#24
Post
by Lotvonen » 01 Feb 2017, 07:26
In 1958 the journal “Kansa Taisteli “ called for texts under title “ My unforgettable war experience” .This story won the first price . The author was apparently serving on the Finnish Navy gunboat “Uusimaa”.
Ensio Henttonen
Battle of Someri/Sommers
Journal “Kansa Taisteli”, vol.5, 1959
Island of Someri, made up of bare rock (length about 1km, width less than ½ km, tr.rem.), is situated in the Eastern Gulf of Finland, some twenty kilometers off the archipelago. During the Continuation War there was an important sea and air surveillance post covering a large swath of the open Gulf of Finland. When visibility was good Lavansaari, held by the enemy, was visible and enemy shipping could be observed. Lavansaari was an important fortress for the enemy in the Gulf of Finland and a base for their Baltic Fleet when operating to the West from it. The aircraft based on it controlled the surrounding sea and our men had learned to respect the coastal defence and AA weapons of the island.
So the Soviet interest in Someri was fully understandable. Someri was an eye that could not be evaded. It was not a surprise that the enemy attacked it. Russian landing on Someri on the night of 7 to 8 July 1942 resulted in the largest naval battle in the history of independent Finland. Furious fighting was going on on land, at sea and in the air. The second day of the battle, 9th July, coincides with the Day of the Finnish Navy. At that date in 1790 the Swedish Navy gained its most glorious victory over the Russian navy in the battle of Ruotsinsalmi/Svensksund.
(A memorial of the 1790 battle was just being revealed in Kotka. The festive speeches were accompanied by the sound of distant artillery fire that told that Finnish seamanship was living on.)
Order to put out to sea
Our base was during the night 7 to 8 July Haapasaari group of islands half-way between Kotka and Suursaari. Our ship, gunboat “Uusimaa”, was anchored near the shore. Already in the evening we began to receive messages about the situation at Someri. In the course of the night the messages became more and more worrying. Light Russian naval units were swarming about the island in great numbers. Enemy air force also attacked the island wave after wave bombing and strafing. Everything was implying an attempt to land.
The crew of our gunboat was tensely following the course of events. It was obvious for everyone that we would be the first to go to assist if the enemy should attempt landing.
After a long wait our estimate proved true, because at 02.00hrs (8.July 1942) we were ordered to proceed for Someri at maximal speed. We hauled up the anchor and turned the bow SE. We were told that the enemy had started landing on Someri and managed to create a beachhead at 01.30hrs while suffering heavy losses.
Our troops (originally about 100 men, tr.rem.) had withdrawn to the W part of the island that was still firmly in their hands. The defenders asked for assistance over radio since the enemy was landing ever more troops and most of our artillery weapons had been destroyed by enemy shelling and air bombardment.
The task of our gunboat was to support with artillery fire the defenders of the island and prevent the enemy from advancing in the W part of the island as we best could. The least we could do was to prevent new troops from being landed and cut off the connections of the beachhead.
We passed the outermost island. Soon the dark silhouette of Someri was looming in the open sea in the dusk of the summer night. The sharp sound of the alert bell rang all through our ship. Battle stations were manned at once, guns were laid, ammunition was carried next to the guns and depth charges were loosened. Our ship was ready for battle.
The “Uusimaa” as well as her sister vessel “Hämeenmaa” were “good old ships” in the literal sense. They had been built on a Finnish shipyard during the Great War for Russian navy. In the course of the Russian revolution they had ended up in Finnish hands. Having more than 20 years of age they were hopelessly outdated as war vessels and weapons. The displacement was 400t, length about 50m, beam about 8m. Main armament comprised two outdated 102mm "Obuhoff" naval cannons. AA armament comprised tewo 40mm Bofors and one 20 mm Madsen. The speed was our biggest handicap, because 13 kts is not much for a war vessel. For anti-submarine warfare the vessel was equipped with depth charges.
