Continuation War, day by day.

[Dowly]

5 May 1941

120 Finnish SS-volunteers board the SS Adler in Turku. They arrive in Danzig on the 8th of May.

Germany wanted to send SS-Standartenführer Paul Dahm to handle the recruitment as he had done in Norway and Netherlands, but the Finnish Foreign Ministry insisted on handling it internally.

Chief of the EK (modern day SUPO i.e. internal security police) Esko Riekki was picked to organize the recruitment. "Engineering office 'Gear'" was set up as a front for the recruitment. When a batch of Finns would leave to Germany, they would be given "work orders", instead of any sort of official political or military orders.

Of the 1900 applicants, 1408 were accepted. Large number of these 1408 men, some 79%, were members of the White Guard.

One of the notable persons to serve in the volunteer SS battalion was Lauri Törni (better known as Larry Thorne in America).

[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]

1 October 1941

Petroskoi is captured:

The attack towards Soviet Karelia's capital continued on 25.9. It was joined by the rested, but understrength 1.Division, which was reformed as Battlegroup Paalu. It began to advance towards Petroskoi from Lake Jandri to the Southwest.

The 11.Division which bore the main responsibility of the attack didn't participate in the capture of the Petroskoi, but instead continued to the north of the city to Suolusmäki.

Approaching from the south Detachment Lagus' and 7.Division's attack got stuck on 29.9. in Orsega, where Soviet troops made fierce counter-attacks. The exhausted Finns were not able to continue until the next day and by the evening progressed about one kilometer from the town.

Around midnight, Soviet troops were seen leaving the city and blowing up buildings as they went. Early in the morning, at 4.30 am, Light Detachment 8 entered the city center from the southwest without encountering resistance. Advancing from the south Detachment Lagus arrived in the morning at 10.00 am.

The Karelian Army is ordered to continue its attack towards Karhumäki.



Finnish daily losses: 61

Finnish losses in September: 4949

Finnish losses in the war (so far): 20 344


Petroskoi

Mannerheim Cross recipient(s):

2nd Lieutenant Pentti Iisalo
- For leading his platoon behind the enemy during the battle of Tiuri and holding the position until reinforcements arrived.

***

2 October 1941

VII AK's attack towards Karhumäki begins.

7.Division reaches eastern Svir.

Finnish daily losses: 83


Horses were of great help in getting supplies to areas inaccessable by vehicles.

***

3 October 1941

US Foreign Minister Cordell Hull congratulates Finnish ambassador Procopè for Finnish army's success on recapturing Karelia.

Finnish daily losses: 72


At-gun in position. (4.Division's area)

Mannerheim Cross recipient(s)

Major-General Taavetti Laatikainen
- For leading the II AK.

[Dowly]

22 July 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 26


Writing a letter back home. (Rukajärvi)

***

23 July 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 19


Pilot has just returned from his 100th sortie. (Tiiksjärvi)

***

24 July 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 17


Some of the cars given to Mannerheim by Hitler. (Mikkeli)

***

25 July 1942

Colonel Mäkiniemi is ordered to destroy the 1st Partisan Brigade.

Finnish daily losses: 19


Unidentified Winter War era bodies waiting to be buried. (Terenttilä/Taipale)

***

26 July 1942

LRRP detachment Kuismanen leaves by plane to behind enemy lines to observe traffic on the Arkhangelsk - Vologda railway. The unit returns on September 9 after spending 46 days behind enemy lines.

Finnish daily losses: 18


Entrance to a destroyed Winter War era bunker. (Taipale)

***

27 July 1942

Kemijärvi's vicar Lauri Laitinen is sentenced to six months in prison for spreading anti-government rumours.

Finnish daily losses: 12

***

28 July 1942

The Soviet 1st Partisan Brigade, now without food and pursued by the Finns gets permission to abort their mission and head back.

Finnish daily losses: 22


POW from the 1st partisan brigade. (Rukajärvi area)

***

29 July 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 11



***

30 July 1942

SS-Reichsführer Himmler visits Marshal Mannerheim in his headquarters.

Finnish IV/12.Bde attacks the partisans in Tjasajoki river. The enemy loses at least 113 men, including Major Grigorjev during the night's fighting. The partisans begin to retreat back north with Finns in pursuit.

Finnish daily losses: 27


Pursuing the partisans.

***

31 July 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 29

[Dowly]

1 August 1942

Headquarters gives a general warning of heightened partisan activity.

The United States closes all its consulates in Finland.

Finnish daily losses: 15


Newlyweds. Lotta Auxiliary Paula Tuominen and Staff Sergeant Viljo Salin. (Lempaala)

***

2 August 1942

Mannerheim tells Germans he is in principle willing to help cut the Murman railway, but Germany must first finish the siege of Leningrad.

Finnish daily losses: 21


Major Grigorjev's command post at Tjasajoki.

***

3 August 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 17


Large log bunker captured intact from the enemy. (Lonkka)

***

4 August 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 20


Wreckage of a shot down Russian plane.

***

5 August 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 23

***

6 August 1942

The 1st Partisan Brigade crosses Tumbajoki river with Finnish units in constant contact with them.

Finnish daily losses: 15


Finnish submarine. (Gulf of Finland)

[Dowly]

7 August 1942

Partisan pursuit:

6./12.Bde has been in contact with the enemy all night in the 2900/8400 terrain.
5./12.Bde got in a firefight with an enemy advance unit at point 152,0.
During the day 7./12.Bde reached the area of 6.Coy and engaged the enemy at point 173,4.
At 2100hrs, 13./12.Bde attacked enemy's advance units near point 195,1.



