Grigorejev's partisan brigade

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igor_verh
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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#46

Post by igor_verh » 04 Apr 2013, 09:40

LW wrote:In addition 34 partisans returned before the brigade crossed Finnish lines (44 were sent back, 10 died in a Finnish ambush: this ambush is described in Gusarov's book. He got his information directly from two survivors).
Looks, that information about this ambush at: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3556516 - matches the number of dead and wounded. May be somewhere on digi.narc.fi more details about this fight, Hämäläinen'report?
Also I didn't found there 4/HRR war diaries, was it digitized?
Thanks in advance!

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#47

Post by Vaeltaja » 04 Apr 2013, 11:57

Since the report you link to was a the report from the Maaselkä Group HQ to General HQ it stands for a reason that report to the Maaselkä Group HQ could be found from some of the other war diaries of the Maaselkä Group HQ. As it happens: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3560391 - report from Rj.P 5 regarding the incident. And the Rj.P 5's war diary: http://digi.narc.fi/digi/view.ka?kuid=3451219


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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#48

Post by John Hilly » 04 Apr 2013, 19:13

Interesting that MaasRE's diary mentions one Finnish KIA, but RajaJP5's doesn't mention it!
"Die Blechtrommel trommelt noch!"

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#49

Post by igor_verh » 05 Apr 2013, 07:13

John Hilly wrote:Interesting that MaasRE's diary mentions one Finnish KIA, but RajaJP5's doesn't mention it!
May be, this patrol was not from Rj.P 5 - later it also took part in 1st partisan brigade destruction:
Martti Kujansuu wrote: Patrol/4.D = Hämäläinen
Patrol/4.D = Iiro
Patrol/14.D = Valmu

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#50

Post by Vaeltaja » 05 Apr 2013, 08:06

Could be however that is besides the point. Like MaasRE's war diary notes the report from the Rj.P 5 came via the 4th Division's HQ - so it could just as easily be Rj.P 5's patrol while the formation itself would have been subordinated to 4th D. Issue which John referred to was that the original report from Rj.P 5 did not include any mention of casualties while the higher level reports include loss of a single man. In Rj,P 5's report there is a mention of another men being first wounded in long range patrol and then dying from his wounds at the command post (of Rj.P 5) - however i couldn't notice any mention that the person in question would have been part of Hämäläinen's patrol.

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#51

Post by Mangrove » 18 Jun 2013, 17:34

I have located some summaries of the interrogations of the Soviet prisoners captured during the raid. They can be found from folder T 5805/4. The summaries do not mention the names of the prisoners, but here is an overview of the prisoners and the summaries:

1. A defector from the village of Turpa on 20 July 1942.
2. Two Ukrainian defectors SW of Sellinjärvi on 27 July 1942.
3. Two deserters and two POWs captured at SW of Sellinjärvi on 29 and 30 July 1942.
4. A Karelian captured W of Seesjärvi on 7 August 1942.
5. Three POWs (including two Karelians) captured on 10 and 13 August 1942.

The Karelian told about severely wounded men whom were killed by the officers and politruks. According to the summary, Finns had found some twenty of these men along the Sidrajoki.

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#52

Post by igor_verh » 18 Jun 2013, 19:59

Thank you! Intresting information.
Mangrove wrote:The Karelian told about severely wounded men whom were killed by the officers and politruks. According to the summary, Finns had found some twenty of these men along the Sidrajoki.
Grigorejev at 264,9 hill ordered: "no one has to stay". After his death komissar Aristov decided that the easiest way not to evacuate wounded. He appointed 4 men, which killed all heavy wounded and sick, who couldn't or walked too slowly. During the retreat from 31.07 to 18.08 they shot dozens of their comrades. At 17 August near Elmozero they killed Olya Pahomova - young medic with a wound in the abdomen, she was pregnant at the time. At this summer Sergey Simonyan with his searching group will try to find her remains and remains of partisans, who were killed at that area.
Mangrove wrote: 1. A defector from the village of Turpa on 20 July 1942.
Perhaps, mistake - at that area was not village with this name. May be, village Tumba - after fight 19.07.42 ltn. Pukka's unit captured there partisan Simanov - young karelian. Not sure, but probably his photo at sa-kuva #101987
Also 16.08.42 - captured 2 wounded partisans (man and woman) on battlefield near road Paatane-Kuznavolok
17.08.42 - captured 4 partisans
18.08.42 - captured 3 partisans
To my mind, number of POWs may be more, than 24, as in report of 12.Pr., because some partisans were taken prisoners even some weeks after raid - in september 1942 at different areas of finnish guard line and in the rear.
Data about KIA and POWs partisans from 4 battalion of 12 Brigade:
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12._Prikaati._IV_pataljoona_202.jpg