We join the battle
We were approaching Someri with the barrels of our guns aimed at it. Fighting is raging there unabated. A huge column of smoke is rising upright in the still air. We are looking at a terrible scene accentuated by tracer projectiles. Shells are raining on the island from land, from the air and from sea. The rocks of Someri are under constant beating, but still the defenders are putting up resistance
We are now able to see with our own eyes inidvidual enemy soldiers among the rocks. We approach to a distance of about half a kilometer from the island coastline, then turn oue broadside at it – as the doctrine of naval warfare commands - and open fire with all our armament, using fragmentation shells. They have the best effect in rocky terrain.
In a blink of an eye the enemy activity ceases. Russians try to take cover as they best can, but the terrain provides deplorably few opportunities. Forest cover is nonexistent, only some stunted bushes provide some cover from view. Our firing creates handsome bursts of splinter and pieces of rock. Our naval guns are firing at a slow rate, but their effect is the more imposing. Our auto cannons are barking long bursts and we can see how tracer shells are bouncing and exploding along the rocky slopes. Splinters are ricocheting from the hard rock and their destructive effect is multiplied. We are not taking any kind of fire at ourselves although we are in the range of infantry weapons.
So far we are the only Finnish ship in the battle theatre. There is not a single enemy vessel in our sight, they must be lurking in the S side of the island. We continue firing for a few more minutres until we are attacked.
Some enemy ground attack planes are dashing at low altitude behind Someri at us, almost sweeping the rocks. Although we have been prepared the attack surprises us. The planes have cleverly used Someri as their cover and they are above us in a jiffy.
Our auto cannons are hastily aimed to the sky but we are not able to get a good aim at the enemy planes, so our fire is inaccurate. At the same moment the planes are above us, firing wildly their weapons. Our guns are swivelled full half circle and they fire after the planes that to our amazement disappear over the sea. The we find that the sea around us is roiling after dropped bombs, but we do not see any marks of the sudden air attack in the ship or the crew.
In the meanwhile we have received reinforcements, two patrol boats (VMV) that give us a great boost of confidence. On open sea you tend to long for company. Now there is someone about to rescue our men, should our ship sink.
Torpedo boats!
It seems that the Russians were totally tired of us and decided to drive us away using great force. There are a number of dark dots on the horizon line. Binoculars reveal they are Russian torpedo boats. Their number is about ten, although some of them are patrol boats in securing duty. Our problem is to be able to select the most dangerous ones as our targets, that is the torpedo boats.
Our skipper, Lt.Sr.grade Matts Wikberg turns the stern against the enemy and orders full speed ahead. This is the best tactics that can be thought of in case of torpedo attack. The length of the target – the length of our vessel – is reduced from 50 to 8 metres and our chances of survival increase accordingly. We need our maximal speed to be able to do evasive manouvers. Although our bow cannon and 20mm gun sector is decreased we cannot help it. The VMV boats place themselves on our sides, one on each, and our little battle line is ready to receive a torpedo boat attack.
We don't have to wait for long because the enemy is heading at us at 50kts. As our engines are able to make a speed of 13kts the range is decreasing fast. Cannons are aimed at the targets – there is a choice of them – and the gunlayers take the targets on their scope crosshairs. The boats are attacking in a wide front, charging on the water spraying white foam. Range finder operator Cpl. Tammelin is measuring the range.
-Range 8000
The fire control officer calculates the initial values for the guns. Even the initial corrections are large when engaging a target this fast.
-Range 6400. -6000. -5600.
The boats are developing a huge bow wave which is at times covering them totally. Waiting is painful and the time appears to have stopped forever. It is hard on your nerves to be a target.
The scopes of the gunlayers bring the boats to an arm's length. Sweat is flowing down their spine and their hands feel clammy.
Finally, after a man's age the fire command:
-Range 4800, decrease 10. Right 4. -Fire !
The cannons bark and the ship shakes a little. The course has been changed to allow the bow gun to be used. The bated tension is relieved by activity. The shell hits are observed for intensely.
Long. Sideways almost there.
Fire correction. -Range 4200. -Decrease 12. right 2. Attention – Fire!
