HELP NEEDED WITH FINNISH LOGO

[afa485]

Dear Members,

Can forum members help me to identify the 'V' and sword logo found on a WW2 Finnish ring ?

Is this a regiment or unit of the Finnish Armed forces or some form of volunteer or political symbol perhaps ?

The logo is on a hallmarked Finnish ring made of 813H silver, and with the maker mark 'W' .

Please tell me your thoughts and opinions on what the badge is.

Best Regards

Tony

[Swing]

https://www.leimat.fi/en/viipuri

[afa485]

Many thanks to Swing ! We now know that the ring was made in Viipuri Province in Finland, as shown by the locality letter 'W' on the ring.

The Finnish SS Volunteer Battalion, 'Nordland' was part of the 5th SS Division 'Viking' during WW2 and was withdrawn from service in 1943. The front logo on the ring is probably a 'V' representing the number '5' and shows the year '43'.

Further confirmation that this ring is related to service in the 5th SS Division 'Viking' is that the ring is also engraved on the inside with the initials 'T.T.'. One of the 1,408 Finnish SS volunteers was SS-Oberscharfuhrer Toivo Tervanen, who served with the Nordland Battalion and was part of the 5th SS Division Viking.

Best Regards

Tony

[Seppo Koivisto]

Don't know much of these, but according to the link the SS-Aseveljet ry organization ordered in Autumn 1943 rings from goldsmiths Veljekset Sundqvist in Helsinki. It was silver plated with the text Wiking SS Nordland on black enamel. Initials of the owner were engraved inside.
https://veljesapu.fi/ss-aseveljet-ry/

V could maybe also be the Infantry Regiment 5.
https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jalkav%C3 ... jatkosota)

[afa485]

Hi Seppo.

Thanks for the useful information. I now have a partial record of service for Toivo Tervanen. As far as I can see he did not serve with Infantry Regiment 5 of the Finish Army. The ring I have with his initials on it is solid silver rather than silver plated and does not appear to have been enamelled at any time.

Toivo Tervanen apparently joined the Waffen-SS as a volunteer on 15/05/41 as one of 1,408 volunteers who served with the SS. He was a SS-Haupsturmfuhrer with 2/ Nordland Battalion of 5th SS-Division Wiking and received the German Iron Cross (second class).

I also found a photo of him online which I attach for the interest of members. I am still researching his military service, so if anyone has any more information I would be grateful to hear about it.

Best Regards

Tony

[afa485]

Correction to the previous post - Toivo Tervanen was SS-HAUPTSCHARFUHRER, not SS-Hauptsturmfuhrer.

Regards

Tony

[Seppo Koivisto]

Before the war Toivo Tervanen was an active member of the Marine Civil Guard in Uusikaupunki. I think the photo below is from that period.
During the Winter War he served in Turku Section of the Coastal Artillery.
He was wounded in 1941.
He returned to the Finnish service on 16 June 1942 and was assigned to the Infantry Battalion 4. His rank in the Finnish Army was vääpeli. He was released from service on 20 November 1944.
His civilian occupation was shop keeper. He died in 1980.

TervanenToivo.jpg

http://www.veteraanitietoavakkasuomesta ... _netti.pdf
https://www.sotapolku.fi/henkilot/terva ... ikaupunki/
http://www.veteraanitietoavakkasuomesta ... _netti.pdf

[afa485]

That is excellent work Seppo, many thanks to you !

Best Regards

Tony

[Seppo Koivisto]

The Finnish text says one of his decoration was Idän risti (Cross of East). I don't know if this was one of the Finnish commemorative crosses like Itä-Syvärin risti (Cross of East Svir) or Itäkannaksen risti (Cross of East Isthmus) or even the German Eastern Front medal. Anyway the Itä-Syvärin risti has the V emblem.

https://tammenlehva.fi/viime-sotiemme-m ... a-mitalit/

[afa485]

Thanks again. Much appreciated !

Tony