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#53

Post by Mangrove » 18 Jun 2013, 20:30

igor_verh wrote: He appointed 4 men, which killed all heavy wounded and sick, who couldn't or walked too slowly.
According to the Finnish documents, one of these was the CO of the 7th Detachment, 1st Lt. Rajkov.
igor_verh wrote: Perhaps, mistake - at that area was not village with this name. May be, village Tumba - after fight 19.
Yes, it was my typing mistake after trying to read the Finnish handwritten "Tumpa".

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#54

Post by Juha Tompuri » 19 Jun 2013, 20:45

igor_verh wrote: komissar Aristov decided that the easiest way not to evacuate wounded. He appointed 4 men, which killed all heavy wounded and sick, who couldn't or walked too slowly. During the retreat from 31.07 to 18.08 they shot dozens of their comrades. At 17 August near Elmozero they killed Olya Pahomova - young medic with a wound in the abdomen, she was pregnant at the time. At this summer Sergey Simonyan with his searching group will try to find her remains and remains of partisans, who were killed at that area.
Olya?
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 3#p1626711 :
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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#55

Post by igor_verh » 24 Jun 2013, 14:33

Juha Tompuri wrote: Olya?
Yes.
Juha Tompuri wrote: So... AFAIK not all of them were killed by Finns
Not less than three of them were shot by partisans, but of course, most part were killed in action: Anya Kononova and Zinaida Bukina on Elmozero during crossing, 4 women - in night fight at 15 August near road Paatane-Kuznavolok, 5 - on hill 264,9, else 8 including pregnant Masha Popova (wife of commaner detachment "Avengers" Alexander Popov) - on hill 195,1. Looks strange, but after fight on hill 195,1 finnish soldiers from Vierimaa and Alakulppi detachments didn't captured many POWs, they killed almost all who was surrounded - about 80 partrisans. From memories of Pavel Oberemko: "Once I seen - crows circling above the edge of the forest. I thought, there is something. Go. I see - people lay. Beginning to see and meet among the dead: Popov, Lonin, Pekarskiy, Masha Sidorova (Popova) - all 3rd detachment <...>. There were traces of brutality. Two of our nurses were lying on a fallen trees, faces up, with removed pants and naked breasts. It was terrible to see".
Only 1 man was taken prisoner - Aleksey Gryabin. At the begining of the fight, when radioman was killed, Popov sent Gryabin and one more partisan to brigade for the help. But finns found them and after short shooting Gryabin's companion was killed, and he was captured. During the interrogation he called another name - Mironov Ivan Ivanovich, later he was sent to concentration camp near Medvezhegorsk, had a # RE-1119. At 13 June 1943 with 8 soviet POWs he escaped from camp and 26 June 1943 was killed in Paatane, where his mother lived. Finns not allowed to bury him and his body lain in swamp near village more than year. When soviet units came back, Gryabin was buried in a "bed of honor" in Paatene.
LW wrote:That one Finnish officer MIA was Lieutenant Väinö Yliperttula (whose surname is in simpler form "Perttula" in most sources). Gusarov's book has a description where a partisan shot Finnish officer from across a small marsh and then sneaked there to retrieve his backback. His papers then revealed the name of the casualty to be Perttula. The account where Gusarov describes how a Finnish officer was captured, interrogated, and shot during the same battle seems to be completely fiction
I met 2 versions, how Yliperttula was killed.
1st: (soviet version) he was killed in fight when partisans attacked Pertulla's company and finns retreated through the swamp. From memories of machine gunner Sergey Zhiganov: "Our offensive ended. There were many dead and wounded. Platoons commanders Grishukov and Gregorejev gave orders to depart. All mixed up in the woods - finns and ours. Moving away, we shot appearing finns. So was hit a major Pertulla. I took his handkerchief to clean the MG, inside I found a wristwatch and given it to komissar Aristov. Platoon commander Grishukov took his sweater and boots because his fell apart"
From award sheet of Vostryakov Dmitriy Ivanovich:
"Vostryakov Dmitriy Ivanovich in the enemy's rear from 29.06 to 25.08.1942 was a sniper and killed 5 finns, among them the commander of the Finnish battalion officer Perttula on 264,9 hill at 31.07.42, took his maps, secret documents, smg "Suomi" and "Mauser", and handed all to brigade HQ"
2nd: during finnish attack at morning 31.07 Perttula was captured and later shot. From memories of Boris Voronov:
"I remember at the summer of 1942 during a raid of Grigoriev's Partisan Brigade to Porosozero to the campfire was delivered a captured commander of the Finnish battalion. If memory serves me correctly, his name was major Perttula. It was important for our command prisoner, Grigoriev and Aristov wished to send him to our rear. Started to prepare a special group, but could not to gather it: the brigade has not appeared fighters are able to quickly and surely reach soviet rear. And the food is almost finished.
A major also was desperate. He sat, sat near the fire, and then jump over to smg ... I do not remember who from adjutants - Makarikhin or Kutin - from pistol shot him right in the forehead. If for one moment later, major immediately will shoot all in headquarters"