Again the ship vibrates. The hits cover the boats. The target is straddled.
The attackers look like squirming among columns of water.
Attention - Rapid fire!
Both (4”) cannons are firing constantly. Loaders are feeding ammo in the breech feverishly. Hardly has the gun recoiled totally as the lock is yanked open and a new shell is shoved in the breech. Ammunition men are busy, they are bringing more ammunition by running, stumbling at the spent casings accumulating on the deck around the cannons. No one has time to take them away.
The torpedo boats keep approaching at the speed of an express train, our speed is sluggish in comparison. We are definitely going to be overrun. Even though we see a water column among them every few seconds, no direct hits are detected. With bare eyes one cannot tell at this great a distance if any of the attackers has dropped out. It is next to hopeless to hit such small and fast targets.
Maybe not after all? The boats start zig-zagging. It proves that our fire is accurate. The evasive action makes it harder to estimate deflection for our cannons. On the other hand
the attackers are closer so it should be easier to hit them.
The range finder operator keeps calling range data. Range 2600.
Now the auto cannons can open fire. Our firepower is considerably increased. The auto guns are barking like angry dogs on the upper deck. Tracers are flying like rockets. Yet the enemy continues their attack bravely, however now making evasive turns.
At the same moment we see how a long burst of an auto gun hits one boat. It keeps coming despite. We are doubting our eyes until there is a bright flash. The hit boat blows up into thousands of pieces. Instinctively we yell with joy.
Quick change of target, there is enough of them. The cannons keep booming and auto guns firing long bursts. Range now 1400. We score another hit, another boat catches fire yet it is able to withdraw.
Range less than 1000m now. The torpedo boat attack is still going on. We can now hear the sound of their powerful engines. Are they going to approach side by side before they are going to launch their torpedoes?
A third boat is obviously hit since it stops and remains immobile. At the very moment every boat makes an about turn. This means they have launched their torpedoes at us. The enemy puts out a smokescreen and slips in safety behind it.
Everyone is now peering at the surface of the sea to spot in time the menacing wake of a torpedo. Here and there, almost in every direction white wakes can be seen. Fortunately the sea surface is still which makes it easier to spot the wakes. Our Skipper is steering the ship full speed to the right. Is our modest speed enough to take us into safety?
No,it is not. The torpedo wakes are threateningly close to us. We again turn the ship stern at the torpedoes. Now we are sailing in parallel with them. Our only chance is to steer the ship between the wakes. Our Skipper is hanging over the bridge railing spying with a keen eye the torpedo wakes. He is steering the boat between two wakes. He succeeds, the wakes are just a few meters from our sides. It is like a one-way street.
A torpedo broaches just next to us. Its delicate mechanism has failed, its surface is shiny with brown storage grease. For many of us it is the first torpedo they have ever seen.
We have scarcely survived the torpedo attack as there is an air alert. Three enemy planes are circling ahead in great altitude. They dive sharply one by one, which proves they are dive bombers. We aim our auto cannons at the sky and wait. To our great surprise the planes cut short their dive and drop their bombs hundreds of meters from our ship. We did not shoot a single shot.
We turn again for Someri. The hit torpedo boat is still afloat. We approach to a few hundred meters and order them to surrender. They answer by a burst of MG fire. Bullets are cracking against our sideplates, we are ducking. Our bow gun is ordered to destroy the brave enemy boat. A shot, but long! Embarrassing. Seond shot. In the glare of the morning sun we do not see as much as a flash. Everyone is rubbing their eyes, incredulous. The boat has totally disappeared. There remain not a single trace of the boat and the brave men. It must have sunk like a stone.
We are going on. Soon we detect five dark spots in the sea. They are the crew of the other boat that we sunk. We haul them up from the sea. The Baltic Navy seamen seem to be robust and tough.
Getting support
Dark smoke columns have appeared on the N horizon. Gunboats “Hämeenmaa” and “Turunmaa” are in a hurry to help us. Even some more patrol boats join us, now we constitute a small navy. We are again near Someri.
