Question on Finnish OOB 1941

[CyirlSh]

I can not find the information on Finnish Fortress infantry and Sisi Battalions, Frontier Jäger Companies in the summer of 1941.
How many they were and where were?

The best regards

[Juha Hujanen]

There was 24 Frontier Jäger Companies and they were deployed along who Eastern frontier and Hanko.The bulk of them were deployed between Gulf of Finland and Ilomantsi.

3 Sissi Battalions were formed.1st and 2nd were with VIII Corps and 3rd with III Corps.

Cheers/Juha

[Harri]

I'm preparing pages on both Sissi Battalions and Frontier Guard Companies and other Frontier Guard units right now and I'm about to publish them soon. After a few page or so take a look at the page and check out:

http://www.geocities.com/finnmilpge/

About Fortress Battalions [Linnoituspataljoona, Lin.P or Linn.P] and Separate Fortress Companies [Erillinen linnoituskomppania, Er.Lin.K or Er.Linn.K]:

There were 14 battalions (Lin.P 3...5, 7...16, 18 ) and 16 separate companies (Er.Lin.K 1...15, 20). Fortess Battalion was a MG unit with HQ, three Fortress [MG] Companies [12 MGs each], Jäger Platoon and a [At] Gun Platoon [2x 20...45 mm AT gun]. Separate Fortress Company was about similar to Fortress Company of Fortress Battalion. They were intended to "Salpa" defence line and were army corps level troops. A good "thumb rule" is that the bigger unit number the more north it was located (Lin.P 14., 15. and 16. were the northernmost battalions in Finnish III Army Corps which was subordinated to German AOK Norwegen in June 1941.)

During the Finnish attack phase virtually all Finnish divisions had at least one subordinated battalion and company with them. They were used in securing flanks and to defend fortified areas. Later during the war most fortress units were disbanded or suspended.

[CyirlSh]

Thanks. Very much the helpful information.
If there is an information it were would be desirable to know in structure of what cases these Linnoituspataljoona, Lin. P or Linn. P and Erillinen linnoituskomppania, Er. Lin. K or Er. Linn. K, Rajajääkärikomppania Rj. K

best regards

[JTV]

This page in my website has table of organisation & equipment for Frontier Jaeger Battalion around 1943 - 1944:
http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/FORMATIONS6.htm

The info is from documents of Päämajan Järjestelytoimisto (Organising Department of General Headquarters).

Harri, do you much info about Sissi-formations? Only detailed thing that I have succeeded finding is structure of one Winter War era Sissi-company.

[Harri]

Harri, do you much info about Sissi-formations? Only detailed thing that I have succeeded finding is structure of one Winter War era Sissi-company.

Not very much. I will publish my "Sissi Battalions 1939 - 1943" page probably during this evening (or tomorrow). The best source I have found is the book by Veikko Karhunen: Vienan sissit - Sissipataljoona 3 jatkosodassa 1941 - 1943 [The Guerrillas of Viena - Sissi Battalion 3 in the Continuation War 1941 - 1943] (WSOY, 1976).

----

Winter War era information I have managed to found for example on Veikko Karhunen's other books "Raatteen tie - Kajaanin pataljoona (IV/KT-Pr.) Suomussalmen taisteluissa talvisodassa" [The Raate Road - Kajaani Battalion (IV/KT-Pr.) in the Battles of Suomussalmi during the Winter War] (WSOY, 1970) and "Raatteen tieltä Turjanlinnaan - Er.P15 ja Er.K Kontula talvisodassa Suomussalmella 1939 - 1940" [From the Raate Road to Turjanlinna - Er.P 15 and Er.K Kontula in the Battles of Suomussalmi 1939 - 1940] (WSOY, 1974) which contain much common information. So far I have not managed to find any information on SP 5. Who for example commanded it?

[ML]

SissiP 5 was commanded by major Viljo Hämäläinen at least when the battalion was in Kuhmo in February 1940.

[Harri]

SissiP 5 was commanded by major Viljo Hämäläinen at least when the battalion was in Kuhmo in February 1940.

