Finlands Winter War 1939-40

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

We have now left the Northern Theatre of Operations and start looking on the Middle Area. This area was defended by 8th - 10th Ind Bns before 2nd Army Corps arrived.

On the northern flank the Finnish troops were losing ground and 2nd Army corps was under a treath to be surrounded.

Colonel Paavo Talvela had retired from the Army and was President of the Finnish State Alcohol Monopoly. He visited Field Marshal Mannerheim and demanded to be placed in charge in the Tolvajärvi area. He also demanded that 16th Inf regt (LtCol Pajari) should be under his command.

The Field Mashal some day later ordered Col Talvela to the front.

The situation was chaotic. The Finns lost both ground and morale. During 12th - 14th December 1939 the tide changed. LtCol Pajari assaulted. The Soviet 139th Division was chrushed.

The Finns pressed east to Äglijärvi where the Soviet 75th Division was torn up.

The Finns captured 59 tanks, 3 armoured cars, 31 guns, 10 mortars e t c. The Soviets suffered some 8.000 KiA. Two Soviet Divisions were destroyed.

In the meantime Col Ekholm sucessfully defended Ilomants with mainly hastly improvised Training Units (Sic!) not giving ground to Soviet 155th Division.

Photo:
Col Per-Olof Ekholm (left), the cool-as-a-cucumber defender of Ilomants and LtCol Aaro Pajari (right). Pajari personally led a Coy attack and changed the tide at Tolvajärvi. He was promoted Colonel and later MjGen. Received the Mannerheim Cross twice 14th Sept 1941 and 16th Oct 1944, nr 12.