30th of December 1940, Winter War report #3
The 30th of December 1939, near Vologda, -10,7°C, 10am Moscow Time.
Report on the Finnish war for the ten days between 10am on the 10th, and 10am on the 20th of December,
Report on the Finnish war for the ten days between 10am on the 10th, and 10am on the 20th of December,
XXIII SK has been given the objective of capturing Kouvola Air Base 65 km from Viipuri.
A new objective for XXIII SK, note 67 SD withdrawing from Antrea and the troop movements behind the front...
Viipuri 2
Shortly after the latests update Maj. General Bogdanov I.A. SK3, having improved his skills by now, ordered a standard Defence against the ongoing enemy Attack lead by Maj. General Valve SK2.
On the 21st, at 2am Maj. General Lebedenko's 73. SD finally joins the battle with 10.000 fresh troops, Maj. General Valve improves his skills to the same level as Maj. General Bogdanov I.A., who then starts a new Delaying action. Only two hours later, at 4pm, 67 SD could finally take no more, and retreated, into Finnish territory to the North-East. Maj. General Frenkel SK2 of 70 SD immediately took over command of the defensive operations.
On the 22nd, Maj. General Frenkel SK2 took on a Defending posture in the face of the enemy Attack that was lead by a now more skilled commander than himself.
Low intensity fighting continued for days with no changes in tactics or reinforcements, and by 3am on the 25th, 4. Divisioona halted all offensive operations, the men could take no more. In the end the 2nd battle for Viipuri involved a total of 26.380 Finnish soldiers of whom 1.603 were killed by ground troops or naval bombardments. 29.992 soviet troops rushed to the defence of Viipuri, losing 879 men in the 12 day battle, the brunt of the losses were from 67 SD, which held the fort on it's own for 5 days before any reinforcements arrived.
The VVS continued it's bombing campaign throughout Viipuri 2, with I ShAK flying 19 more missions over Hamina, causing 457 casualties for 7 downed Su-2's. I BAK, flew 19 more missions over Lappeenranta, causing 943 casualties for 7 downed Yak-4's.
Meanwhile, Finnish Air Maj. General Sarko, SK3 seems to have gone crazy, at 5pm he lead his Lentorykmentti 1, now counting 79 Gloster Gladiators, into Leningrad Air space, the many (Level 5) heavy AA guns in place immediately opened fire on the intruding biplanes, while all three runways were quickly abuzz with 400 I-16's taking off. Air Lt. General Khudyakov SK2, SAT and his I IAD showed no mercy for the Finns, and many a biplane found it's way to the bottom of the Baltic in the three hour battle, while 1 I-16 was lost, probably to our own AA guns.
Viipuri 3
At 11am on the 25th a small skirmish broke out in Viipuri, as the Defending 70 SD and 73 SD, lead by Maj. General Frenkel SK2, counting 19.993 men was under Assault by 2.998 second line troops of 1 Er.RTPsto (Garx1). One hour later the Finns had pulled back, as Viipuri 2 was clearly over, and they were outnumbered more than six to one. This mistake cost them 34 lives in ground combat, while they only managed to kill 1 Russian Defender.
A single bombing mission was flown by I ShAK, which has now been joined in action by the 100 La-5 Multi-Role Fighters of 44. IAD, over Lappeenranta, killing 31 Finnish soldiers without losing a single Aircraft.
Head of State Mikhail Kalinin visiting Viipuri and decorating the brave men who kept it out of Finnish hands
Käkisalmi and Suojärvi
1ya Armiya is taking some initiative now, and at 4am on the 25th, it started two simultaneous probing attacks.
From Valkjärvi, Maj. General Kurasov SK3 tried to organise an Assault across the Vuoksi river into Käkisalmi, with the 29.991 men of 38 SD, 43 SD, and 78 SD. Defending the fortified northern bank of the Vuoksi was Maj. General Blick's 23 Divisioona, along with two HQ's, II Ameijakunta (***), and 1st Army (****). The 10.992 man defence was thus lead by General Walden, SK2, commander of the 1st Army. After only a single hour of combat and 7 Soviet casualties, Maj. General Kurasov realised the futility of his attack, as crossing the frozen river under fire was going to be very costly as there was simply no cover at all. A Russian sharpshooter managed to kill 1 Finnish soldier who couldn't keep his head down.
The old Korela Fortress in Käkisalmi, an extra obstacle besides the wide open frozen river.
While the attack on Käkisalmi might have succeeded, the attack on Suojärvi was doomed from the start. Maj. General Popov M.M. SK3, DD seems to have been tired of waiting for the shooting to start and lead his 57 MSD (Motx3, Eng), counting 9.912 men, into a Shock attack through the dense forests of Suojärvi, it was a risky move as scouts had already determined that more than one Finnish Division was present in the province. As Maj. General Popov M.M. quickly found out, 26.980 Finnish soldiers from 3 divisions were dug in in the forests. Maj. General Hanell SK2, DD lead the Defending 11 Divisioona, 21 Divisioona and 12 Divisioona. In two hours, the skirmishes cost the lives of 13 Russian riflemen, as well as 3 Finnish soldiers, who were surprised in their advanced foxhole by the speed of the Russian attack and were killed only just after radioing their Division HQ.
