Civilians and POW Executed by Finnish Long Range Patrols

[Harri]

Actually the patrol "Veli" [Brother] was for escorting another patrol "Veikko" [Chap, also a male first name] behind the enemy lines and for catching a POW. To me this means a cover mission to conceal the real breakthrough of another patrol of which task was - surprise - scouting [tiedustelupartio].

I think there is no point of catching a POW if he/she had been intentionally executed after interrogation. I don't see any sense in that kind of activity. Also shooting (I think that method was used?) is too loud and alarms all enemy troops within kilometres of the shooting place. So there must be other explanations why the POW was killled or died. I have not seen that part of the earlier Lt. Naapuri's patrol report which tells what actually happened. For sure any killings were not intentional and were not ordered. If the POW died or was killed then the mission was failed i my opinion. (On the other hand patrol name "Kuula" [Ball, Sphere but also Bullet or Shot] would indicate something but I think it was just unintentional.)

Anyway the Winter time influenced to the operation of patrol "Kuula" but it does not explain why the POW died? Also the mission doesn't make sense to me. So what was the reson to send a ski patrol to catch a POW? One explanation could be that it was some sort of training or test mission for example for new patrolmen?

[Mangrove]

Anyway the Winter time influenced to the operation of patrol "Kuula" but it does not explain why the POW died? Also the mission doesn't make sense to me. So what was the reson to send a ski patrol to catch a POW? One explanation could be that it was some sort of training or test mission for example for new patrolmen?

I managed to find the full patrol report of "Kuula" from Digitaaliarkisto: "Partiokertomus partio "Kuulan" matkasta Lindeman - Tupajoen suunnalla 15-16.2.1944, johtajana luutn. E. Naapuri. Retki A".

Here are also two subsequent patrols with the same task of capturing a prisoner:

- Partiokertomus partio "Kuulan" matkasta Reskon - Pestsanojan suunnalla ajalla 18-19.2.1944, johtajana kapteeni M. Raipala (Retki B)"

- Partiokertomus partio "Kuulan" matkasta Varniemen - Jalkasillan suunnalla ajalla 23-24.2.1944, johtajana kapteeni M. Raipala (Retki C)"

[Harri]

Also shooting (I think that method was used?) is too loud and alarms all enemy troops within kilometres of the shooting place. So there must be other explanations why the POW was killled or died.
Anyway the Winter time influenced to the operation of patrol "Kuula" but it does not explain why the POW died? Also the mission doesn't make sense to me. So what was the reson to send a ski patrol to catch a POW? One explanation could be that it was some sort of training or test mission for example for new patrolmen?

Thanks for the patrol report!

My points were quite close to the truth. The POW was to be "knocked" [kolkata] (not shot at), and it was clearly told that the situation was not yet so critical although the patrol was surprised and chased by the Soviets. The actual leader of escort patrol was much more eager to knock the POW down than the men of 2./Er.P 4. Also the POW was wounded which made patrol very vulnerable slowly moving and he did not answer when he was interrogated.

[ROLAND1369]

Sometimes a mission such as this to snatch and disappear a member of the enemy forces is a Psyop Operation designed to destroy enemy morale. There is considerable lowering of enemy morale when a fellow soldier disappears overnight and does not return, particularly when no confirmation of death or prisoner status is ever received. This effect is increased when the event occurs far behind the fighting zone in a supposed safe rear area. The objective of such a mission as this could have been this type of action. The force carrying out such operations are not always informed of the true objective.

[ROLAND1369]

This action could have had a desired Psyop objective. The true objective could have been to lower the morale of the opposing troops by increasing their fear and decreasing their military effectiveness by destroying their feeling of security. The overnight disappearance of one of their fellow soldiers reinforced by no confirmation of death in the form of a body or notification of prisoner severely reduces the morale of the effected enemy soldiers. The effect is enhanced by the greater distance from the main fighting area and the presence of rear area troops ie supply, transport, artillery units. The feeling that an enemy can "reach out and touch them" in a perceived secure area can be highly debilitating.

[Mangrove]

Here are some examples of long range patrol missions by Osasto Kuismanen (later 2./Er.P.4) that took place south of the Svir from July to September 1942.

