I didnt descripe the whole division as M-cavalry but it being a part of the divisions development. Wiki: "Perustettiin 6. panssarikomppania käyttäen runkona hajotettua Ratsuväkiprikaatin Moottoroitua osastoa."JTV wrote:If you don't mind, a minor (but important) correction:Northwind wrote: The foreign press called him as "The finnish Rommel". He had training to tank warfare from the legendary Heinz Guderian himself. He was the commander of the only finnish panzer-division that included motorised cavalry and elite jäger-brigade besides the 3 tank-brigades, assaultgun-battalion and detached tank-batallion.
Motorised cavalry would be a poor description of Armour Division. As Art already pointed out the largest unit of this division was Jaeger Brigade (Jääkäriprikaati) containing four battalions of bicycle infantry trained to closely co-operate with armour. The other most significant parts of the package were Tank Brigade (Panssariprikaati) containing two tank battalions mostly equipped with light tanks and starting 1943 Assault Gun Battalion. In addition to these the division also contained considerable anti-tank capability in form of Anti-Tank Gun Battalion, Heavy (Field) Artillery Battalion 14 as the division's own fire support asset, Engineer Battalion 3, Signal Battalion 6 and numerous other units.
IMO calling Lagus "The Finnish Rommel" may have been a generalisation, but back in those days there was not exactly a crowd of generals with internationally known for operating with armour and infantry - especially so in terrain conditions typical to Finland are required. Hence the nickname may have been result of trying to find a lowest common nominator, for which the press sometimes shows certain tendency, but this does not change the fact that such nickname was used, overstatement or not.
Anyway, I would not pick Lagus as the best Finnish general - his poor diplomatic skills showed in some occasions and not in a positive way. I would consider Laatikainen probably the worst, while Pajari and Siilasvuo were certainly among the very best.
I am bit surprised that no one has mentioned Airo this far. What is known suggests he did have more than his own share of success and failure - of truly massive scale.
Jarkko
Lagus had an difficult task and he did more than hes best. And your right that he wasnt much of a diplomat, but you have to remember how hes troops where thrown in the middle of the most desperate situations. If you look at hes achievements and leader skills you have to consider him as one of the best. Advancing to Aunus and Syväri, and hes actions in the battles of Tali, Vuosalmi, Polviselkä and Kuuterselkä and the war in Lapland. He also received the german 1th and 2nd class Iron-crosses. And talking about the Jägerbrigade we should mention Colonel Albert Puroma
Like JTV mentioned Operative leader A.F Airo is not a bad choice. Hes been called as "the brains" of the Mannerheims HQ. The surprise of the soviet offensive is something to argue in hes case.
Well thats a nickname given to him by the press rather than an analytic statement. "Ulkomaiselta lehdistöltä Lagus sai lempinimen Suomen Rommel saksalaisupseerin mukaan." And i disagree; the tank and assaultgun battalions where key units in the quick offensive of 41. Also they where in significant role in destroying soviet tanks during the soviets offensive. And they would have been inefective without leader like Lagus.Art wrote:That is certainly an overstatement. The Finnish armored division despite the name was mostly a bicycle infantry unit, the role of armored elements was fairly limited. That was a very different type of warfare compared with the North-African campaign and analogies are not quite adequate.Northwind wrote: The foreign press called him as "The finnish Rommel".