Continuation War, day by day.

[Oberon]

A little aside, if I may, that I discovered while researching a an anime, a bit early in this narrative but I'd probably forget next month.
Whilst Soviet forces were withdrawing from Vilpuri they left scattered hundreds of radio-controlled mines which were controlled by a specific three chord audio being played over the radio which made three tuning forks vibrate at the same time. They were a major pain for Finnish forces, until someone discovered that playing the Säkkijärven Polkka over the radio would make the nearby mines detonate. After this a mobile radio transmitter was brought in and the famous accordionist and composer Viljo Vesterinens was played some 1,500 times during September 1941 until alternative jamming equipment was brought in to continue the work up to Feburary 1942.

[Dowly]

Hah, yep. I remember reading about it for the first time couple of years ago.

Originally Posted by Oberon

They were a major pain for Finnish forces, until someone discovered that playing the Säkkijärven Polkka over the radio would make the nearby mines detonate.

I take this was a typo? The point was to not make them detonate.

***

4 August 1941

10.D is subordinated under II AK to cut the road from Ilmee to Hiitola.



Colonel Pajari's 18.D enters the town of Ilmee.



Stalin writes to President Roosevelt:

The U.S.S.R. attaches great importance to the matter of neutralising Finland and her dissociation from Germany. The severance of relations between Britain and Finland and the blockade of Finland, announced by Britain, have already borne fruit and engendered conflicts among the ruling circles of Finland. Voices are being raised in support of neutrality and reconciliation with the U.S.S.R.

If the U.S. Government were to threaten Finland with a rupture of relations, the Finnish Government would be more resolute in the matter of breaking with Germany. In that case the Soviet Government could make certain territorial concessions to Finland with a view to assuaging her and conclude a new peace treaty with her.

Finnish daily losses: 282

[Graphic image]

 

Finns near Tyrjä.

[Oberon]

Oh? Could be, I must admit I wasn't aware of that part, I thought the idea was to detonate them when infantry were not near them, like how mine-flail tanks set them off deliberately to clear a path. I thought that since the mines were detonated by making the three tuning forks vibrate and that the Polkka had notes in it which included those three notes. So the Finns could essentially take control over when the mines detonated away from the Soviets.
I could be wrong though, I was just going from wikipedia.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Oberon

Oh? Could be, I must admit I wasn't aware of that part, I thought the idea was to detonate them when infantry were not near them, like how mine-flail tanks set them off deliberately to clear a path. I thought that since the mines were detonated by making the three tuning forks vibrate and that the Polkka had notes in it which included those three notes. So the Finns could essentially take control over when the mines detonated away from the Soviets.
I could be wrong though, I was just going from wikipedia.

The song was chosen because it had a fast tempo which would likely not let a clear enemy signal through.

September 3 - 2300hrs
Called to IV AK to inquire the situation in Viipuri. Captain Ääri had not heard of any new explosions, so it is likely our radio jamming (playing the Polkka -D) is working.

September 4 - 1800hrs
First enemy detonation signal was heard on the public radio. The signal was much stronger than before. Seems like they are trying to get past our radio jamming to detonate the rest of the mines.

-War diary of Headquarters' Signals Detachment 1



EDIT: Also, Viipuri was important city to the Finns, so destroying parts of it intentionally was out of the question. Oh and Finns didn't know where most of the mines were, so not a good idea to start blowing them up in random.

[Dowly]

5 August 1941

Karelian Isthmus: 15.D reaches the outskirts of Hiitola by nightfall.

2.D cuts the Hiitola-Sortavala railway.



Soviet troops begin a general withdrawal from the northwest area of Sortavala.

Colonel Bondarev's 168.D remains behind to cover the withdrawal.

1st Battle of Smolensk ends in German victory.

Finnish daily losses: 345


Scars of the previous war. (Kollaa)

***

I'm taking this weekend off. Not sure, if I have time to write anything for anyone else to post. I shall return on monday/tuesday.

EDIT: ^Scratch that. Change of plans.

[Gerald]

Have a good time.

[Dowly]

6 August 1941

Combined German-Finnish offensive reaches Aittojoki in Ladoga Karelia.

Commander of the III AK, Major-General Siilasvuo, orders Group F to take defensive positions near Uhtua.



German Army Group North reaches the southern shore of Gulf of Finland.

Finnish daily losses: 227


'Anti-boredom battery' performing in Haapajärvi.

[STEED]

Showing some bottom cheek there!

[Dowly]

7 August 1941

2. Division captures Lahdenpohja and by doing so cuts the last land based withdrawal route from the Russian troops in the surrounding area of Sortavala.

Colonel Bondarev's 168.D and parts of 115.D are now encircled with Lake Ladoga being the only way out.

I AK (2.D, 7.D, 19.D) is formed to deal with the Sortavala 'motti'.



Northern Finland: III AK's Group J captures Kiestinki. SS-Nord takes credit of it by informing Berlin it was they who captured the town.



Rumours of deserters begin to circulate on the home front. The wildest rumours speak of over 40,000 deserters armed with machine guns and other armaments given by Russians roaming the woods.

Finnish daily losses: 383


Close call for Colonel Pajari.

[STEED]

Typical Waffen SS always wanting a Iron Cross..Hey Berlin we took Kiestinki.

[Dowly]

8 August 1941

After capturing Ilmee, parts of Colonel Pajari's 18.D are ordered to advance south towards Kirvu and Sairala.

Their objective is to capture the towns and the Sairala - Hiitola railway.

Kirvu and Inkilä are captured without a fight on the 8th of August.

Attacks towards Sairala are repulsed by the enemy.



Finnish daily losses: 317


Two Jaegers of Jaeger Battalion 1 carrying the so called Marski's SMGs.

For their actions during the tough 'motti' battles of the Winter War, Mannerheim bought 10 Suomi KP/31 SMGs from the Tikkakoski factory with a silver plaque on the stock which read: "To Jaeger Battalion 1, 1940, Field Marshal C.G.E. Mannerheim"

The weapons were given to the unit in the summer of 1941 and as Mannerheim wished, they were given to the best soldiers of the unit to be used in combat.

All but two of the KP/31s survived the war.

[Dowly]

9 August 1941

Karelian Ishtmus: 2.Division captures Elisenvaara.



Commander of the Navy orders mines to be laid to east side of Tallinn.

Finnish daily losses: 256


Russian POWs in Nastola.

[Dowly]

10 August 1941

Infantry Regiment 30 (7.Division) attack over Karmalansalmi on the west side of Sortavala.



15.Division enters Kurkijoki.



Finnish daily losses: 282


Finns marching towards Kurkijoki.

***

This was uploaded yesterday to the official FDF youtube channel, so I'll just leave it here:

[Dowly]

11 August 1941

East Karelia: 11. Division takes front responsibility in Hyrsylä.

Karelian Isthmus: Last Soviet covering forces retreat from Hiitola to the Kilpola archipelago in preparation for evacuation across Lake Ladoga.



Finnish daily losses: 292


Finnish artillery softening suspected enemy positions near Hiitola.

[Dowly]

12 August 1941

18.Division continues to advance towards Jääski, Kirvu and Sairala.

2. and 19. Divisions attack against the encircled Soviet 168.D in Lahdenpohja - Sortavala area.



Over Kirvu, Captain Jorma Karhunen's flight of six Brewsters engage 20 enemy I-153s and one I-18(I-16?).

Nine Soviet I-153s are shot down and another four unconfirmed with no own losses.

First issue of "Vapaa Karjala" (="Free Karelia") weekly paper is released.

Finnish daily losses: 291


Treating a hoof injury.