The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

Discussions on the Winter War and Continuation War, the wars between Finland and the USSR.
Hosted by Juha Tompuri
Post Reply
User avatar
JTV
Member
Posts: 2011
Joined: 11 Mar 2002, 11:03
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3916

Post by JTV » 15 Feb 2015, 00:12

Bill Murray wrote:I am far from my "comfort zone" regarding things Finnish, Jarkko, but can this be a badge for motorcycle drivers/riders?
Sorry, but no. This badge is one of the markings used for unit types, with other badges indicating unit types such as infantry, field artillery, light infantry, anti-aircraft artillery, signal troops, coastal artillery, sappers...

Jarkko

User avatar
John Hilly
Member
Posts: 2618
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 10:33
Location: Tampere, Finland, EU

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3917

Post by John Hilly » 15 Feb 2015, 16:08

JTV wrote:That is awfully close, but not 100% correct yet. Yes, soldiers who served in various Autokomppania ("Truck company" might be the more accurate translation) type units had these in shoulder epaulets of their uniforms, but the badge had a larger significance, which referred to certain specific type of troops.
Could it be motorized troops in common?

With best, J-P :milwink:
"Die Blechtrommel trommelt noch!"


User avatar
JTV
Member
Posts: 2011
Joined: 11 Mar 2002, 11:03
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3918

Post by JTV » 16 Feb 2015, 08:18

John Hilly wrote: Could it be motorized troops in common?
Correct - the badge is insignia for motorized troops (moottoroidut joukot), that was introduced in 1920's. However since Finnish Army had quite little actual motorized units (*) during World War 2, soldiers serving in autokomppania type units were (at least in theory) probably the most common users of this badge at that time.

(*) Besides number of field artillery, coastal artillery and anti-aircraft artillery units, whose drivers may have used badges of those service arms.

Over to you J-P...

Jarkko

User avatar
Juha Tompuri
Forum Staff
Posts: 11562
Joined: 11 Sep 2002, 21:02
Location: Mylsä

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3919

Post by Juha Tompuri » 18 Feb 2015, 22:35

J-P...?

Regards, Juha

User avatar
John Hilly
Member
Posts: 2618
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 10:33
Location: Tampere, Finland, EU

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3920

Post by John Hilly » 19 Feb 2015, 18:42

Coming, coming... 8-)

A contemperary picture of war-time vehicles.
Makers and models?
Vehicles.jpg
Vehicles.jpg (94.42 KiB) Viewed 1347 times
With best, J-P :milwink:
"Die Blechtrommel trommelt noch!"

Bill Murray
Member
Posts: 6341
Joined: 09 Jan 2004, 00:22
Location: Georgia USA

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3921

Post by Bill Murray » 19 Feb 2015, 19:28

Nice photo.

The passenger car is a 1938 Studebaker President and I believe the truck is a Citröen T45.
Bill

User avatar
John Hilly
Member
Posts: 2618
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 10:33
Location: Tampere, Finland, EU

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3922

Post by John Hilly » 19 Feb 2015, 20:39

1938 Studebaker President is a bullseye, but are there other opinions of the truck?

With best, J-P :milwink:
"Die Blechtrommel trommelt noch!"

User avatar
John Hilly
Member
Posts: 2618
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 10:33
Location: Tampere, Finland, EU

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3923

Post by John Hilly » 20 Feb 2015, 19:49

Sorry Bill, I've been had!
The original photo caption was "Studebaker Commander vuosimallia 1938 ja Reo Speed Wagon 1935".
So I didn't check the photo thoroughly.

The truck is really Citroén T 45 model 1940.
http://www.mobilia.fi/images/Evakkovael ... ta_000.JPG

In the same show describing Finnish civilians evacuation from Ahijärvi, Karelian Isthmus in 1944 there was also this Reo Speed Wagon 1935:
Reo Speed Wagon 1935.jpg
Edit: Adding source. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1015156168

So it's your turn next Bill!

With best, J-P :milwink:
"Die Blechtrommel trommelt noch!"

Bill Murray
Member
Posts: 6341
Joined: 09 Jan 2004, 00:22
Location: Georgia USA

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3924

Post by Bill Murray » 21 Feb 2015, 00:14

Hejsan J-P:

Ah, Yes, the Internet........... Cannot live without it, cannot live with it. Sadly, very active and enthusiastic folks often identify "things" that they really don't know much about in the hopes of generating interest in their general field of interest. I guess in this case, some sort of recreation of the evacuation from Karelia. Whoever did the captions, and I looked it up on Google Image Search after your last response, just did not know one vehicle from another. There was a Reo Speedwagon in the parade, it was just in another photo.

To return to your photo, the Studebaker could be either a President or a Commander. They looked virtually the same but the President had a 6 inch longer wheelbase and a slightly more powerful motor. It is hard to tell the length of the wheelbase from the photo.

As regards the T45, that vehicle has a very distinctive ID tip in that the front spring sits very low in the chassis and that is easy to see in your photo.
As well, those trucks were supplied as completely built units, including the drivers cab and body and most imported US vehicles were imported as chassis/cowl units and were fitted with locally built Finnish cabs and bodies which were quite distinctive and different from factory cabs and bodies.

So, my turn.

Below are two photos which represent a particular activity in the early war period. My question is what activity were these vehicles involved in?
It has a specific name.