We keep firing at the E tip of the island. The situation in Someri is unchanged. The island is totally quiet for the moment. Our (naval) cannons prevent any further attempts of attack and the defender is too weak to attempt a counterstrike. Both parties are waiting for reinforcements.
Gradually the morning has become a nice mid-summer day. We are not allowed to enjoy it for any longer because enemy dive bombers are coming again, this time more of them. About ten Pe-2 dive bombers and fighters are approaching from SW. We alert the other ships with our siren. Our fighters are nowhere to be seen. Again our engines are throbbing intensely. Making maximal speed we are trying to impair the accuracy of enemy planes.
Our auto cannons are in standby but the range is such that it does not make sense to waste ammunition. The gun barrels are still burning hot. Then the show starts.
Following the leader each plane dips one wing then pushes the nose steeply down to start a wild dive.
Auto cannon range finder operator Cpl. Weiberg is standing with his legs spread between the two Boforses and calls out the range in a calm manner.
Range: 4000. -3600. -3200.
The planes appear to be falling on us like stones. The range diminishes fast. Then the AA fire is opened with all barrels, every ship is spraying jets of tracer at the sky. The tracers appear to sweep the wings of the planes-
-Range: 2.800. - 2.400. -2.000. Cpl. Weiberg is shouting the range data to the gun captains to make himself heard in the din. Gun captains are promptly feeding the new range data in the predictors and try to estimate the diving speed of the bombers.
Our fire is staying behind. Either the range finder is too slow or the enemy speed is underestimated. The only way is to correct the fire using the dive lever of the predictor.
Range 1.600. -1.200.
The planes are “getting bigger” every second. Small lightnings are flashing on their wings. They are shooting while diving, damn them!
At the same moment the leading plane is hit. Hooray! Its straight dive becomes wobbly, it is pulling out of the dive while dumping its bombs, and it leaves the scene trailing smoke.
We do not have a chance to give him a goodbye shot because the next one is already coming. It has taken us in its sights and keeps diving despite our AA fire. Its dive seems endless. The cannons are shooting unceasingly.
Finally we see how the plane sheds two dark objects – bombs! We are able to observe their trajectory all the time. They seem to be falling just in front of our bow. As our ship is moving full speed ahead, we might take a square hit. Our skipper is aware of the situation and he is keeping his head cool. He orders full speed astern and makes a sharp turn. It will be a matter of seconds. Our speed decreases – is it enough? It is, the bombs hit the sea a little to the side and ahead of us.
A third divebomber, a fourth – no one has time to count them – comes diving in turn, like pearls in a band. The divebomber is a diabolic weapon.
One of our Boforses is jammed right on this critical moment. A shell is stuck in the barrel that is radiating heat. Fortunately we are getting fire support from the other ships. Again there is the familiar hissing sound, bombs are on their way.
We are desperate in trying to push the shell out with a cleaning rod. The barrel is hot, saliva just piffs on and jumps off it when spat on. If we do not soon get the shell out it is definitely going to explode in the barrel. At the last moment we manage to ram it out and the nearest man throws it quickly overboard.
Water columns are rising up from the sea everywhere. Our skipper has been attentively watching the bomb trajectories and with admirable skill and luck he has been able to save our ship by evasive action. Our sister ship “Hämeenmaa” has not been equally lucky. She has taken a bomb hit in the bow, some men have been killed and wounded.
Battle goes on
During the forenoon the enemy tries to land more troops on Someri several times and for that purpose they launch several torpedo attacks supported by aircraft at our ships, but we are able to ward off them with small losses. Our reinforecement troops, however, have landed on the island and the counterattack is scheduled to begin at 12.00hrs. Also our naval forces have been reinforced: we now have moe than ten war ships, including a couple of German ones.
At noon our ships start an intense artillery preparation to support the counterattack to be launched soon. Huge gushes of gravel and splinters are kicked up, creating a suffocoating cloud over the island. We stop shelling and our infantry start their counterstrike. One of our vessels lands a small force in the enemy rear where they are causing some nasty confusion.
