Continuation War, day by day.

[Dowly]

5 May 1943

Two waves of enemy bombers hit Kotka in the evening. One person is killed and one wounded.

Finnish daily losses: 17


Jaeger patrol led by 2nd Lieutenant Yrjö Kiiski attacking towards enemy forward post. (Rukajärvi)

***

6 May 1943

Over 30 enemy planes hit Kotka again, causing only minor damage.

Finnish daily losses: 9

***

7 May 1943

Return of school age children from Denmark begins.

Finnish daily losses: 20

***

8 May 1943

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 10

***

9 May 1943

Maaselkä: "Enemy opened rocket and artillery fire on our positions near Liistelampi at 0430hrs. After 20 minutes of firing, a 50 man enemy unit attacked against our lines under cover of a smoke screen. Company size enemy seen grouping in the rear was dispersed by our artillery. The attacking enemy was repelled, causing the enemy at least 30 KIA. Own losses 1 KIA, 2 WIA."

Finnish daily losses: 19

***

10 May 1943

Osasto Malinen which is responsible for flying LRRP units behind enemy lines begins operations at Hirviranta.

Finnish daily losses: 10

***

11 May 1943

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 23

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Dowly

7 May 1943

Return of school age children from Denmark begins.

I don't get it. A couple of weeks earlier they came to the conclusion that Germany will lose the war which makes massive Soviet retaliation and perhaps even occupation of Finland very likely. I don't think there would have been a way for Finland to stem the tide of a full Russian onslaught alone once Germany was out of the game and peace negotiations didn't go anywhere so far. Then there are the frequent Soviet bombings of Finnish cities...
Yeah, great time to get the children back who were safely evacuated before.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

I don't get it. A couple of weeks earlier they came to the conclusion that Germany will lose the war which makes massive Soviet retaliation and perhaps even occupation of Finland very likely. I don't think there would have been a way for Finland to stem the tide of a full Russian onslaught alone once Germany was out of the game and peace negotiations didn't go anywhere so far. Then there are the frequent Soviet bombings of Finnish cities...
Yeah, great time to get the children back who were safely evacuated before.

The situation has remained, despite German losses, the same for some time, and bombings can only reach the larger coastal cities (like Kotka), so it is all relatively safe in the inner and wester parts of the country.

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Dowly

The situation has remained, despite German losses, the same for some time, and bombings can only reach the larger coastal cities (like Kotka), so it is all relatively safe in the inner and wester parts of the country.

I know but by their own prediction it was just a matter of time before things would go really south which most likely would require the evacuation of those children again. And with a massive Soviet attack there is no telling whether there had been enough resources to fight and evacuate people at the same time. So bringing the children back from Denmark would just add to the burden if Russia had decided to conquer Finland.
Oh well, I guess these guys knew their stuff better than I do.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

I know but by their own prediction it was just a matter of time before things would go really south which most likely would require the evacuation of those children again. And with a massive Soviet attack there is no telling whether there had been enough resources to fight and evacuate people at the same time. So bringing the children back from Denmark would just add to the burden if Russia had decided to conquer Finland.
Oh well, I guess these guys knew their stuff better than I do.

The Finns had the Salpa line behind them among with other lines to resist the Russian attacks. The Finns also had the (re-)captured regions as a bufferzone.

All in all, at this time, Finns were doing pretty well (civilians).

[Dowly]

12 May 1943

Fighting in North Africa ends.

Finnish daily losses: 17


Soldier cleaning his machine gun at base "Tirva 3". (Svir)

***

13 May 1943

Aunus Group: "Our patrol destroyed two living dug-outs and three prepared positions, one of which was made of concrete on the east side of Vaskusjärvi. Enemy losses 20 KIA."

Finnish daily losses: 19

***

14 May 1943

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 16

***

15 May 1943

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 15

***

16 May 1943

25 planes strike Kotka, but most of the bombs fall outside of the city.

Finnish daily losses: 20

***

17 May 1943

Karelian Isthmus: "Our ambush patrol met with a 2-3 platoon size enemy unit on the south side of Leimassaari. The five man point patrol was eliminated at close range after which our patrol attacked the main body of the enemy, killing at least 15 soldiers before withdrawing under mortar support with no own losses."

Finnish daily losses: 21


8.Division's mascot "Piltsu".

***

18 May 1943

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 10


What's left of an shot down IL-2. (Tiiksjärvi)

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Dowly

17 May 1943

Karelian Isthmus: "Our ambush patrol met with a 2-3 platoon size enemy unit on the south side of Leimassaari. The five man point patrol was eliminated at close range after which our patrol attacked the main body of the enemy, killing at least 15 soldiers before withdrawing under mortar support with no own losses."

