Romanian & Finnish Unit names

[Metatron]

Did any of their armed units have official or nicknames?

[Harri]

Finnish Armoured Division didn't have any official "name" but unofficially it was called "Lagus' division" according to its commander. Armoured Brigade or Battalions didn't have any official or unofficial names (at least I don't know about these).

[Victor]

The Romanian 1st Armored Division was named Romania Mare in 1944, after its reorganization. It means Greater Romania.

Also most of the infantry, artillery and cavalry regiments and mountain battalions had names, either designating the region from where they were drafted or a Romanian or foreign prince.

For example, the 6th Guard Regiment (from the Guard Division) was named Mihai Viteazul, after the Wallachian prince that unified the Romanian provinces for the first time in 1600.

[Harri]

Sorry I mis-red the word "armed" in question as "armoured"...

Other known Finnish unit nicknames (1941 - 1944) are:
- 3rd Brigade "Blue Brigade"; actually I don't remember the orgin of that name
- Coastal Artillery Regiment 2 "Yellow Regiment"; don't know the origin
- 5th Division "Lynx Division"; lynx is in the coat of arms of Finnish province Häme where division was formed
- 17th Division "Oak Division"; the swedish name of the town in which it was founded is literally "Oak Island"
- 3rd Flight / Flying Squadron 24 "Knight Flight"; many of its pilots received Mannerheim Cross during the war and the holders of this medal were called Knights of the Mannerheim Cross. Flight was at first led by Lt./Capt. Jorma "Joppe" Karhunen and since May 1943 by Lt./Capt. Hans "Hasse" Wind. For example WO Ilmari "illu" Juutilainen was also in this flight until moved to Flying Squadron 34. Since June 1944 flight was led by Lt. Kyösti "Kössi" Karhila who was the top Finnish reserve pilot.

Anyone know/remember any more?

[Mek]

Hi,

Anyone know/remember any more?

Im not sure of this, but was Finnish Armour Division also called
"Marskin nyrkki"?

For all the non-Finnish speakers, Marskin nyrkki would stand for
"Marski's fist" in English.

Regards,
-Pete

[Tapani K.]

And Marski is a nick-name for Field Marshal Mannerheim, the only Field Marshal in the Finnish army.


regards
Tapani K.

[Sami_K]

Anyone know/remember any more?

"Musta Nuoli" = "Black Arrow"
The Finnish Penal battalion, can't remember the correct designation though... Er. P xx?

Cheers,
Sami

[Mikko H.]

"Musta Nuoli" = "Black Arrow"
The Finnish Penal battalion, can't remember the correct designation though... Er. P xx?

There existed several penal battalions in Finnish Army at one time or another during the Continuation War, and they were designated as Erillinen Pataljoona NN. There was only one penal regiment, Jalkaväkirykmentti 101, which existed from May 1942 to January 1944.

[Mek]

Hi,

There existed several penal battalions in Finnish Army at one time or another during the Continuation War, and they were designated as Erillinen Pataljoona NN. There was only one penal regiment, Jalkaväkirykmentti 101, which existed from May 1942 to January 1944.

Pardon my lack of knowledge, but Im curious to know, what is
a penal battallion really? What kind of men did this kind of battallions
consist of? and what were their um.. tasks?

Regards,
-Pete

[Juha Hujanen]

Few other Finnish:

1.Division="Paalun Pojat" ("Boys of Paalu",after their CO)
2.Division="Murtajadivisioona" (Breakerdivision")
7.Division="Kalpadivisioona" ("Sworddivision")
8.Division="Kolmen kannaksen Koukkaajat" ("Outflankers of Three Isthmus")
11.Division="Kiiladivisioona" ("Wedgedivision")
21.Brigade="Venttiprikaati" (Blackjackbrigade")
4.IR="Punamusta Rykmentti" ("Black/white Rgt.")
5.IR="Aaverykmentti" ("Ghost Rgt.")
6.IR="Kannaksen kahlaajat" ("Waders of Karelian Isthmus")
7.IR="Tyrjän Rykmentti" ("Regiment of Tyrjä",after their first battle)
8.IR="ukon Rykmentti" ("Old man's Rgt.",after their CO)
9.IR="Jyrinärykmentti" ("Thunder Rgt.")
12.IR="Jänkäjääkärit"
23.IR="Lounais-Hämeen Rykmentti" ("SW-Häme Rgt.")
24.IR="Tjugofyran" (Rgt. number is Swedish")
25.IR="Piikkirykmentti" (Spike Rgt.")
26.IR="Ässärykmentti" ("Ace Rgt.")
35.IR="Varsinais-Suomen Kuokkamiehet"
45.IR="Ranstankkarykmentti"
47.IR="Vallilanrykmentti"
49.IR="Saimaanrykmentti"
51.IR="Mörkörykmentti" ("Bogey Rgt.")
56.IR="Motti-matin Rykmentti" (after their CO)
61.IR="Sextiettan" (Rgt. number in Swedish)


Cheers/Juha

[Harri]

"Musta Nuoli" = "Black Arrow"
The Finnish Penal battalion, can't remember the correct designation though... Er. P xx?