We are watching from our vantage point how our troops are crossing the isthmus in the middle of the island. We are trying to support the attack using our auto cannons. Every time we detect movement on the enemy side we are giving a burst there. Single enemy soldiers are standing up and putting up their arms, surrendering.
Soon we are getting something else to think of. Heavy shells start falling around us. At first we think that it is the heavy coastal artillery of Lavansaari until it is found that enemy artillery vessels have appeared S of Someri. We sail within range of vision and see one Moskva-class gunboat, two S class torpedo boats and a number of Fugas class minesweepers. Their firepower is much bigger than that of our ships. Moreover, their fire is amazingly accurate. Soon we stater that their F.O.O. Is right on Someri. Shelling intensifies and we find ourselves straddled. For lack of better ideas Lt. Wikberg resorts to an old trick. We start sailing full steam astern and at once the shell drops are left far ahead of us.
The enemy is deceived for a moment but thanks to their F.O.O. On Someri they soon have us again straddled. We can only set up a smokescreen .
Finally we are able to get the enemy in our sights. After we have been firing for a while at a range of 7 to 8km the enemy in turn must make use of smokescreen. Artillery battle goes sporadically on all afternoon but we have not detected any hits on the enemy, neither have they been able to hit our vessels.
Then in the middle of it the bow gun captain Cpl. Pesonen reports that his gun is out of action because the firing pin and all the spares have broken in use and become useless. The same will happen with the stern gun soon. The old Obuhoffs are unable to take the strain of modern war. We have to do something, however, because Someri must be defended to the very end. That is our order.
Someone gets an idea to replace the firing pin with a 6” nail, and the gun lock is working. The gun is fired by hitting the (inserted ) nail on the head with a heavy hammer, so that the nail constitutes the firing pin. Firing speed is considerably decreased but what counts is that the guns keep shooting. Fortunately we have a large box of nails because a new nail is needed for every discharge.
Another problem emerges. Ammunition is running low. We have been promised supplement since the morning but nothing has been received. Afher the enemy torpedo boats have launched a three wave attack we have spent our last shells. We have to spend a couple of hours under enemy fire without ammunition.
Sun is setting and there is no final turn of the tide at Someri. It is to be expected that the Russians are going to put even more effort in their attempts to land more troops in the cover of darkness. In the evening it is counted that the Russians have at least ten motor boats in readiness plus the abovementioned larger vessels. In addition the enemy can get reinforcements in a few moments as the several torpedo boat attacks have proven.
After nightall it is quite dark and the enemy has selected that moment to attack. Our VMV boats in sentry duty S of the island are engaged in firefight by enemy landing boats. Our gunboats are coming to help immediately. A special kind of battle breaks out in near-complete darkness of the night.
We are trying to hit targets revealed by muzzle flames. We must be extremely careful in order not to shoot at friends. Battle on the dark sea is an unforgettable sight. Tracer bulllets are gleaming as shining balls of fire and glowing bunches of grapes. Red, orange and green tracer ammunition are criss-crossing in the dark sky. The situation is markedly relieved as an enemy vessel caughts fire and illuminates a large swath of sea by clear flames. Staying in the darkness we manage to destroy two more vessels. Before long the enemy gives up their attacks and withdraw to open sea. In the small hours torpedo boats attack a couple of times supported by aircraft but they are thwarted.
Another day is dawning: ninth of July, the anniversary of Finnish navy. Almost half of the Finnish navy is at Someri defending their honour in their anniversary 1942.
Submarines
Hydrophone operator
bearing 25.
Morning is calm as the enemy naval forces stay out of sight but we are going to get quite a surprise. Early in the morning the bridge gets an intercom message. Hydrophone operator reports briefly: -weak propeller sound bearing 25.
Quick glance in the bearing indicated reveals not a single vessel. The gunboat veers slightly to the right and increases speed.
Noise increasing constantly, hydrophone reports.