Are you sure? My notes based on "Suomen Jääkärien Elämäkerrasto" (1975) claims he commanded "SissiP 1 (= Os.H) 1939 - 1940". Perhaps there is a printing error and it should be SissiP 5? According to Veikko Karhunen's books on the battles of Suomussalmi SissiP 1 was formed on 10.12.1939 and arrived in Suomussalmi on 27.12.1939. At that stage Battalion Commander was Capt. Sulo Häkkinen.

SissiP 5 was formed on 23.12.1939 at Kemi. According to this "first hand source" dated 29.2.1940 Maj. V. Hämäläinen really commanded this battalion too:
http://www.kuhmo.fi/talvisota/kuvat/sal ... lista2.png

It seems there may be a conflict in sources (or some mistake). Can someone confirm which information is correct (or both)?

[JTV]

SissiP 5 was commanded by major Viljo Hämäläinen at least when the battalion was in Kuhmo in February 1940.

Are you sure? My notes based on "Suomen Jääkärien Elämäkerrasto" (1975) claims he commanded "SissiP 1 (= Os.H) 1939 - 1940". Perhaps there is a printing error and it should be SissiP 5? According to Veikko Karhunen's books on the battles of Suomussalmi SissiP 1 was formed on 10.12.1939 and arrived in Suomussalmi on 27.12.1939. At that stage Battalion Commander was Capt. Sulo Häkkinen.

SissiP 5 was formed on 23.12.1939 at Kemi. According to this "first hand source" dated 29.2.1940 Maj. V. Hämäläinen really commanded this battalion too:
http://www.kuhmo.fi/talvisota/kuvat/sal ... lista2.png

It seems there may be a conflict in sources (or some mistake). Can someone confirm which information is correct (or both)?

I can verify that the commander of SissiP 5 indeed was (Lääkintä) Majuri Hämäläinen, however I'm not sure about his first name. I happen to have unit history of this particular Battalion in my bookshelf, so I made few notes from it yesterday. Here they are:

From ”Vapaaehtoispataljoona Os. H. eli SissiP 5 talvisodan taisteluissa” by S. Pernu (The name of this book translates as ”Voluntary Battalion Detachment H. aka Sissi Battalion 5 in battles of Winter War”).

As the name suggests the men of this Battalion were volunteers. Most of them were Karelians and Ingrians, who had came from Soviet Union to Finland in early 1920’s, Officers and NCO for this unit were selected among reservists available.
Even if most of the volunteers had not served in Finnish Army quite many belonged to Suojeluskunta (Finnish Civil Guard), so they were not all totally without military training. December of 1939 Lääkintä-Majuri Hämäläinen created a small (85 men) unit called Detachment H. from these volunteers in Kemi.

Even if the manpower of this unit early on was only 3 officers + 3 NCO + 85 men once the word of it started spreading through channels of Suojeluskunta-organisation more volunteers soon started to arrive Kemi. Around Chrismas the unit had already 225 men and as the number of men increased the unit was divided into two companies. 19th of December Kotijoukkojen Esikunta (HQ of Home Front Troops) sent orders for all volunteers originating from Soviet Karelia and Ingria, who wanted to volunteer immediately, to serve in Detachment H. More volunteers kept coming and more officers and NCO were sent to it (among them 15 Alikersantti from Oulun Täydennyskomppania), so also 3rd Company was established to the Detachment.

In end of December 1939 the Detachment had 12 officers, 33 NCO and 322 men (total: 367). Besides three (Rifle) Companies it had Signal Unit (Viestiosasto), Special Training Unit (Erikoiskoulutusosasto) and Ancillary Unit (Täydennysosasto).

Size of the unit still kept growing. 6th of January it had 13 officers, 63 NCO and 490 men (total: 566). From these 1 officer, 3 NCO and 64 were unfit for military service (too old) and had been organised to Ancillary Unit, which was intended for home front use. Half of the men had no military training what so ever so they needed to be trained before the unit was sent to the front. Even if the unit lacked even some basic materials (such as mess kits) it got all the weaponry belonging to unit of its type (including automatic weapons). As usual basically only those who had belonged to Suojelukunta had uniforms, other men had only civilian clothing under their snow camo suits.