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#56

Post by Vaeltaja » 24 Jun 2013, 17:38

What i remember reading is that in some places partisans flat out refused to surrender, even when offered the chance and instead blew themselves up with hand grenades. Or that they faked surrendering only to open fire when Finns approached. In either case it is not exactly difficult to understand why there were no prisoners to be had.

Also what i recall reading about the brutalized women was that it wasn't clear who committed the act. Finns were shocked as well from the sight.

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#57

Post by Juha Tompuri » 24 Jun 2013, 21:51

igor_verh wrote:... else 8 including pregnant Masha Popova (wife of commaner detachment "Avengers" Alexander Popov) - on hill 195,1. Looks strange, but after fight on hill 195,1 finnish soldiers from Vierimaa and Alakulppi detachments didn't captured many POWs, they killed almost all who was surrounded - about 80 partrisans. From memories of Pavel Oberemko: "Once I seen - crows circling above the edge of the forest. I thought, there is something. Go. I see - people lay. Beginning to see and meet among the dead: Popov, Lonin, Pekarskiy, Masha Sidorova (Popova) - all 3rd detachment <...>. There were traces of brutality. Two of our nurses were lying on a fallen trees, faces up, with removed pants and naked breasts. It was terrible to see".
Only 1 man was taken prisoner - Aleksey Gryabin. At the begining of the fight, when radioman was killed, Popov sent Gryabin and one more partisan to brigade for the help. But finns found them and after short shooting Gryabin's companion was killed, and he was captured. During the interrogation he called another name - Mironov Ivan Ivanovich, later he was sent to concentration camp near Medvezhegorsk, had a # RE-1119. At 13 June 1943 with 8 soviet POWs he escaped from camp and 26 June 1943 was killed in Paatane, where his mother lived. Finns not allowed to bury him and his body lain in swamp near village more than year. When soviet units came back, Gryabin was buried in a "bed of honor" in Paatene.
Juha Tompuri wrote:
Rauli wrote:During the summer 1942 a soviet "partisan brigade" managed to pass finnish outposts in the Isthmus of Maaselkä. Finnish found out their existence in the rear area and went after the partisan brigade. The Partisan brigade was circa 600 strong. A Series of chaotic and sporadic firefights ensued and only handfull of "partisans" managed to reach back to the soviet lines.
According to "Suomi Sodassa" (Finland at War) by Jorma Järventaus etc. The strenght of the unit was 592 male and 46 female "partisans". According to the Finnish version of the Soviet era "Za tsertoj miloserdija" ( Korpi ei tunne armoa, No mercy at the wilderness) by Dimitri Gusarov 119 (120?) of them got home ("less 20" of them being female). Of the KIA 80 male "partisans" had died of hunger. According to the "Sissiprikaatin tuho" ( The Destruction of the Partisan Brigade) by Pentti H. Tikkanen 24 "partisans" were taken POW. Finnish casualities at the operations were KIA: 2 officers, 7 Nco and 28 privates. WIA: 9 officers, 18 Nco and 54 privates. One officer was MIA ( probably taken POW by the "partisans" and executed later. A war crime.
Rauli wrote:Sometime in the 70´s soviets found a place where in the small area was 150+ bodies from the Partisan brigade. No finnish unit reported having had a battle in that area.
From the Tikkanen and Gusarov books it can be found out that the unit was ambushed while crossing an open swamp. October 4th 1970 the remains of the 70 fallen "partisans", found few months earlier, were buried at the cemetery of the village Paatene.
Juha H wrote:There's a article in Kansa Taisteli magazine 7/67 that could fit to this case.The article is written by 1st Lt.Viljo Vierimaa.He was CO of 7./12th Brigade and his company encircled and destroyed an partisan unit North of River Tumba around 6-7.8.42.