The skipper makes an submarine alert. The crew hurries to their positions and depth charges are set in readiness. The charge launchers are loaded with launch cartridges and everyone is waiting for further orders from the bridge. The unknown propellee sound is still increasing, bearing right ahead now. Many a pair of keen eyes are peering at the sea to spot a evealing periscope. Nothing is seen, however.
The foreign propeller sound is now very strong until it suddenly ceases. Our vessel must be in immediate vicinity of the submarine that tries to conceal herself, stopping her engines for the purpose.
Our skipper orders now a depth charge attack. Bridge sends a message to the other vessels: - Launching depth charge attack.
The vessels are dispersing and increasing their speed to be able to take evasive manouvers.
Depth charges are launched in a pre-determined pattern. Two by two the charges splash in the sea. The first pair is set to 25 meters. The water pressure at the determined depth makes the bombs go off. It takes a while unti they are that deep. A few seconds later a water column spouts out behind our stern and the ship hull is shaken.
The next pair is set to ten meters. Everyone knows that it is quite risky for a vessel this slow to drop charges that have been set low, because when the charge goes off the vessel must be far from it, else she could be sunk by her own depth charge.
As the second pair has been dropped we are a little anxiously waiting for the explosion. They go off surprisingluy soon. A huge water column rises up just behind the stern and the spray falls on the crew on the rear deck. At the same time the ship is shaken so violently that we are thinking the bottom plates are pushed in. The ship almost jumps up in the air. As if a giant sledge hammer would have hit the keel.
The men are looking at each other, worried, but our Skipper is just grinning on the bridge. Then the launchers are going to be fired, for the first time during the war. The launchers resemble gigantic mortars, caliber about half a meter.
A whistle is blown and the launchers are fired. A mild explosion is heard and we can see how the depth charges make a shallow arc through the air and fall about 50m on both sides. The trajectory of the bombs looks amusing. Clumsily they are tumbling around in the air at an altitude of some twentu meters before uncontrolled fall in the sea. After ten charges we make an about turn and approach at full speed the attack spot. Hydrophone is being used again, during the attack it was impossible. The operator makes a 306 degree sweep without detecting anything else but the noise of our own engines.
Arriving at the spot of the recent attack we spot a large oil slick. It cannot originate from our coal-fired vessel. Either the sub has been destroyed or it has leaked oil to disguise her disengaing. The spot was watched for several days, but nothing new emerged. It is likely that gunboat “Uusimaa” sunk an enemy submarine.
Attack is repulsed
In the meanwhile the situation on Someri has been cleared. A small number of Russians had still been in obstinate defence among the rocks of the island, but deprived of supplies and reinforcement their battle had become hopeless. By the morning Someri was completely controlled by our troops. About 300 Russian marines had found their fate on the rocky island. As the enemy did not make any further attempts to land the battle had been decided in our favour.
Our navy had decisiely contributed to the victory using their outdated and deficient equipment. Our vessels had been under constant fire for almost two days and nights. They had been subjected to innumerable torpedo and air attacks, and they had several times been in artillery duel with enemy vessels. Enemy attacks had been repulsed sometimes out of ammunition and sometimes using nails, and about ten enemy vessels had been destroyed in the battles. As the largest vessels the gunboats propbably were subjected to the heaviest attacks. Gunboats "Hämeenmaa" and "Turunmaa" lost six men KIA and 17 WIA in air attacks. Enemy navy did not cause any losses.
Our vessel, the flagship gunboat "Uusimaa" made it totally without losses despite being the first ship at Someri and having to take on alone intense attacks. This is the merit of our brave skipper, Lt.Sr.grade Matts Wikberg, who was navigating his vessel with a skillful hand during the most critical moments.
(5038 words)
The author is using terms “Right and left” instead of the expected “board and starboard”, which in Finnish would be “paapuuri'” and “tyyrpuuri”.
The Forum Marinum Maritime Centre in Turku is exhibiting one of the 4” Obuhoff naval cannon that was used in action at Someri.
I am planning to translate some of the war diaries mentioned by Vaeltaja at some later date .