Originally Posted by Diary of a Soviet politruk from 6th separate ski battalion

January 23: Today we marched to Rajakontu, the last village on the Soviet side of the border and crossed the border. It's too dangerous to walk about without your weapon, the White Finns send their planes to bomb us. Was visited by one yesterday, threw five bombs at us. In 2-3 days, we'll be at the front.

Daily losses: 147

[Dowly]

24 January - DAY 56 of Winter War

Ladoga Karelia: Soviet forces continue their offensive on the River Aittojoki to the north of Lake Ladoga, with the main focus of the assault coming to the west of Lake Vegarusjärvi. The defending Finns manage to hold their positions.

On the River Kollaanjoki, the enemy captures one of the bases of the 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment in the northern sector.

Mikkeli: General Headquarters orders the setting up of evacuation centres for the bodies of soldiers fallen in combat.

There has been a rise in the number of couples getting married. 75% of civil marriages are 'war weddings', which can be performed without the need for advance proclamation of the banns. Church war weddings require formal proclamation of the banns on the preceding Sunday.

Turku: a four-strong delegation from the British Labour Party arrives in the city. In an interview, Sir Walter Citrine says 99.9% of people in Britain support Finland in her struggle.

Finnish convicts ask to be sent to the front. However, the authorities are less than enthusiastic in their response.

Abroad: the leaders of the International Amateur Athletic Federation call on the world's athletes to help Finland.

Sweden's Red Star organization's horse ambulance leaves Stockholm en route to Finland.

Finland's Minister of Social Affairs K.-A. Fagerholm arrives in Stockholm to discuss details of the evacuation of Finnish children.

Daily losses: 78


https://i.imgur.com/zZVUcqTm.jpg

Soviet soldier killed by hand grenade. (GRAPHIC)

[Schroeder]

It looks more and more to me that Finland started WWII because they were not giving the Soviets what they wanted which lead to a totally legal invasion by them. The Finns even dared to hinder that invasion with deadly force which shows that they were after war from day one.
Shame on you Finns! The world will not forget that!

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

It looks more and more to me that Finland started WWII because they were not giving the Soviets what they wanted which lead to a totally legal invasion by them. The Finns even dared to hinder that invasion with deadly force which shows that they were after war from day one.
Shame on you Finns! The world will not forget that!

***

25 January - DAY 57 of Winter War

Central Isthmus: an enemy detachment of company strength attempts another attack on the island of Suursaari in Lake Muolaanjärvi.

Ladoga Karelia: enemy pressure on the Finnish positions to the northeast of Lake Ladoga continues for the fifth day.

Eastern Isthmus: in the Taipale sector, Finnish troops repulse an attempted enemy assault in the early morning.

The Finnish 7th Division defending Taipale announces its overall losses since the beginning of the war: 37 officers and 779 men killed, and 40 officers and 1,980 men wounded.

Ladoga Karelia: the difficult situation causes the Commander-in-Chief to change Group Talvela's mission in the Tolvajärvi sector to allow it to adopt delaying tactics if necessary.

Enemy offensives on different fronts are successfully repulsed.

Elias Simojoki, a former Member of Parliament for the People's Patriotic Movement, is killed by an enemy bullet on the ice of Lake Ladoga as he is destroying an injured horse.

The voluntary defence organization Maan Turva is collecting musical instruments, games and books to entertain the patients in the military hospitals.

Abroad: the British aid fund for Finland has already collected over 100,000 pounds (about 25 million markkaa).

The Norwegian author Sigrid Undset is donating her 1928 Nobel Medal to Finland.

The French Academy expresses its warm sympathy for the Finnish people.

Daily losses: 127

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

It looks more and more to me that Finland started WWII because they were not giving the Soviets what they wanted which lead to a totally legal invasion by them. The Finns even dared to hinder that invasion with deadly force which shows that they were after war from day one.
Shame on you Finns! The world will not forget that!