Interesting. They were on patrol but had mortars near by and were able to communicate with them? Did the patrols carry heavy radio equipment?

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

Interesting. They were on patrol but had mortars near by and were able to communicate with them? Did the patrols carry heavy radio equipment?

The reports found in the HQ war diary are often shortened and might not give a very clear picture for these smaller engagements. Here's the original from Infantry Regiment 16's diary:

"At 0730hrs our ambush patrol (2+11) led by 2nd Lieutenant Kirkkala left to the front terrain of base "Mauri". At 1030hrs, a strong enemy detachment approached our patrol and its point patrol was quickly encircled. The 5 man patrol responded to surrender demands by opening fire and it was quickly eliminated. Contact was quickly made with the enemy's main body during which our patrol was forced to withdraw back to base "Mauri" at 1100hrs. Our mortars supported the retreat of the patrol by firing 77 grenades, and judging by the cries heard they inflicted some casualties. Confirmed enemy losses: 20"

[Schroeder]

Thanks.

[Dowly]

Here's something about the patrol radios used by Finland:
http://ilmakilta.info/kyynel.php

Seems to be a bit soddy translation, but I'm too lazy to translate the couple of pages from a book I have on the LRRPs.

[Dowly]

19 May 1943

A NCO defects from Soviet submarine Sts-303 on the Gulf of Finland.

Commander Travkin's Sts-303 had tried to breakthrough the anti-submarine nets, but had been spotted and has now been evading her pursuers for three days. Her batteries and oxygen was starting to be at criticial levels when NCO Galkin during his watch intentionally surfaced the boat and leaped to the sea. A nearby German vessels picks him up as Sts-303 submerges again.

Finnish daily losses: 19


Dutch-German actress Ilse Werner visiting Finland. (Helsinki)

***

20 May 1943

Karelian Istmus: "Heavy AT, mortar and smallarms fire towards our base "Sormenkärki" near the mouth of Rajajoki river."

Finnish daily losses: 16


Patrolman Pfc. Mäenpää on a prisoner capture mission. (Uhtua)

***

21 May 1943

Aunus Group: "Our snipers have killed 89 enemies between the 11th and 20th of May."

Finnish daily losses: 16

***

22 May 1943

Minelayer "Ruotsinsalmi" sinks a Soviet submarine (Sts-408) near Tallinn.

Finnish daily losses: 21

***

23 May 1943

Four Blenheims from LeLv 42 bomb the Murman railway. One plane is lost.

Aunus Group: "Our patrol cleared 200 meters of enemy trenches in the Svir power plant area. At least 15 enemies were killed."

Finnish daily losses: 22

***

24 May 1943

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 17

***

25 May 1943

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 18

[Faith]

Stumbled onto this thread the other day, and I love it. Keep up the good work.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Faith

Stumbled onto this thread the other day, and I love it. Keep up the good work.

Thanks!

[Dowly]

26 May 1943

Maaselkä group: "At 0400hrs the enemy attacked the southern end of Hussinsaari island and began pushing the defenders northwards. 30 minutes later another enemy unit attacked the island from the east, forcing our troops to retreat. Fighting is ongoing."

Finnish daily losses: 20


Morane fighter taking off from Tiiksjärvi airbase.

***

27 May 1943

Navy: "Germans notified us yesterday of a possible enemy submarine sailing in the middle of Gulf of Finland. The suspected submarine was depth charged after which oil, air and a first aid kit were seen raising to the surface."

Finnish daily losses: 14


Air is seen escaping from a depth charged enemy submarine.

***

28 May 1943

Karelian Isthmus: "Our returning patrol (1+8) attacked a 70 man enemy unit near Ohta road. Atleast 10 enemies were killed, patrol returned without losses."

Finnish daily losses: 18

***

29 May 1943

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 10


Soldiers' canteen in the Svir power plant area.

***

30 May 1943

Maaselkä group: "Our strike team struck an enemy base near Kommunarofjärvi. They destroyed 27 various emplacements and 5 living dug-outs, killing 41 enemies and taking one prisoner. Own losses 8 wounded."

Finnish daily losses: 23

***

31 May 1943

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 27

***

1 June 1943

The Finnish SS-battalion arrive to Finland for a month's leave.

Finnish daily losses: 29


Finnish SS-volunteers arrive to Hanko on board the Warthe.


EDIT: Forgot to add that by request from the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Finnish National Archives have launched an investigation to see if any Finnish SS-volunteers took part in the killings of Jews. The study is estimated to be finished in November this year.

[Faith]

Where are you getting those daily losses numbers? Even for the wars of the 20th century, those are hard to come by. Are they from a website, or a big book?