Antrea
After retreating the wrong way Maj. General Bogdanov I.A. SK3 and his 67 SD, exhausted from the 2nd battle of Viipuri counted themselves very lucky that no Finnish units had been present in Antrea when they arrived on the 25th. The Fins, having noticed their mistake, decided to act on the 28th with the closest unit available. At 7pm Maj. General Snellman, SK1, WS, FB sent his Erilliset Pataljoona (Infx2), counting 5.995 men on an Attack on Antrea. He probably though that 67 SD, still disorganised from Viipuri 2, would be a pushover. He was, however underestimating, both the Red Army's morale, and the superior skill Maj. General Bogdanov I.A. acquired since the start of the war. Instead of routing tired and demoralised troops, he found himself in the face of a 9.540 man Counter-Attack, completely countering the Finnish strategy. The battle lasted until 5pm the next day before Maj. General Bogdanov I.A. ordered an organised withdrawal back to Viipuri, as his troops did need to rest, and the position in Antrea was particularly vulnerable to enveloping attacks. No official body count was submitted, but the records of 67 SD show 29 riflemen died, while conservative estimates based on interviews with the soldiers and previous experience put the Finnish casualties at somewhere between 50 and 55.
Even worse for Erilliset Pataljoona than the unexpected Counter-Attack, was the fact that they incurred the wrath of Air Lt. General Zhigarev SK3, TB, who, with his I ShAK's 200 SU-2's and 100 La-5's, flew 4 missions over Hiitola in 22 hours, killing another 86 Finnish soldiers for the loss of 1 single Su-2.
Vokhtozero
Men from 12 Divisioona in Suojärvi getting ready to go on the offensive in temperatures as low as -11°C.
The skirmish in Suojärvi exposed a weakness in our positions to the Finnish Army, and at 7pm on the 29th Maj. General Oinonen, SK1, WS, Eng tried to exploit it. Luckily for Maj. General Popov M.M. SK3, DD, who would be in trouble with the Red Army high command if he were to lose his position because of his blunder in Suojärvi, Maj. General Oinonen used just his own 12 Divisioona (Infx3), counting 8.991 men to attack 57 MSD, now 9.976 men, Defending Vokhtozero.
The battle is still ongoing 15 hours later, I'm not worried, especially with Air Lt. General Golovanov's I BAK already flying missions, the first 2 missions killed 57 Fins, for the cost of 1 Yak-4.
To sum things up:
Soviet Union:
It's not a disaster (like it was in real life), but it's not a cakewalk either, this war. It was to be expected with these freezing temperatures, and a disorganised officer corps, let's hope we move forward in the next ten days...
Greetings,
'Odin'
A new objective for XXIII SK, note 67 SD withdrawing from Antrea and the troop movements behind the front...
Shortly after the latests update Maj. General Bogdanov I.A. SK3, having improved his skills by now, ordered a standard Defence against the ongoing enemy Attack lead by Maj. General Valve SK2.
On the 21st, at 2am Maj. General Lebedenko's 73. SD finally joins the battle with 10.000 fresh troops, Maj. General Valve improves his skills to the same level as Maj. General Bogdanov I.A., who then starts a new Delaying action. Only two hours later, at 4pm, 67 SD could finally take no more, and retreated, into Finnish territory to the North-East. Maj. General Frenkel SK2 of 70 SD immediately took over command of the defensive operations.
On the 22nd, Maj. General Frenkel SK2 took on a Defending posture in the face of the enemy Attack that was lead by a now more skilled commander than himself.
Low intensity fighting continued for days with no changes in tactics or reinforcements, and by 3am on the 25th, 4. Divisioona halted all offensive operations, the men could take no more. In the end the 2nd battle for Viipuri involved a total of 26.380 Finnish soldiers of whom 1.603 were killed by ground troops or naval bombardments. 29.992 soviet troops rushed to the defence of Viipuri, losing 879 men in the 12 day battle, the brunt of the losses were from 67 SD, which held the fort on it's own for 5 days before any reinforcements arrived.
The VVS continued it's bombing campaign throughout Viipuri 2, with I ShAK flying 19 more missions over Hamina, causing 457 casualties for 7 downed Su-2's. I BAK, flew 19 more missions over Lappeenranta, causing 943 casualties for 7 downed Yak-4's.
Meanwhile, Finnish Air Maj. General Sarko, SK3 seems to have gone crazy, at 5pm he lead his Lentorykmentti 1, now counting 79 Gloster Gladiators, into Leningrad Air space, the many (Level 5) heavy AA guns in place immediately opened fire on the intruding biplanes, while all three runways were quickly abuzz with 400 I-16's taking off. Air Lt. General Khudyakov SK2, SAT and his I IAD showed no mercy for the Finns, and many a biplane found it's way to the bottom of the Baltic in the three hour battle, while 1 I-16 was lost, probably to our own AA guns.
