TEMPORARY ARTILLERY UNITS |
BAY OF VIBORG 1940 |
.
On 4.3.1940 Soviet troops surprisingly advanced over the frozen Bay of Viborg and attacked against Finnish coastal defences on the south-west coast of the bay. Weak very badly equipped Finnish units fighting without field artillery, anti-aircraft and anti-tank support could not repulse Soviet attack and enemy troops rather easily managed to reach the coast and cut the old Helsinki - Viipuri [Viborg] main road. The first anti-tank units arrived on 9.3.1940. Anti-Tank Platoon Huttunen (Lt. Huttunen) (2 guns) operated at Häränpäänniemi, Anti-Tank Platoon Laiho (4 guns) at Vilajoki and Anti-Tank Platoon Kiviniemi (4 guns) was initially in reserve and since 10.3.1940 in action at Suurpäälä. I have not managed to find out the type of AT guns. When all field artillery units were needed in Karelian Isthmus and north from Lake Ladoga Finnish Supreme HQ began forming "emergency artillery units" - separate batteries and sections - equipped with light obsolete guns without recoil system. Personnel consisted of hastily trained over-aged reservists, under-aged Civil Guard volunteers, conscripts and trained coastal artillery men from the lost coastal forts. Most formed units, named only after their commander or chief, belonged to Coastal Artillery and supported fixed coastal artillery. Because these units usually didn't have own vehicles for towing guns and for supply they suffered also losses. They although didn't have to meet the elsewhere common lack of ammunition but dud shots were very common due to over-aged ammunition and initial lack of fuses (arrived on 6.3.1940). Eventually most units acted more effectively than had been thought. Guns even repulsed strong Soviet tank attacks destroying several tanks aiming directly through the open gun barrel because many guns lacked aiming devices or no-one could use them. These units were the origin of the later Fortress
Artillery units and Field Batteries of the
coastal defence. .
. |
© 2003 - 31.7.2004 Harri Anttonen