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Dowly · 07-12-19, 05:41 AM

11 July 1944

The Armored Division's (Ps.D) counter-attack towards the bridgehead commenced at 01.30 with an artillery strike by six artillery battalions that lasted for 29 minutes. The two battlegroups (Tst.Os.) were to set off together at 02.00. Tst.Os. Åkerman along the Oravankytö-Vuosalmi road and Tst.Os. Puroma south from Raesuoniityt. Neither group was ready at the given time; only Åkerman's Assault Gun Battalion (Ryn.Tyk.P) began to advance.
The battalion's assault guns advanced to Mikkola, but due to lack of sufficient infantry support halted and withdrew about 500m back and grouped in defense. The battalion lost one assault gun in exchange for six destroyed Soviet tanks.
From Major Kiviperä's Jäger Battalion 5 (JP5) only the Recce platoon and 2./JP5 started advancing at the given time. Recce along the east side of the road, and 2./JP5 the right side. At first, the Reconnaissance Platoon kept up with the assault guns, but was stopped by enemy resistance to the north of Mäntylä. The rest of the battalion reached the area at around 05.00.
Tst.Os.Puroma's attack was led by Detachment Herranen (Os.Herranen). It consisted of Lieutenant Colonel Herranen's JP4 and Major Olson's JP2; Six Jäger Companies in total. Only one company was ready as the preparation ended and it started to advance towards Lehtola. After only 150 meters, the attack halted to enemy resistance. Major Olson was wounded during the day and died on 7 August in a military hospital.
Commander of III AK, Lieutenant General Siilasvuo halted the attack at 11.00 and ordered the Armored Division to take defensive positions on the approximate Lehtola-Niemelä level. Later in the day, at around 15.30, Siilasvuo ordered the area to be split in two sectors; Blick's 2nd Division on the right and Lagus' Armored Division on left. The divisional border would be southern end of Suursuo bog-Lehtola-Vuoksi.
Soviet attacks and Finnish counter-attacks continued the entire day. The bridgehead widened at the seam of the divisions and in the Oravankytö-Vuosalmi road direction. By evening the lines had somewhat stabilized on the Kureniemi-Männikkö-south end of Suursuo bog-Karvola-Juvola-Myllyoja. There still remained a gap in the seam of the divisions around Suursuo where the troops of the divisions on either side were not in contact with each other.

*

STAVKA orders forces on the Karelian Isthmus to start regrouping for defense.

Finnish daily losses: 273

'In the position as it's normally seen these days' said a young tank hunter checking out the turret of a T-34. (Ihantala, IR12)

07-12-19, 05:41 AM	#644
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,005 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	11 July 1944 The Armored Division's (Ps.D) counter-attack towards the bridgehead commenced at 01.30 with an artillery strike by six artillery battalions that lasted for 29 minutes. The two battlegroups (Tst.Os.) were to set off together at 02.00. Tst.Os. Åkerman along the Oravankytö-Vuosalmi road and Tst.Os. Puroma south from Raesuoniityt. Neither group was ready at the given time; only Åkerman's Assault Gun Battalion (Ryn.Tyk.P) began to advance. The battalion's assault guns advanced to Mikkola, but due to lack of sufficient infantry support halted and withdrew about 500m back and grouped in defense. The battalion lost one assault gun in exchange for six destroyed Soviet tanks. From Major Kiviperä's Jäger Battalion 5 (JP5) only the Recce platoon and 2./JP5 started advancing at the given time. Recce along the east side of the road, and 2./JP5 the right side. At first, the Reconnaissance Platoon kept up with the assault guns, but was stopped by enemy resistance to the north of Mäntylä. The rest of the battalion reached the area at around 05.00. Tst.Os.Puroma's attack was led by Detachment Herranen (Os.Herranen). It consisted of Lieutenant Colonel Herranen's JP4 and Major Olson's JP2; Six Jäger Companies in total. Only one company was ready as the preparation ended and it started to advance towards Lehtola. After only 150 meters, the attack halted to enemy resistance. Major Olson was wounded during the day and died on 7 August in a military hospital. Commander of III AK, Lieutenant General Siilasvuo halted the attack at 11.00 and ordered the Armored Division to take defensive positions on the approximate Lehtola-Niemelä level. Later in the day, at around 15.30, Siilasvuo ordered the area to be split in two sectors; Blick's 2nd Division on the right and Lagus' Armored Division on left. The divisional border would be southern end of Suursuo bog-Lehtola-Vuoksi. Soviet attacks and Finnish counter-attacks continued the entire day. The bridgehead widened at the seam of the divisions and in the Oravankytö-Vuosalmi road direction. By evening the lines had somewhat stabilized on the Kureniemi-Männikkö-south end of Suursuo bog-Karvola-Juvola-Myllyoja. There still remained a gap in the seam of the divisions around Suursuo where the troops of the divisions on either side were not in contact with each other. * STAVKA orders forces on the Karelian Isthmus to start regrouping for defense. Finnish daily losses: 273 'In the position as it's normally seen these days' said a young tank hunter checking out the turret of a T-34. (Ihantala, IR12)