Bill
Attachments
ahfquiz2winterwar 0215.jpg
ahfquizwinterwar 0215.jpg
ahfquizwinterwar 0215.jpg (135.13 KiB) Viewed 1299 times

User avatar
Juha Tompuri
Forum Staff
Posts: 11562
Joined: 11 Sep 2002, 21:02
Location: Mylsä

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3925

Post by Juha Tompuri » 21 Feb 2015, 19:10

So called Petsamo traffic?
INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTS

Also the Swedes were badly in need of a transport connection to the Arctic Ocean, after the German invasion of Denmark and Norway had brought their own ports to a standstill. In June 1940 Paavo Talvela, Chairman of the Board in Pohjolan Liikenne, signed an agreement in Sweden whereby Sweden supplied the company with 100 Volvo trucks with trailers in exchange for the right to use the road to Petsamo.
The first Swedish transport event was a convoy of 40 trucks which carried American J9 fighter planes - dismantled and packed in wooden crates - from steamer Mathilda Tordén in the Liinahamari port to Haparanda in Sweden. Swedish traffic on the Arctic Road reached its peak in July 1940 with a total of 401 vehicles. At a later stage the Swedish transport company balanced transports with Pohjolan Liikenne on a ton-for-ton basis, allotting shipments according to each company's available carrying capacity at either end of the route. The financial accounts were not cleared until after the war when foreign exchange controls were relinquished. Also the German military used the Arctic Road for its transport manoeuvres, utilising both Finnish transport equipment as well as their own, of which there were a total of 1140 vehicles during the busiest period. Also a significant number of Swedish drivers took part in these activities. In the summer of 1940 there were also ten Norwegian vehicles using the route, carrying food to northern Norway.
http://www.vetku.fi/autoesittelyt/magne ... agnet-hill

Regards, Juha

Bill Murray
Member
Posts: 6341
Joined: 09 Jan 2004, 00:22
Location: Georgia USA

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3926

Post by Bill Murray » 21 Feb 2015, 20:48

Hi Juha:

Spot on and the floor is yours.
Below is a short story and a few more photos.

Bill

http://mykil.org/Foto/Transporter/Petsamo.htm

User avatar
Juha Tompuri
Forum Staff
Posts: 11562
Joined: 11 Sep 2002, 21:02
Location: Mylsä

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3927

Post by Juha Tompuri » 21 Feb 2015, 21:36

Thanks Bill,

Now a question that I rate difficult, name this Finnish ship:
Attachments
what801.2.jpg

Ruotsinsalmi
Member
Posts: 53
Joined: 22 Jan 2011, 19:52

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3928

Post by Ruotsinsalmi » 22 Feb 2015, 09:42

Hello Juha

The ship is motor tanker Josefina Thorden.
Here is more information from a very fine source to Finnish Merchant Marine:
http://kauppalaiva.nba.fi/card.php?id=3001&lang=en

Pekka

User avatar
Juha Tompuri
Forum Staff
Posts: 11562
Joined: 11 Sep 2002, 21:02
Location: Mylsä

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3929

Post by Juha Tompuri » 22 Feb 2015, 16:06

Wow!

Correct answer, of course.
...and I was prepared for several days long helping operation, in order to get the correct answer coming.
The finnish motortanker JOSEFINA THORDÉN was in May 1941 on her way from Galveston to the port of Petsamo in the northen part of Finland (today a part of Russia). In the Atlantic stopped by HMS NORTHERN CHIEF and ordered to Thorshavn for inspection. On her way in attacked by german Focke-Wulf aircraft and set on fire midships, 15 men lost. When Finland in June 1941 entered the war together with Germany JOSEFINA THORDÉN was towed via Faroes and Kirkwall to Newcastle for repairs. Still as JOSEFINA THORDÉN, but now british flag, April 6 1943 damaged by mine near Sunk Head Buoys, Thames Estuary.
Lloyds War Losses Vol.I state: "Broke in two. Afterpart sank in 51' 47N 28' 42E and dispersed by explosives. Forepart taken in tow, stranded near Sheerness owing to gale; later refloated and towed to Tilbury Dock, but was eventually broken up. (Cargo in forepart was discaharged at Shell Haven on April 11th)"
http://warsailors.com/forum/read.php?1, ... #msg-25670
http://www.jormanmaailma.fi/index.php?j ... tokivi.htm

The captain of the ship (AFAIK first Finnish ocean tanker) was father of Finnish politican and civil servant Jacob Söderman
http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_S%C3%B6derman

Memorial to the fallen Finnish Josefina Thorden crew at Torshavn:
Image

Memorial to the fallen British Josefina Thorden crew at London:
Image
http://www.aanimeri.fi/gallery2/main.ph ... emId=18791

Your turn next, Pekka.


Regards, Juha

Ruotsinsalmi
Member
Posts: 53
Joined: 22 Jan 2011, 19:52

Re: The official AHF Winter & Continuation War quiz thread

#3930

Post by Ruotsinsalmi » 22 Feb 2015, 20:58

Thanks Juha!

My question: Name the unit, that was formed in June 1941 in Tuomisaari island at Ruotsinsalmi sound in town of Kotka. It operated with former coast guard motorboats (also with many ex. civilian speedboats and fishery vessels) in eastern archipelago of Finland until november 1941.

Pekka

Post Reply

Return to “Winter War & Continuation War”