I searched some old hard disks and found out I have downloaded most (if not all) photos of Marttila's book when they were available about 10 years ago.
Photo of 152/45C at Ylläppää in 1943. (Source: Taavi Kainulainen collection)
RTR 4
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Eugenius
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Re: RTR 4
I guess this is a gunpit at 60.72966, 30.53735 as the road connecting both gun positions and the fire control tower runs behind this position, if to look from Ladoga shore (as the picture is obviously made). So here the road is not visible. The same road runs on the other side (closer to Ladoga) of another gun position at 60.7323, 30.53703 and would be visible, if that position is pictured here. So the fire control tower is located further to the right and was not captured at this angle.
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Eugenius
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Re: RTR 4
Terve guys,
Have you ever met any info concerning where exactly the battery on Saunaniemi was located? I mean like in sotapäiväkirjat or so?
I travelled there today, and the problem is that the area where the battery was most likely located is in private ownership now, fenced, and with no entry. So there is no chance to get there, and most likely nothing remained after major construction works made. Here is the picture for you better understanding:
The surroundings are overgrown with shrubs and low trees; it is possible to search there at more appropriate season, but it would be nice to know the reasons of doing that.
Hope to see your comments,
Have you ever met any info concerning where exactly the battery on Saunaniemi was located? I mean like in sotapäiväkirjat or so?
I travelled there today, and the problem is that the area where the battery was most likely located is in private ownership now, fenced, and with no entry. So there is no chance to get there, and most likely nothing remained after major construction works made. Here is the picture for you better understanding:
The surroundings are overgrown with shrubs and low trees; it is possible to search there at more appropriate season, but it would be nice to know the reasons of doing that.
Hope to see your comments,
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Eugenius
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Re: RTR 4
I FOUND IT!
It all began, when I read in Erkki Marttila's book that "Jatkosodan aikana Mustaniemeen sijoitettiin kaksitykkinen kuuden tuuman Canet-patteri. Vanhoja, lähellä rantaa olleita heikkorakenteisia ja kevyemmälle kalustollekin tehtyjä tykkiasemia ei kuitenkaan nyt käytetty, vaan patteri sijoitettiin kenttälinnoitettuihin asemiin yli kilometri taaempana olevan, jyrkästi nousevan maatöyrään päälle." That was something new for me - I knew that the battery built in concrete in 1920 and equipped with 2 x 120 mm Armstrong guns was not used during Jatkosota, but I had no idea that new Canet battery was built instead on another place.
So I contacted Erkki and he suggested a place, where the battery could be. First attempt brought no result - nice pine forest perfect for walking, where plenty of mushrooms most likely grew a month ago, but no any trace of fortifications. It appeared later, that if I had walked just 200 m further along the ridge, I would find what I was searching for. But next time I decided to search along the whole ridge running for approximately 3 km in that area))). But I had not to walk so long as I found the battery right near the road. So here is the first gunpit at 60.95768, 30.32467:
And here is the second one at 60.95666, 30.32608:
It all began, when I read in Erkki Marttila's book that "Jatkosodan aikana Mustaniemeen sijoitettiin kaksitykkinen kuuden tuuman Canet-patteri. Vanhoja, lähellä rantaa olleita heikkorakenteisia ja kevyemmälle kalustollekin tehtyjä tykkiasemia ei kuitenkaan nyt käytetty, vaan patteri sijoitettiin kenttälinnoitettuihin asemiin yli kilometri taaempana olevan, jyrkästi nousevan maatöyrään päälle." That was something new for me - I knew that the battery built in concrete in 1920 and equipped with 2 x 120 mm Armstrong guns was not used during Jatkosota, but I had no idea that new Canet battery was built instead on another place.
So I contacted Erkki and he suggested a place, where the battery could be. First attempt brought no result - nice pine forest perfect for walking, where plenty of mushrooms most likely grew a month ago, but no any trace of fortifications. It appeared later, that if I had walked just 200 m further along the ridge, I would find what I was searching for. But next time I decided to search along the whole ridge running for approximately 3 km in that area))). But I had not to walk so long as I found the battery right near the road. So here is the first gunpit at 60.95768, 30.32467:
And here is the second one at 60.95666, 30.32608:
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Eugenius
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Re: RTR 4
The guns were placed on temporary basements made with 4 layers of criss-cross logs tightened with long bolts or studs. The construction is perfectly visible here:
Some local idiots destroyed the central parts of the basements. Either they thought that there had to be a thick metal plate in the basement, which was traditionally used in Soviet batteries placed on temporary positions - that plate would be a valuable loot for scrap-hunters. Or they probably believed those were dugouts or munition storages - sealed and untouched! - where they hoped to find a pile of brand-new handguns or military decorations or any other valuables. So, the gun basements are damaged, but now you may see its construction.