[Mangrove]

6) 1./Er.P.4 patrol "Vempele", led by 2nd Lt. Jalmari Kuoppa, shot an unarmed Senior lieutenant circa four kilometres west of Borilovo railway station near Oblomna river bridge on 2 July 1943 after he had declined the "invitation" to follow the patrol as prisoner of war.

[Mangrove]

From the after-action report by patrol of Lieutenant Jorma Hämäläinen of Erillinen Pataljoona 7 (SPK 6720), dated 20 August 1944 (see also MAP). This is the third case I have found thus far where a patrol lead by Hämäläinen killed prisoners.

"After spending a night at a second location, the patrol set out on the road on August 17 at 11.00 a.m. arriving at the roadside at approx. 2.45 p.m. At the same time, two wagons came from Kuutamalahti, loaded. In the previous one, 4 men, in the second one, 5, with a tarp pulled over their heads because it was raining. Despite being easy prey, we didn't even try to capture them as unprepared. The men sat facing north.

After this, at about 3.00 p.m., the patrol set up in ambush in point No. 10 on both sides of the road from the bridge to the west, extending patrol's right wing to an opening for about 100 m. At 4.30 p.m., a lorry drove from Kuutamalahti, 7 men on the bed and 2 in the cab. After the undersigned jumped onto the road and showed a stop sign, the Russkies opened a strong sub-machine gun fire from the bed, which forced the Russkies to be suppressed by fire. Senior Lieutenant and a man jumped from the bed and were destroyed on the road, - the Senior Lieutenant was wounded. Captain was found in the cab and another Senior Lieutenant from the bed. The remaining 6 were non-commissioned officers and enlisted, some wounded. The Captain was badly wounded. The captured documents were with the Captain and the Senior Lieutenant who had jumped down. The latter was carried along for some time as slightly wounded. Finally, all of them were put down as too badly wounded to be transported. [...] While continuing to destroy and examine the load and put down the wounded, approx. 30 Russkies attacked from the direction of the road from the west, firing fiercely, and at the same time, fire was also received from behind the car from the forest at Point 11. The undersigned then retreated in the direction indicated by the drawing, after first suppressing the attackers to the ground with fire. [...]"

Toisesta yöpymispaikasta osasto lähti etenemään tielle 17.8. klo 11.00 saapuen tien varteen n. klo 14.45. Samaan aikaan tuli Kuutamalahdesta päin kahdet vankkurit kuormattuina. Edellisessä 4 miestä, toisessa 5, vedettynä ressu päiden yli, koska satoi. Helposta saaliista huolimatta ei valmistautumattomana yritettykään kaapata. Miehet istuivat kasvot pohjoista kohti.

Tämän jälkeen n. klo 15.00 asettui osasto väijyksiin peitep. piste N:o 10 osoittamalla tavalla molemmin puolin tietä sillasta länteen ulottuen oikea siipi aukean kohdalla n. 100 m. Klo. 16.30 ajoi Kuutamalahdesta päin kuorma-auto, lavalla 7 miestä ja kopissa 2. Allekirjoittaneen hypättyä tielle ja näytettyä pysähdysmerkin avasivat ryssät voimakkaan kp-tulen lavalta jonka pakoittamana ryssät täytyi tulella vaimentaa. Yliluutn. + 1 mies hyppäsivät lavalta tuhoutuen tielle, - yliluutn. haavoittuneena. Kopista löytyi kapteeni ja lavalta toinen yliluutn. Loput 6 olivat aliups. ja miehiä, osa haavoittuneena. Kapt. oli vaikeasti haavoittunut. Saadut paperit olivat kapt:lla ja alas hypänneellä yliluutn:lla. Viimeksi mainittua kuljetettiin lievemmin haavoittuneena jonkun matkaa. Lopuksi kaikki lopetettiin liian pahasti haavoittuneina kuljetettavaksi. [...] Kuorman tuhoamista ja tutkimista sekä haavoittuneiden lopettelemista jatkettaessa hyökkäsi ryssiä tien suunnalta lännestä n. 30 miestä kiivaasti tulittaen ja samaan aikaan saatiin tulta myös auton takaa metsästä, peitep. piste 11:sta suunnasta vetäytyi allekirjoittanut piirroksen osoittamaan suuntaan, ensin painettuamme tulella hyökkääjät maahan. [...]