Questions about Hungarian volunteers for Finland 1939-1940

[Harri]

Thank you, Juha (T.). It seems I have to rely on you in this case...

Nearly forgot: There is a amateur video document about D. Manzocchi.

Really? Why all these interesting clips have been "buried" in archives only?

I´ve read about Capt. Etienne, but my prime source (Parolasta Pyhäniemeen by Ahti Saarinen, doesn`t mention Sabary. He however mentions few mechanicans)

Just for clarification: Etienne and Sabary were test pilots, not mechanics.

P.S. please inform us when your net page is read

I'll inform you and send you a personal message. My page is in the net already... 8)

[Csaba Becze]

Harri,

So, when Pirity was the member of the 26th Finnish Fighter Squadron(1940), the Squadron name's short form was LLv 26?

[Harri]

So, when Pirity was the member of the 26th Finnish Fighter Squadron(1940), the Squadron name's short form was LLv 26?

Yes.

For long time they were unclear to me too until I managed to found the piece of information on war-time abbreviations and the dates when they were altered. Many later history books use completely wrong abbreviations not used during the war.

[Csaba Becze]

Ok, thanks.

[DenesBernad]

There is another version of our man's name: Piritÿ. The colon on the top of 'y' suggests that the two letters, t and y, should be pronounced separately, not together (in Hungarian alphabet the 'ty' is one letter). This form was used in the manuscript of his memoirs.
However, I suggest to keep using the Pirity form, as it's the most accepted form an is correct from point of view of Hungarian grammar.

Finally, I read with great sadness the news of his death. I was in brief contact with him, while he was still living in Australia. "Béke poraira".

Dénes

[Ike_FI]

-Sergeant Diego Manzocchi (died at combat 11th March-40. About 20km where I live. He is buried at Hietaniemi military cemetery at Helsinki I´ve once visited (as part of a delegation) his grave)

Regards, Juha

Juha, do you remember where that grave is - anywhere near Mannerheim's grave or in some other section? I tried to look for it, but as you know it's quite a large cemetary... no luck yet.

[Juha Tompuri]

Hi Ike!

IF I remember right, when entering from the main gate ( near Paasikivi and Kekkonen graves) you need to turn right and walk 100-200m ? (is the "Cross of Heroes" at that direction?) That´s all I remember now. I try to find out more detailed info.

Regards, Juha

[Ike_FI]

Hi Ike!
IF I remember right, when entering from the main gate ( near Paasikivi and Kekkonen graves) you need to turn right and walk 100-200m ? (is the "Cross of Heroes" at that direction?) That´s all I remember now. I try to find out more detailed info.
Regards, Juha

That is the large steel cross that is situated between sectors 40 and 41 in the following map? I tried to find it near the cross, but maybe I didn't look good enough. Was the tombstone very much like all the others around?



(map linked from http://www.helsinginseurakuntayhtyma.fi ... index.html)

I have also one picture taken from next to that cross towards the entrance building/chapel (which is between 32 and 25b). It was a rainy day so the picture a bit grayish. Does this help you to remember?

(The gravestones in this section contain names of over 3000 soldiers who fell during the WWII and were buried here.)

[Juha Tompuri]

Ike,

Thanks for the map. Yes, the tombstone was the common one type. Can´t remember more, exept one detail: do you know the grave of Mannerheim Cross awarded ensign Sippola? The grave of Manzocchi is a bit further (from the entrance). Hope it helps.

Regards, Juha

[Ike_FI]

Ok, I'll check that area again, won't probably take long. Thanks!

[Ike_FI]

-Sergeant Diego Manzocchi (died at combat 11th March-40. About 20km where I live. He is buried at Hietaniemi military cemetery at Helsinki I´ve once visited (as part of a delegation) his grave)

Regards, Juha

Now I have a picture. If you imagine yourself in the place of the cameraman who took the previous picture above, the grave is quite near, roughly left from where you stand.

[Juha Tompuri]

Ike,

Exellent work!
Hmmm... the last name and the date of death are wrong at the tombstone.

Regards, Juha

P.S. What other "foreign volunteers/troops" related monuments do you have at Helsinki?
At nearby Valkeala cemetary there rests a Danish Winter War fighter pilot Fritz Rasmussen and two German 1918 soldiers. Willy Heinz (German, there even is a Finnish song about him)), fallen 1918 rests at Kotka.

[Ike_FI]

Ike,

Exellent work!

Hmmm... the last name and the date of death are wrong at the tombstone.

Thanks, but let's be fair and call it a succesful teamwork since your tips have been quite essential.

Manzocchi's name is number six from the top on that list and it is obvious that he was indeed still very much alive on March 4. Makes me really wonder about the date on the stone, someone must have messed while copying data from one list to another or something.

P.S. What other "foreign volunteers/troops" related monuments do you have at Helsinki?
At nearby Valkeala cemetary there rests a Danish Winter War fighter pilot Fritz Rasmussen and two German 1918 soldiers. Willy Heinz (German, there even is a Finnish song about him)), fallen 1918 rests at Kotka.

I noticed some similar stones as the one above with names of Nordic volunteers at Hietaniemi, in addition there are couple of bigger memorial stones for the ethnically Finn-related (Estonians, etc.) and Swedish volunteers, pictures below. The snowy picture is from an older post and shows yet another memorial there (for Germans). Elsewhere in the city there are some single graves of Germans who fought in the war of 1918.

You probably know about the German WWII Military cemetary at Ruskeasanta, Vantaa (some 20 kms from Helsinki city: http://www.vantaa.fi/mio/kartat/opas/ita/8760.htm) - I'm not sure about the number of graves there, but probably there are a few hundreds.

[Csaba Becze]

My Finnish friends, maybe you can give some details about the another Hungarian volunteer pilot, because the sources have different info about his fate.
Ensign (vänrikki) Vilmos Békássy (known as Wilhelm Békássy in Finland?) and Pirity took off from Västeräs, Sweden, to Turku at 14:45 with two Fiat G.50's. The weather was very bad, Pirity turned back, but Békássy went missing with FA-7. Békássy didn't have a map, strayed and crashed. Some sources said, that he crashed into the sea, but some sources said, that he crashed to a forest, and was buried in the city of Lapua (near the church).
Do you know any further details, or the exact crashing place?

Thanks,

Csaba

[Harri]

I have only red and heard about the "missing on sea" story. It is also mentioned in semi-official Finnish Air Force History book by Keskinen - Stenman - Niska.

Interesting to see that names have been written in a wrong way in tombstones. In the guest book page "Manzocchi" is clearly written in that way. Also Capt.(eng) Luigi Pelli and a few Polish ones, for example Felix Pecho, are seen in this page. I think majority of them were mechanics.