The terrain around is pitted with trenches, bigger and smaller pits etc. - it was a real fortified area:
So thanks to Erkki Marttila for another discovery. Can you tell me the battery number of those two Canets?
Some local idiots destroyed the central parts of the basements. Either they thought that there had to be a thick metal plate in the basement, which was traditionally used in Soviet batteries placed on temporary positions - that plate would be a valuable loot for scrap-hunters. Or they probably believed those were dugouts or munition storages - sealed and untouched! - where they hoped to find a pile of brand-new handguns or military decorations or any other valuables. So, the gun basements are damaged, but now you may see its construction.
The terrain around is pitted with trenches, bigger and smaller pits etc. - it was a real fortified area:
So thanks to Erkki Marttila for another discovery. Can you tell me the battery number of those two Canets?
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ML
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- Joined: 08 Apr 2005 08:34
- Location: Finland
Re: RTR 4
Nice finds again. The battery was 32.Rask.Ptri.Can you tell me the battery number of those two Canets?
Some notes from war diaries:
- 28.8.41 Order to transfer 2/152C with low gun mounts (naval type?) from Vahtiniemi to Mustaniemi. (Guns were actually installed at Mustaniemi in spring 1942.)
- 20.3.41 Colonel Järvinen decided the locations of new gun positions at Mustaniemi.
- 10.4.42 First gun was transferred from Käkisalmi to Mustaniemi.
- 1.5.42 Battery was named 32. Raskas Patteri.
- 9.5.42 First gun was ready for action.
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Mangrove
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Re: RTR 4
Here are some November 1939 sketches and an aerial photograph from the archives of Kannaksen lohko / Laatokan meripuolustus. Originals at the National Archives of Finland, folder Perus-10141/1.
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Mangrove
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Re: RTR 4
Some links to the war diary of Laatokan rannikkoprikaati:
- Position of Finnish coastal artillery in Ladoga Karelia on 30 July 1941. LINK
- Location of Linnoituspatteristo 1, 2 and 10 in Ladoga Karelia on 4 August 1941. LINK
- Position of Osasto Korvenheimo in Ladoga and Olonets Karelia on 11 August 1941. LINK
- List of units under Laatokan Rannikkoprikaati on 20 October 1941. LINK
- List of units under Laatokan Rannikkoprikaati in December 1941. LINK
- Map of Laatokan Rannikkoprikaati artillery positions on 28 January 1942. LINK
- Communication lines of Laatokan Rannikkoprikaati in January 1942. LINK
- Position of Finnish coastal artillery in Ladoga Karelia on 30 July 1941. LINK
- Location of Linnoituspatteristo 1, 2 and 10 in Ladoga Karelia on 4 August 1941. LINK
- Position of Osasto Korvenheimo in Ladoga and Olonets Karelia on 11 August 1941. LINK
- List of units under Laatokan Rannikkoprikaati on 20 October 1941. LINK
- List of units under Laatokan Rannikkoprikaati in December 1941. LINK
- Map of Laatokan Rannikkoprikaati artillery positions on 28 January 1942. LINK
- Communication lines of Laatokan Rannikkoprikaati in January 1942. LINK
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BarSeek
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- Location: Käkisalmi
Re: RTR 4
All they probably expected to loot were 24 2-inch threaded studs, total weight 770 kg. I guess they sold them immediately and died of ethanol overdozing leaving the massive ring of approx. same weight (720 kg) at the site. I took pictures in 2007, place showed no signs of recent activity but next year the ring was gone, cut by gas torch.Eugenius wrote: ↑24 Oct 2022 14:38Some local idiots destroyed the central parts of the basements. Either they thought that there had to be a thick metal plate in the basement, which was traditionally used in Soviet batteries placed on temporary positions - that plate would be a valuable loot for scrap-hunters.
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