Are you sure you're posting in the correct thread

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Dowly

Elias Simojoki, a former Member of Parliament for the People's Patriotic Movement, is killed by an enemy bullet on the ice of Lake Ladoga as he is destroying an injured horse.

I hope you meant dispatching an injured horse....though with Finns one can never be sure....

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Are you sure you're posting in the correct thread

There is no other thread at the moment I would voluntarily post something like that in.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

I hope you meant dispatching an injured horse....though with Finns one can never be sure....

The word for destroy in Finnish is used a lot in military talk. Anything from dugouts to infantry can be destroyed. No idea why it is/was used, as in normal talk you would indeed say kill/dispatch/eliminate.

[Dowly]

26 January - DAY 58 of Winter War

Central Isthmus: in the Lähde road sector, heavy enemy shelling renders 'Fort Poppius' almost unusable for active combat purposes.

Ladoga Karelia: a Finnish Fokker reconnaissance plane disappears on a flight over the northeast shore of Lake Ladoga. The pilot, Toivo Heilä, and the navigator, Lieutenant Reino Vaittinen, are both killed.

Northern Finland: the last batch of 9th Division troops transferred from Suomussalmi arrive in Kuhmo.

Mikkeli: Prime Minister Risto Ryti visits General Headquarters to discuss the prospects for peace with Commander-in-Chief Mannerheim. Mannerheim urges the Prime Minister to make concessions to achieve a settlement.

Northern Finland: enemy aircraft bomb Ivalo, Kuusamo, Savukoski and Sotkamo.

Abroad: at a press conference in Washington, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt emphasizes that any American who enlists in and swears allegiance to the army of a foreign country at war will thereby lose his American citizenship. However, since there had been no official declaration of war, the United States did not consider Finland to be a country at war, and American volunteers in Finland would therefore retain their citizenship.

The British Labour Party and Cooperative Movement declare Britain will do all it can to help Finland.

On the east side of lake Nietjärvi (see map in post #62), Soviet 5th and 6th separate ski battalions are beaten back. Large amount of automatic weapons are captured. Diary kept by a politruk is found on his body.

Daily losses: 89

[Dowly]

27 January - DAY 59 of Winter War

Karelian Isthmus: the enemy artillery continues its increasingly fierce pounding of the main Finnish defensive position on the Isthmus.

The 'Million Fort' in the Lähde sector to the east of Lake Summajärvi is badly damaged by the enemy's heavy artillery.

Ladoga Karelia: near Pitkäranta, Soviet troops take the offshore island of Putkisaari.

IV Army Corps' combat detachment and battalion commanders hold talks at the 13th Division's command post.

Major-General Hägglund gives the command to take the 'mottis' at Kelivaara and West Lemetti.

Abroad: Count Eric von Rosen, the Swedish Finnophile who donated the first aircraft in the Finnish Air Force, believes Finland can withstand the Soviet pressure and does not believe the air raids will undermine Finnish resistance.

An editorial in the Red Army paper Krasnaya Zvezda claims the "Red Army is fulfilling an honourable international obligation in Finland."

The American daily The Chicago News suggests the 1940 Nobel Peace Prize be awarded to Finland.

Sweden's Foreign Minister warns the Soviet Ambassador in Stockholm, Madame Alexandra Kollontai, that continuation of the war against Finland could lead to the involvement of the Western powers.

(Click for larger photo)

Kelivaara.

Daily losses: 122

***

28 January - DAY 60 of Winter War

K.J. Ståhlberg, independent Finland's first President, turns 75.

Karelian Isthmus: a reconnaissance patrol from the Finnish 1st Division has returned from a successful two-day mission along the railway line to Raivola and back along the frozen Gulf of Finland.

Ladoga Karelia: Detachment Pajari repulses the Soviet offensive on the River Aittojoki.