The partisan unit didn't surrender but fought to their death.Some 80 dead partisan were counted,including 8 women.That could be the case which Järventaus mentions "...c.70 men strong partisan unit Avengers was send to fetch rations from Lake Sidra.Whole unit was found dead in close of each others in 1970..."
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=71879

Regards, Juha
Last edited by Juha Tompuri on 24 Jun 2013, 22:07, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: adding info

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#58

Post by Mangrove » 06 Jul 2013, 19:54

SA-photographer H. Harrivirta was with the Finnish troops during the campaign. A huge number of SA-photographs, altogether 203, were taken by him and others during the fighting:

N:o 112650 - 112656 (21 July 1942, Jääk.J/I/12.Pr)
N:o 101987 (28 July 1942, 15./12.Pr?)
N:o 101856 - 101875 (28 - 30 July 1942, 15./12.Pr.)
N:o 104426 - 104443 (4 August 1942, 15./12.Pr?)
N:o 104444 - 104449 (8 August 1942, 15./12.Pr)
N:o 103668 - 103678 (10 August 1942, 15./12.Pr
N:o 103679 - 103692 (11 August 1942, 4./HRR & II/12.Pr)
N:o 103693 - 103695 (11 August 1942, Jääk.J/I/12.Pr)

N:o 103696 - 103697 (11 August 1942, 13./12.Pr)
N:o 103698 - 103712 (11 - 13 August 1942, 15./12.Pr)
N:o 104450 - 104461 (13 August 1942, 15./12.Pr & IV/12.Pr)
N:o 104534 - 104538 (13 August 1942, 15./12.Pr)
N:o 104462 - 104509 (16 August 1942, 13./12.Pr & IV/12.Pr & 4.D)

N:o 104522 - 104533 (16 August 1942, 12.Pr)
N:o 104510 - 104521 (18 August 1942, II/12.Pr)
N:o 104539 - 104557 (mid-August 1942, unknown unit)

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#59

Post by igor_verh » 08 Jul 2013, 18:51

Some more:
N:o 101897 - 101905 - photos were made on 264,9 hill in two days after battle
Can somebody identify planes on sa-kuva photos: 101880 and 103691 - what unit?

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Re: Grigorejev's partisan brigade

#60

Post by Vaeltaja » 08 Jul 2013, 20:52

In 101880 - aircraft is Junkers K 43 (military version of Junkers W 34). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_W_34 - Seemingly ID JU-128 (last number is obscured so i might be mistaken). Lentorykmentti 2 (according to Air Force HQ reports). Though on that day there didn't appear to have been flights - 31 July however there was JU flight.

In 103691 - Morane Saulnier 406 unless I'm badly mistaken. So that would be Lentorykmentti 2 (according to Air Force HQ reports).

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