Finnish daily losses: 24


Patrol leaving to 'no man's land'. (Rukajärvi)

[Dowly]

9 August 1942

Partisan pursuit:

Enemy has crossed the Sidra river during the morning. Parts of detachment Valmu and Platoon 'Esko' are in combat with the enemy in 4300/8600 terrain.

By evening the suspected main enemy group has retreated to 4580/8650. Detachments Valmu, Putkonen and Ahonen are ready to receive the enemy on the Voijärvi - Tsiassalmi isthmus.

POW tells that the partisans are moving in two or three separate groups. Enemy casualties are also larger than thought, prisoner has told that seriously wounded partisans have been shot and their bodies have been hidden in the swampy terrain.



Finnish daily losses: 18

[Dowly]

10 August 1942

Partisan pursuit:

At noon, Detachment Airimo reported of being in contact with two large enemy groups in 4700/8450 and 4700/8700. Detachment Pyökkimies ordered to sent units to each location.

In the evening Detachment Airimo informed that multiple small enemy groups had managed to get to the north side of the road. Detachment Pyökkimies ordered to continue pursuit of these groups.



Finnish daily losses: 30


Captain Malmio receiving first aid at Voijärvi. He died during the taking of the photograph.

[Dowly]

11 August 1942

Partisan pursuit:

Smaller and larger enemy groups have continued to break through the thin Finnish lines.

Detachment Pyökkimies is ordered to set up a new plug further east and Airimo is to pursue the enemy and inflict losses whenever possible.



Finnish daily losses: 28


Hastily built defensive positions on the east shore of lake Jolmajärvi. (Partisan pursuit)

EDIT: Probably no update tomorrow on the partisan thing, because I need to
a) Get over the hangover
b) figure out what's what on the next map sheet (because Russian)

[Dowly]

12 August 1942

On the northeast side of lake Äänisjärvi a Finnish reconnaissance plane's pilot is hit and killed by AA. The spotter climbs outside the plane and back into the cockpit and pilots the plane back by sitting on the lap of his dead comrade.

Finnish daily losses: 27


Patrol setting up box mines near Lempaala.

***

13 August 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 29


Boats of the German Einsatzstab Fähre Ost on Lake Ladoga.

***

14 August 1942

Showing of a Finnish comedy "Ryhmy ja Romppainen" is cancelled in Rome. Italians think making such fun about military is not appropriate.

Finnish daily losses: 12


Finnish cavalry NCO.

***

15 August 1942

The Soviet 1st Partisan Brigade begin ferocious break through attacks against Finnish lines near Valkealampi. They lose 58 partisans, but succeed in their attempt to get further east.

Finnish daily losses: 25


Destroyed armored vehicles in Jyvälahti.

[Dowly]

16 August 1942

Six Finnish Brewsters shoot down 13 enemy I-16s near Seiskari.

Finnish daily losses: 19


Soldier being treated after he stepped on a mine. (Salkovaara)

***

17 August 1942

Urho Kaipainen, a member of the illegal Finnish Communist Party, is executed for treason.

Finnish daily losses: 20


Drawing of Finns storming a trench.

***

18 August 1942

The 1st Partisan Brigade crosses lake Jolmajärvi under Finnish fire, losing at least 40 men.

Finnish daily losses: 24


Patrol near lake Jolmajärvi.

[Dowly]

19 August 1942

General Paulus orders the Sixth Army to attack Stalingrad.

Finnish daily losses: 27

***

20 August 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 23

***

21 August 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 20

***

22 August 1942

Commander of the Maaselkä Group orders the partisan hunt to be stopped. The enemy has suffered losses of estimated 518 men and women, Finnish losses were 119 men.

Finnish daily losses: 16

***

23 August 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 13

***

24 August 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 21

***

25 August 1942

50 planes in five waves bomb Helsinki. Five people are killed and ten wounded.

Finnish daily losses: 18

[Dowly]

26 August 1942

The Headquarters orders war correspondents to stop reporting so much about the free time activities of soldiers.

Finnish daily losses: 23

***

27 August 1942

The Red Army's offensive to break the siege of Leningrad begins.

Finnish daily losses: 15


Knight of the Mannerheim Cross #14 Private Emil Pasanen. (Pertjärvi/Svir)

"On September 26th 1941 the commander-in-chief has appointed Private
Emil Pasanen as Knight of the 2nd class Mannerheim Cross who in the Battle
of Suvilahti (21.8.41) killed dozens of enemy soldiers with his submachine
gun and who in the Battle of Jessoila (27.8.41) captured an important hill
and held it alone when his comrade fell until help could arrive. Further,
during the Battle of Prääsä (8.9.41) after his comrades were incapacitated
he held alone an important part of the line against a strong enemy attack."

***

28 August 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 28

***

29 August 1942

Night-time bombing raid on Helsinki by 60 Soviet planes leaves 3 dead and 20 wounded.

Finnish daily losses: 20


Food storage building on fire as a result of a bombing raid. (Helsinki)

***

30 August 1942

Detachment Vehniäinen, a LRRP unit made up of Estonian volunteers, is dropped via parachutes near the Arkhangelsk - Vologda railway.

All 13 of them fail to return from the mission.

Finnish daily losses: 33

***

31 August 1942

No entry.

Finnish daily losses: 20


Miniatures made by Finnish pilots.

***

1 September 1942

29 Soviet bombers hit Kumssaari and Seesjärvi areas in Maaselkä Isthmus.

Five Finnish Brewsters of LeLv 24 shoot down four Soviet I-153s over Lavansaari.

Finnish daily losses: 24