Continuation War, day by day.

[Dowly]

3-6 June 1941

German and Finnish military leadership negotiate in Helsinki.

The negotiations are led by German colonel Erich Buschenhagen and Finnish Chief of the General Staff, General Erich Heinrichs.

Military cooperation of land and air forces is planned in great detail.

[Dowly]

Finnish peacetime brigades with the Salpa Line marked (approx.) in red.

[STEED]

Slowly getting there.

4 June 1941

Detachment Vehniäinen's first long-range patrol sets off to behind the border. The three man patrol, dubbed 'The Silver Patrol', aims to retrieve silver left under a house in Uusikirkko in lost Karelia.
Their secondary task is to gather information for the General HQ. In 1961, one of the men of the 'Silver Patrol' wrote a book about the trek called 'Hopeaa Rajan Takaa' (=Silver from behind the border).
A movie followed in 1963 directed by Mikko Niskanen. The movie is available on YLE's site (only in Finnish): http://areena.yle.fi/1-455062

(Posted on behalf of our forum-ferret)

[Dowly]

Thanks Nippelspanner... close enough.

***

6 June 1941

Germany and Finland discuss possible naval cooperation between the two navies in Kiel.

Nine propaganda companies are ordered to be formed in Finland.

[Dowly]

7 June 1941

German troop transports arrive to ports in the Gulf of Bothnia and Turku.

[Dowly]

9 June 1941

President Ryti informs the government about the cooperation with Germany.

Flight Squadron 44 is ordered from Kemi to Siikakangas.

Use of the airfield in Malmi is reserved for German planes only.

[Dowly]

10 June 1941

Finnish planes are temporarily forbidden to use Vaasa's airfield.

[Dowly]

13 June 1941

Ranks and badges of active and reserve officers are unified.

[Dowly]

14 June 1941

The War Cabinet decides on partial mobilization of 30,000 men.


Evening devotional. Parikkala, 14/06/41

[Dowly]

15 June 1941

Detachment Vehniäinen's 7th long-range patrol sets out to gather intelligence from the southwest side of Viipuri.

Corporal Rontu dies in a firefight with Russian border guards on 17.6. and corporal Nikkanen is taken prisoner, never to return.

They become the first fallen heroes of the LRRP units.

Detachment Kuismanen sends out a two man patrol. Both men are killed on 19.6. in a firefight with Russian border guards. (Second Lieutenant Reino Lamppu & Sergeant Olli Sairanen)

Detachment Marttina's first patrol heads out to gather intelligence in the Repola area. They return safely on 20.6.

[Dowly]

17 June 1941

Reservists are called to take part in extra military exercises.

In other words - Finland begins to mobilize her army.

EDIT:

Finnish Infantry Division OOB 1941

Command
- Commander
- HQ
- HQ Company

Infantry
- Light detachment
-- 3 Jaeger companies
- 3 x Infantry Regiment
-- 3,600 men each
- AT-gun company
- Gas protection company

Artillery
- Field gun regiment
-- 1,800 men
-- 36 field guns
- Heavy battery
-- 12 field guns

Anti-Air
- AAA company

Pioneers
- Pioneer battalion
- Pioneer column

Messengers
- Messenger battalion

 Support elements

Division strength: 16,400 men

[STEED]

I bet Dowly will be getting some early nights now as we draw near to Barbarossa.

[Von Due]

Originally Posted by STEED

I bet Dowly will be getting some early nights now as we draw near to Barbarossa.

I'm not gonna let him end this thread before we have had the entire Unknown Soldier recited as a bonus to this.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Von Due

I'm not gonna let him end this thread before we have had the entire Unknown Soldier recited as a bonus to this.

WHOLE of it? That might be a tad too much.