During the afternoon, the Soviet troops in Vieksinki voluntarily withdraw from the village, leaving behind over 200 fallen comrades.

The Finns take the Kelivaara 'motti'.

The assault on West Lemetti 'motti' is unsuccessful.

In the Ilomantsi sector the enemy makes several attempts to take Petkelniemi.

Karelian Isthmus: enemy bombers hit a field hospital marked with a red cross in a vicarage in Johannes. The bomb kills 20 patients, two members of the women's auxiliary defence forces and two nurses. Several others are wounded in the attack.

The enemy also bombs the coastal towns of Kotka, Loviisa, Hanko and Rauma.

29 fallen servicemen are buried in a joint service in Uurainen church.

The crew of a Blenheim bomber on a transfer flight from Tampere to Luonetjärvi are killed when the plane crashes in Siikakangas

'Père Clément', the renowned French general Clément Grandcourt arrives in Helsinki to enlist as a volunteer in the Finnish Army.

Daily losses: 110

***

29 January - DAY 61 of Winter War

Molotov announces through the Swedish Foreign Minister that the Soviet Union is in principle willing to discuss peace.

Northern Finland: at 5 o'clock in the morning Colonel Siilasvuo's 9th Division launches a counteroffensive to destroy the Russian 54th Division in Kuhmo.

Central Isthmus: in Summa, the enemy carries out a probing assault preceded by heavy preparatory artillery fire in the Hanhiojansuu sector. The Finnish defences repulse the assault.

Eastern Isthmus: in Taipale, the enemy breaks through in the Terenttilä area. Intense fighting is still going on.

Ladoga Karelia: Finnish troops continue their attacks on the West Lemetti 'motti'. Six Blenheim bombers from 10 Squadron bomb enemy transports at the mouth of the River Taipaleenjoki. When one of the aircraft has to make a forced landing, the others land on the ice and rescue the crew.

Karelian Isthmus: Finnish fighters shoot down two enemy fire control planes.

Häme: an enemy bomber makes a forced landing on Lake Iso Roinevesi in the municipality of Hauho. The Finnish air Force inherits a completely undamaged Russian DB-3 bomber.

Ladoga Karelia: Soviet aircraft bomb Mantsi Fort.

Turku: a late air-raid warning allows enemy bombers to catch the city by surprise and 36 people are killed on their way to the air-raid shelters; most of the victims are hit in front of the main post office.

Finland's Minister of Social Affairs K.-A. Fagerholm travels to Oslo to appeal to Norway to send troops and fighter aircraft to Finland.

Abroad: tickets for the bandy match between Finland and Sweden to raise funds for Finland are sold out. King Gustav V of Sweden is among those who have bought a ticket.

Daily losses: 126




Soviet POWs at Matkaselkä.

[Dowly]

30 January - DAY 62 of Winter War

Stockholm: Finnish Chargé d'Affaires Eljas Erkko passes on the main points of the Soviet Union's peace terms. The central question is the Soviet demand for bases on the Gulf of Finland. The Finnish answer is no.

Ladoga Karelia: the Soviet offensive on the River Aittojoki ends in failure as Group Talvela holds its ground.

Northern Finland: in the Salla sector the Russian 88th Division launches an offensive on the northern front at Saija, south of the River Tenniöjoki:

Finland intercepts a telegram from the Soviet 9th Army's new commander, V.I. Chuikov, in which he asks the commander of the 54th Division fighting in Kuhmo whether he thinks his division is surrounded or not.

The famous Spanish fighter pilot Nicolas Beries is on his way to Finland as a volunteer.

Oslo: Finland's Minister of Social Affairs K.-A. Fagerholm explains the situation in Finland and appeals for Norway to send civilian labour to Finland. A group of iron and metal workers have already volunteered.

Viktor Smeds, Chairman of the Finnish Amateur Boxing Association and President of the International Amateur Boxing Association proposes an international boxing tournament between Finland and Sweden to be held in Stockholm in February.

