JR 61 and TäydP 6

[Lundberg]

Hello

This is my first posting on this forum. I had a finnish grandfather who fought in the JR 61 during the Continuation War. I have inherited a book called "Finnish frontmen" where his record is posted. He would never talk about details of the war so my knowledge is limited to what it says in the book. Here is an excerpt:

"JR 61..... TäydP 6; Säntämä, Jandeba, Shemenski; rifleman, guard. Fm 2."

I have understood that TäydP is some sort of replacement battalion. My questions are the following:

1. Was TäydP 6 a part of JR 61 for the duration of the war? What kind of role did TäydP 6 have - was it rear guard or in the front line?

2. Is it possible for a soldier to be a part of TäydP 6 for that amount of time, we are talking of 1941 to november 1944? I thought that replacement battalions where places where soldiers rotated in and out of when they were taken in and out of front units for various reasons. My grandfather was born in 1911 and had two children in this time so he was not that young in the war. Could this be a reason if he was not in a front unit all the time (family and age)? He was also a veteran from the Winter War where he served with JR 9.

3. I know that JR 61 participated in the Tienhaara battle, but my grandfather, according to the service record did not participate in this. Does anyone have any tip on where to look to find out what he did between the battles of Shemenski and Tienhaara and his homecoming in November 1944?

Very grateful for any help!

Thanks

[Mangrove]

1. Was TäydP 6 a part of JR 61 for the duration of the war? What kind of role did TäydP 6 have - was it rear guard or in the front line?

VI Army Corps founded Henkilötäydennyskeskus 3 (HTK 3) in October 1942. HTK 3 was compromised of Täydennyspataljoona 4 (at Nurmoila), 5 (at Pitkäranta) and 6 (at Jessoila).

If you understand written Swedish, here's a link to a battalion war diary.

2. Is it possible for a soldier to be a part of TäydP 6 for that amount of time, we are talking of 1941 to november 1944? I thought that replacement battalions where places where soldiers rotated in and out of when they were taken in and out of front units for various reasons.

The battalions were indeed units where the conscripts were first sent from their training centres in the home front. Here they were given training that required special personnel, equipment and/or weapons not available in the home front. Usually the training lasted for a few months after which the men were transfered to front line units.

Naturally, you could have been permanently attached to Täydennyspataljoona if you were an instructor.

3. I know that JR 61 participated in the Tienhaara battle, but my grandfather, according to the service record did not participate in this. Does anyone have any tip on where to look to find out what he did between the battles of Shemenski and Tienhaara and his homecoming in November 1944?

The book series "Suomen rintamamiehet" contains a lot of self reported information and thus it shouldn't be used as a primary source, but as helpful index at best. Do order his actual military records (kantakortti) from the National Archives, if you haven't done so already.

The National Archives Service's contact information

[adam7]

Is it possible for a soldier to be a part of TäydP 6 for that amount of time, we are talking of 1941 to november 1944? I thought that replacement battalions where places where soldiers rotated in and out of when they were taken in and out of front units for various reasons. My grandfather was born in 1911 and had two children in this time so he was not that young in the war. Could this be a reason if he was not in a front unit all the time (family and age)? He was also a veteran from the Winter War where he served with JR 9.

You need to consider that when the Finnish Armed Forces fought the Continuance War, the personell was at its largest, abt 600 000 men, of a population of 3,7 million, which is abt +16 % of the total pop, meaning around 32 % of male population. Female Lotta Svärd auxialiary corps is not included in the number. The percentage mobilised was to my understanding highest in any warfaring country in Europe.

A third of males, means that abt everybody of a working age was in. So since your grandfather who was born 1911, would have been around 28 when Winter War started and around 33 when the ceasefire of 1944 was agreed on, he definitely wasn't too old. This age was clearly an age not exempted from service. Having children was not a ground to be exempted.

You need to control the links provided earlier, and as a relative, you are eligible to get his service card (stamkort / kantakortti) which lists his service.

[Aleksander P]

Is it possible for a soldier to be a part of TäydP 6 for that amount of time, we are talking of 1941 to november 1944? I thought that replacement battalions where places where soldiers rotated in and out of when they were taken in and out of front units for various reasons. My grandfather was born in 1911 and had two children in this time so he was not that young in the war. Could this be a reason if he was not in a front unit all the time (family and age)? He was also a veteran from the Winter War where he served with JR 9.

You need to consider that when the Finnish Armed Forces fought the Continuance War, the personell was at its largest, abt 600 000 men, of a population of 3,7 million, which is abt +16 % of the total pop, meaning around 32 % of male population. Female Lotta Svärd auxialiary corps is not included in the number. The percentage mobilised was to my understanding highest in any warfaring country in Europe.

A third of males, means that abt everybody of a working age was in. So since your grandfather who was born 1911, would have been around 28 when Winter War started and around 33 when the ceasefire of 1944 was agreed on, he definitely wasn't too old. This age was clearly an age not exempted from service. Having children was not a ground to be exempted.

You need to control the links provided earlier, and as a relative, you are eligible to get his service card (stamkort / kantakortti) which lists his service.

Do you have any sources for details about the number of recruits? 32% is something to marvel at . I guess we would have been screwed otherwise!

[Lotvonen]

The following opus might be of interest for you:

Nils-Erik Nykvist
Sextiettan
Infanteriregemente 61 1941-1944
Sextiettan

ISBN: 9789515223333
Cirkapris 34.00 €
Bandtyp: Inbunden

Julen 1986 utkom den första upplagan av Nils-Erik Nykvists bok Sextiettan. Boken lovprisades och premierades av Svenska litteratursällskapet. Presidenten tackade för boken, Sveriges konung likaså. Veteranerna fick stå i centrum efter årtionden av åsidosättande. Boken bidrog till att minska generationsklyftor då barn och barnbarn läste den och ville höra mera. Boken ges ut i samarbete med Svensk-Österbottniska samfundet r.f.

JR 61 alias IR61 was made up of ethnic Swedes.

[adam7]

. pls remove

[adam7]

Is it possible for a soldier to be a part of TäydP 6 for that amount of time, we are talking of 1941 to november 1944? I thought that replacement battalions where places where soldiers rotated in and out of when they were taken in and out of front units for various reasons. My grandfather was born in 1911 and had two children in this time so he was not that young in the war. Could this be a reason if he was not in a front unit all the time (family and age)? He was also a veteran from the Winter War where he served with JR 9.

You need to consider that when the Finnish Armed Forces fought the Continuance War, the personell was at its largest, abt 600 000 men, of a population of 3,7 million, which is abt +16 % of the total pop, meaning around 32 % of male population. Female Lotta Svärd auxialiary corps is not included in the number. The percentage mobilised was to my understanding highest in any warfaring country in Europe.

A third of males, means that abt everybody of a working age was in. So since your grandfather who was born 1911, would have been around 28 when Winter War started and around 33 when the ceasefire of 1944 was agreed on, he definitely wasn't too old. This age was clearly an age not exempted from service. Having children was not a ground to be exempted.

You need to control the links provided earlier, and as a relative, you are eligible to get his service card (stamkort / kantakortti) which lists his service.

Do you have any sources for details about the number of recruits? 32% is something to marvel at . I guess we would have been screwed otherwise!

Well, I need to revise my figures. Even though I have a distinct memory of the figure 600k, the book "Jatkosodan pikkujättiläinen" states that the largest number was in July-August 1944 and was 530k (in the chapter starting at page 77). This works out to 14% of population and abt 28% of males, which is also an incredible but accurate number.

You won't find such a number in any other of the warring nations.