There existed several penal battalions in Finnish Army at one time or another during the Continuation War, and they were designated as Erillinen Pataljoona NN. There was only one penal regiment, Jalkaväkirykmentti 101, which existed from May 1942 to January 1944.

That was Separate Battalion 21 (Er.P 21) commanded by legendary Maj. Nikolai "Nikke" Pärmi. (My homepage claims it would have been Er.P 23 but that is a mistake. I shall correct it. Sorry!) Another unoffcial name for this battalion was "Pärmi's Devils" [Pärmin pirut].

A little about Pärmi (only in Finnish):
http://213.250.93.204/huhtamaki/huhnikke.htm
http://www.verkkouutiset.fi/arkisto/Ark ... rm4599.htm
Multilinqual:
http://www.sodatkuvina.cjb.net/images/J ... E4rmi.html

JR 101 (with two separate battalions) acted on Maaselkä Isthmus. It was commanded by Col. Y. Hanste.

During Continuation War also Infantry Regiment 26 (12.D) was initially called "S Regiment" which later became "Ace Regiment" [Ässärykmentti]. Infantry Regiment 47 (12.D) was called "Vallila Regiment" [Vallilan rykmentti] according to part of the city of Helsinki.

I was a bit late and Juha (H) bet us all!! His list is almost complete. It is worth mentioning that all these names mentioned are unofficial. I don't remember any Finnish units which would have had special "official name".

[Juha Hujanen]

Pardon my lack of knowledge, but Im curious to know, what is
a penal battallion really? What kind of men did this kind of battallions
consist of? and what were their um.. tasks?

Regards,
-Pete

Er.P 21 was formed 28.8.41 from prisoners that were volunteered for military service in front lines.Volunteers were mostly communist in prisons and ordinary criminal convicts.In March 42 another Er.P 22 was formed.They were used as normal infantry battalions.

Search Google with Nikke Pärmi,and you will find info about Er.P 21 colourful CO.

Cheers/Juha

[Harri]

All these mentioned names were used during the Continuation War 1941 - 1944. There was also another "Ace Regiment", JR 11, during Winter War 1939 - 1940. As far as I know the soldiers came from the same area for both JR 11 and later JR 26, so regiment was basically the same reserve unit only with different number. JR 26 was disbanded on 25.3.1942.

Also "Vallila Regiment", JR 47, was re-arranged and its two battalions were moved elsewhere. Only its original III Battalion remained in JR 47 which was moved to 18.D. That battalion was thereafter called "Vallila Battalion" commanded by Maj. C. Gripenberg. Battalion had lots of Estonian volunteers (about 370 in the summer 1943). In winter 1944 III/JR 47 became I Battalion in JR 200, a new volunteer Estonian regiment in Finland.

[Juha Tompuri]

5.Div also known as "Hämäläisdivisioona"
JR 8 also known as "Ukon Rykmentti" ("Old man" Rgt)
1/Kev.Psto 14 "Oravapatteri" (1st battery of the 14th artillery battalion - Squirrel Battery)
III/KTR 11 "Kymin Patteristo" (third battalion of field artillery Rgt 11 - Kymi Battery)
Bomber Sq 48 "Onttolan Punaiset Pirut" (Red Devils of Onttola)
About "Vallila Battalion":
in the book "Viron Kunniaksi" by Jaakko Korjus states the III/JR 47 to be it, but Lauri Kotiniemi in his book "Muistikuvia Vallilan Pataljoonasta" states the name belonging to I/JR 47 (from 17th June-41 - 15th Jan-42) and to IV/3rd Brig (from 16th Jan-42 - 16th Nov-44)

Regards, Juha

P.S. few WWII jokes ( Nikke Pärmi etc) in english at:
http://www.ww2n.com/levity/yuks.shtml

[Harri]

Some of the nicknames were invented after the war, so all of them are not necessarily "genuine".

Bomber Sq 48 "Onttolan Punaiset Pirut" (Red Devils of Onttola)

I forgot totally that one. Their emblem was "red devil riding on a bomb" and their base was Onttola.

About "Vallila Battalion":
in the book "Viron Kunniaksi" by Jaakko Korjus states the III/JR 47 to be it, but Lauri Kotiniemi in his book "Muistikuvia Vallilan Pataljoonasta" states the name belonging to I/JR 47 (from 17th June-41 - 15th Jan-42) and to IV/3rd Brig (from 16th Jan-42 - 16th Nov-44)

I think all of them are correct. Because both battalions were derived from the same "Vallila Regiment" and III/JR 47 later became Estonian I/JR 200 it is obvious the name "Vallila Battalion" was not used anymore.