Abroad: in Britain, the little princesses Elizabeth and Margaret have stopped knitting socks for British servicemen in favour of clothes for Finnish children.

Daily losses: 85

***

31 January - DAY 63 of Winter War

Northern Finland: the Finnish defences repulse a massive Soviet offensive at Saija in the Kuhmo sector.

Lake Ladoga: the enemy carries out a number of assaults on islands in the lake.

Northern Finland: Finnish troops defeat a Russian ski battalion at Silmälampi and Löytövaara. The enemy loses 160 men and a large amount of automatic weapons.

The township of Rovaniemi suffers five dead in heavy bombing. The enemy is increasingly selecting civilian targets.

Prime Minister Ryti sends Finland's response to continuing contacts with the Soviet Union to Chargé d'Affaires Erkko in Stockholm.

A ship carrying children to Sweden is attacked by Soviet submarines.

Another staffed field ambulance leaves Stockholm for Finland.

Southern Ostrobothnia: the closing ceremonies for the 1939 session of Parliament begin in Kauhajoki with a church service at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The ceremonies end with the evacuee Parliament giving three cheers for Finland's freedom.

Official figures suggest the enemy has conducted 643 air raids over Finland since the outbreak of the war, dropping over 20,000 bombs on a total of 207 different localities.

Abroad: the Finnish pavilion at the New York World's Fair is also to be kept open for the 1940 exhibition.

South African wine growers gift Finland 14,000 litres of wine and 7,000 litres of brandy.

Daily losses: 82

***

1 February - DAY 64 of Winter War

Karelian Isthmus: fighting intensifies on the Isthmus. At 10.50 in the morning the Russian artillery begins shelling the main defensive position of the Finnish 3rd Division in Summa, and later on also shells positions further back.

Preparations for the pending enemy offensive involve an unprecedented number of bombers.

Shortly after noon the enemy begins a massive offensive supported by tanks and aircraft. The enemy infantry follow the tanks, either by running or by creeping along behind armoured shields drawn by the tanks.

12 Squadron locates about 100 enemy artillery batteries in the Kuolemanjärvi-Kaukjärvi-Muolaanjärvi-Summa area of the Isthmus.

Enemy aircraft strafe the area around Pyhäjärvi railway station.

The Taipale sector is bombed by at first 50, and then 80 aircraft. At the same time another 30 aircraft bomb Haparainen village.

The enemy also bombs the southern coastal towns of Hamina, Loviisa, Porvoo, Hanko, Karjaa and Tammisaari.

Southern Ostrobothnia: the 1940 session of Parliament opens in Kauhajoki.

Abroad: the Board of the Swedish Red Cross urges the International Committee of the Red Cross to investigate attacks on Finnish civilians by the Soviet Air Force and to consider possible countermeasures.

The Soviet news agency Tass claims Sweden has emptied its prisons to allow convicts to go off to Finland as volunteers.

In London, prayers are said on behalf of Finland in St Paul's Cathedral. Those present include the Archbishop of Canterbury and all the Nordic ambassadors.

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On break after a battle. Kollaa.

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Regimental 'motti', some 400 Russians.

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Simo "Simuna" Häyhä in Loimola. Häyhä served in Aarne Juutilainen's company i.e. 6/II/IR34 which was pulled from Kollaa to Loimola for rest.

Daily losses: 145

[Dowly]

Dang! Forgot this from January 1.

If you've ever wondered what it sounds to be on the receiving end of a strafing run:


Translation up until the strafing run:
"I can see them now, two of them."
"They're coming closer from over-.. cars on the road are hurrying to take shelter."
"Two planes with dark fuselages, flying much lower than one would think, but coming straight at us."
"Two dark fighter planes."
"Now-"
*Machine gun fire*
"..firing their machine guns!"

[Jimbuna]

Most frightening I should imagine.

[Schroeder]

Was that a public radio broadcast?