Viipuri 3
At 11am on the 25th a small skirmish broke out in Viipuri, as the Defending 70 SD and 73 SD, lead by Maj. General Frenkel SK2, counting 19.993 men was under Assault by 2.998 second line troops of 1 Er.RTPsto (Garx1). One hour later the Finns had pulled back, as Viipuri 2 was clearly over, and they were outnumbered more than six to one. This mistake cost them 34 lives in ground combat, while they only managed to kill 1 Russian Defender.
A single bombing mission was flown by I ShAK, which has now been joined in action by the 100 La-5 Multi-Role Fighters of 44. IAD, over Lappeenranta, killing 31 Finnish soldiers without losing a single Aircraft.
Head of State Mikhail Kalinin visiting Viipuri and decorating the brave men who kept it out of Finnish hands
1ya Armiya is taking some initiative now, and at 4am on the 25th, it started two simultaneous probing attacks.
From Valkjärvi, Maj. General Kurasov SK3 tried to organise an Assault across the Vuoksi river into Käkisalmi, with the 29.991 men of 38 SD, 43 SD, and 78 SD. Defending the fortified northern bank of the Vuoksi was Maj. General Blick's 23 Divisioona, along with two HQ's, II Ameijakunta (***), and 1st Army (****). The 10.992 man defence was thus lead by General Walden, SK2, commander of the 1st Army. After only a single hour of combat and 7 Soviet casualties, Maj. General Kurasov realised the futility of his attack, as crossing the frozen river under fire was going to be very costly as there was simply no cover at all. A Russian sharpshooter managed to kill 1 Finnish soldier who couldn't keep his head down.
The old Korela Fortress in Käkisalmi, an extra obstacle besides the wide open frozen river.
Antrea
After retreating the wrong way Maj. General Bogdanov I.A. SK3 and his 67 SD, exhausted from the 2nd battle of Viipuri counted themselves very lucky that no Finnish units had been present in Antrea when they arrived on the 25th. The Fins, having noticed their mistake, decided to act on the 28th with the closest unit available. At 7pm Maj. General Snellman, SK1, WS, FB sent his Erilliset Pataljoona (Infx2), counting 5.995 men on an Attack on Antrea. He probably though that 67 SD, still disorganised from Viipuri 2, would be a pushover. He was, however underestimating, both the Red Army's morale, and the superior skill Maj. General Bogdanov I.A. acquired since the start of the war. Instead of routing tired and demoralised troops, he found himself in the face of a 9.540 man Counter-Attack, completely countering the Finnish strategy. The battle lasted until 5pm the next day before Maj. General Bogdanov I.A. ordered an organised withdrawal back to Viipuri, as his troops did need to rest, and the position in Antrea was particularly vulnerable to enveloping attacks. No official body count was submitted, but the records of 67 SD show 29 riflemen died, while conservative estimates based on interviews with the soldiers and previous experience put the Finnish casualties at somewhere between 50 and 55.
Even worse for Erilliset Pataljoona than the unexpected Counter-Attack, was the fact that they incurred the wrath of Air Lt. General Zhigarev SK3, TB, who, with his I ShAK's 200 SU-2's and 100 La-5's, flew 4 missions over Hiitola in 22 hours, killing another 86 Finnish soldiers for the loss of 1 single Su-2.
Vokhtozero
Men from 12 Divisioona in Suojärvi getting ready to go on the offensive in temperatures as low as -11°C.
The battle is still ongoing 15 hours later, I'm not worried, especially with Air Lt. General Golovanov's I BAK already flying missions, the first 2 missions killed 57 Fins, for the cost of 1 Yak-4.
To sum things up:
Soviet Union:
Men sent into Battle: 253.308 (+89.412), ground combat casualties for finished battles: 1216 (+929) men,
Planes sent into Battle: 1.600 (+400) (Air Battles only), 54 (+17) planes lost (31 (+8) Yak-4's, 9 CAG's, 19 (+8) Su-2's, 4 (+1) I-16's)
Finland:Planes sent into Battle: 1.600 (+400) (Air Battles only), 54 (+17) planes lost (31 (+8) Yak-4's, 9 CAG's, 19 (+8) Su-2's, 4 (+1) I-16's)
Men sent into Battle: 146.824 (+55.956), ground combat casualties for finished battles 2.515 (+1.692) men, Bombing Casualties: 4.941 (+1.574)
Planes sent into Battle: 351 (+79) (Air Battles only), at least 1/3 planes lost.
Finland on the 30th of December 1939.
The Southern advance has stalled, but we haven't lost any ground, 1ya Armiya is moving up more troops, as always the VVS is putting any Finnish unit that lifts a finger under enormous pressure, and we should be able to keep it that way.Planes sent into Battle: 351 (+79) (Air Battles only), at least 1/3 planes lost.
Finland on the 30th of December 1939.
It's not a disaster (like it was in real life), but it's not a cakewalk either, this war. It was to be expected with these freezing temperatures, and a disorganised officer corps, let's hope we move forward in the next ten days...
Greetings,
'Odin'
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