Weaponry-wise the early on the unit practiced with Swedish 6.5-mm Mauser M/96 rifles, but before leaving to front these were replaced with the usual mix of Mosin-Nagant rifles (mostly infantry rifle M/91 it seems), submachineguns seem to have been Suomi M/31 and light machineguns Lahti-Saloranta M/26. Signal Unit had Swedish made field phones and three radios (one B-radio and two amateur radios comparable to C-radio).

The unit was renamed as Sissipataljoona 5. 6th of December it had 18 officers, 72 NCO and 469 men (total: 559). It had three (Rifle) Companies, Sapper Unit (Pion Os), Signal Unit (Viesti Os), HQ (Pataljoonan Esik) and Supplies Column (Kuormasto). Structure of each Company followed this same basic structure:

Company Commander
Messengers (runners): NCO + 2 men
1st Platoon:
--Platoon leader
--Platoon leaders assistant
--Messengers (runners): 2 men
--3 Rifle Squads, in each Squad:
----1 NCO + 9 men
--Sledge unit (ahkioryhmä): 1 NCO + 3 men
2nd Platoon:
--Platoon leader
--Platoon leaders assistant
--Messengers (runners): 2 men
--3 Rifle Squads, in each Squad:
----1 NCO + 9 men
--Sledge unit (ahkioryhmä): 1 NCO + 3 men
3rd Platoon:
--Platoon leader
--Platoon leaders assistant
--Messengers (runners): 2 men
--2 Rifle Squads, in each Squad:
----1 NCO + 9 men
--Sledge unit (ahkioryhmä): 1 NCO + 3 men
Light Machinegun Platoon:
--Platoon leader
--2 LMG-Squads, in each Squad:
----1 NCO + 6 men
Supplies Platoon:
--Company Sergeant Major
--Ordnance NCO
--Medical NCO
--Supplies NCO
--Clerk
--Cooks
--Sledge unit (ahkio-ryhmä): 1 NCO + 3 men
--Horse handlers: 7 men

Radio Team: 1 NCO + 3 men
Telephone Team: 1 NCO + 3 men

Total number of men in whole company: 152

The Battalion was sent to front 6th of February and was transported to Kuhmo area.

[Harri]

Thanks a lot Jarkko! Very iInteresting information! The mentioned book belongs to those I have not managed to find yet.

The "V. Hämäläinen" I know was a Jäger officer. Could he also have been a medical officer? Perhaps. Anyway he commanded Os.H (like I mentioned) which later became SP 5 (not SP 1 like I mentioned; there was a mistake). SP 1 in turn was commanded by Capt. Sulo Häkkinen. I think that is correct.

I shall update my Sissi Battalions page immediately with that information!

[CyirlSh]

I know in what structure Army Corps entered 14, 15, 16 and 18 Lin. P.
And Lin. P. - somebody knows the others where they were.

[Harri]

I know in what structure Army Corps entered 14, 15, 16 and 18 Lin. P.
And Lin. P. - somebody knows the others where they were.

I can try to dig them out but it will take some time. Fortifications MG units were intented for the Salpa defence line along the border of 1940.

Note that fortress battalions and companies of III Army Corps were further subordinated to
- 6.D - 13th Separate Fortress Company and 28.7.1941- Lin.P 16 / Detachment Tirronen (Capt. ?. Tirronen),
- Group J (reinforced Infantry Regiment 53 of 3.D) - Lin.P 15 (Capt. A. Louhimaa),
- Group F (the majority of 3.D) - Lin.P 14 (Capt. T. Jussila).

In 14th Division its two fortress companies Separate Fortress Company 9 and 10 (Er.Lin.K 9, 10) formed since 27.6.1941 a Separate Heavy Battalion (Erillinen raskas pataljoona, Er.Rask.P). This temporary unit was commanded by Capt. A. Möttönen.

Fortress Battalion 18 (Lin.P 18 ) (Capt. H. Charpentier) was subordinated to "Hanko Peninsula Sector" (Hankoniemen lohko, Ha.Lo) of Hanko Group (HR) where it was located to the so called "Harparskog line" which was a similar defence line to "Salpa line" on the Eastern Finland. Hanko Group was under the command of Naval Forces (Merivoimat).

[CyirlSh]

I probably not so have written.
Excuse for my bad English.
Me interest where there were the others Lin. P