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start of April 1942. The objective was to force the retreat of the
Finnish Army across the Svir River and capture a bridgehead for continued advance towards the old frontier. The gravity point of the attack was in an 18 kilometer wide arch headed by the Soviet 21st Division and the Soviet 69th Marine Infantry Brigade, and supported in the flank by the Soviet 114th Infantry Division. The main Soviet advance soon encountered fierce resistance, requiring the Soviet 114th Division to be thrown into the main line of attack, after which the Soviet forces managed to break through the Finnish lines between Shemenski and Pertjärvi. As preparation for a Finnish counterattack, a major Finnish combat unit was formed on 17 April, of which the 61st Infantry Regiment was a key component. The Finnish counterattack was launched on 19 April and by 22 April all the Soviet forces that had advanced through the Finnish lines between Shemenski and Pertjärvi had been annihilated. The Finnish Army suffered losses of 2,165 men, while the Soviet 7th Army suffered losses of just under 12,800 men.
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696:, a fierce combat took place around the hills of Teeri-Kukkula, when Russian forces attacked the positions of IR61 between 8 November until 20 November 1942. At a critical moment on 10 November, when the Finnish line wavered, Marttinen personally took charge of a counterattack, halting any retreating soldiers, and with a drawn pistol commanding:
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After crossing the
Jandeba River, the 61st Regiment advanced towards the area of the village of Shemenski and city of Podporoze, where it entered into trench warfare and remained for a period of more than two years until May 1944. The city of Podporoze was occupied by the 61st Infantry Regiment from
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At the beginning of 1942, the Soviet 7th Army was facing the
Finnish 17th Division in the Svir area. The 61st Regiment was located at the east, opposite the Soviet 114th Infantry Division. Towards the end of March, the Soviet Army concentrated their forces, and launched its Spring Offensive at the
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A second main battle was fought around the hill of Teeri between 26 October and 28 October 1943. This battle became well known within the
Finnish high command due to a daring counterattack executed by volunteers under the command of captain Renvall, rolling up the entrenched Russian forces on the
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Despite labeled as a period of "trench warfare", a state of continuous active warfare signified this period. Constant patrols into enemy territory, artillery barrage and readiness to counterattack, characterized this phase of the war. Specialized patrol troops were formed, some of which achieved
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A general mobilization was initiated on 17 June 1941 in anticipation of renewed hostilities, and each
Military Province was charged with establishing an army division. In the Vaasa Military Province, the 19th Division was established with colonel Hannu Esa Hannuksela as commander. However, the
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As part of the advance of the
Finnish 17th Division, the 61st Infantry Regiment first advanced past the old border line in August 1941 and broke through enemy lines at the battle of Säntämä between 18 August 1941 and 7 September 1941. After this, the regiment continued its advance into Soviet
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by
September 1941. On the Karelian Isthmus, the Finns froze their offensive 30 km from Leningrad, where the pre-World War II border of the Soviet Union and Finland ran. Even though Hitler repeatedly asked the Finns to attack Leningrad the Finns did not attack the city, yet they passively
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the regiment was able to keep the
Tienhaara region including the Kivisillansalmi while defending against repeated attacks by at least two Soviet divisions of the 108th Corps supported by strong artillery. At the conclusion of the battle on 25 June Marttinen was promoted to colonel.
712:, to not attempt to recapture the lost terrain. As the first significant battle the appointment of Marttinen as commander of IR61, it also served to cement mutual respect and trust between the regiment and its new commander.
743:, which was located along the coastal highway leading north from Viipuri towards Finland, on the shore of Kivisillansalmi on 22 June relieving the worn out troops. Having strong artillery support and support of the
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704:. Some terrain was lost at the conclusion of this Russian offensive, and this terrain could not have been retaken without significant air and tank support. The commander-in-chief, field marshal
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After more than two years at the front, IR61 was relieved of duty on 22 May 1944 and placed in reserve, behind the line held by the 5th
Division, in the area of Kinkijeva-Ontroila-Karelskaja.
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on 21 September 1941, where it overcame heavy resistance by Soviet forces. Subsequently, it advanced towards the
Jandeba River, though under continued heavy fighting.
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Lieutenant-Colonel Marttinen was on leave from his regiment between 1 June 1944 until 8 June 1944, and spent these days touring the Swedish speaking area of
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Vasa krigsveterandistrikt - Vaasan sotaveteraanipiiri r.f., debate in the Vasabladet newspaper 1987–1988, redacted by Harry Järv: "Finland 1939-1945" (
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12 December 1941 until 30 January 1942, when it was moved back to the Shemenski area to relieve the Finnish 34th Infantry Regiment.
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Honestly, this regiment saved Finland during the midsummer weekend 1944, even if only temporarily
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almost legendary fame within the regiment. An example was the patrol unit led by lieutenant
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was not incorporated into the 19th division, but instead established its own regiment:
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Mäkelä, Jukka L.: "Strider i fjärrkarelen - Oskus fjärrpatruller, rök över Aunus" (
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Sandström, Allan: "Den falska freden: Finlands kamp för oberoende 1944-1948" (
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Roberts, Martin: "The New Barbarism – A Portrait of Europe 1900–1973" (
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by holding their pre-World War II land for two and a half years on the
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West, Kurt: "Vi slogs och blödde - ung finlandssvensk soldat i IR61" (
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Raunio, Ari: De Militära Operationerna De Finska Krigen 1939 - 1945 (
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Raunio, Ari: "De militära operationerna, De finska krigen 1939-45" (
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Stenström, Lars: "Krigsvägar, Finlandsvenska krigsförband 1939-44" (
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Nykvist, Nils-Erik: "Sextiettan, Infanteriregimente 61, 1941-1944" (
852:Барышников, Н. (2002). "Финские бомбардировщики в зоне Ленинграда".
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Teeri hill and forcing them to blow up their own munition supplies.
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Lehtonen, Marja-Liisa: "Adolf Ehrnrooth - Generalens testamente" (
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territory, encountering only light defense by the Soviet forces.
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We do not yield an inch! Attack! Officers first! Men, follow me!
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The Siege of Leningrad, Ballantines Illustrated History of WWII
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October 1942 – October 1944: Lieutenant Colonel A. K. Marttinen
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Subsequent to the change of commander from lieutenant colonel
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The following officers commanded the 61st Infantry Regiment:
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September 1941 – October 1942: Lieutenant Colonel N. T. Roos
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508:. Among others, the regiment participated in the battle of
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Military units and formations of Finland in World War II
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Nykvist, Nils-Erik: Sextiettan Infanteriregemente 61 (
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from where most of the soldiers of IR61 were drafted.
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started on 22 June 1941, the day Germany launched its
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October 1944 – November 1944: Major B. F. Lagerbohm
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628:Rafael Berg was appointed as commanding officer.
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784:October 1944 – October 1944: Major G. R. Renvall
957:Piekalkiewicz, Janusz: "Der Zweite Welkrieg" (
775:June 1941 – September 1941: Colonel M. R. Berg
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837:Brinkley, Douglas (2004). Haskey, M. (ed.).
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878:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
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106:Learn how and when to remove this message
1034:Meinander, Henrik: "Finlands historia" (
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1084:Swedish-speaking population of Finland
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855:Блокада Ленинграда и Финляндия 1941–44
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55:"61st Infantry Regiment" Finland
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143:17 June 1941 – 15 November 1944
134:61st Infantry Regiment insignia
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552:fortsättningskriget
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158:Republic of Finland
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1060:Militaria: Weapons
582:cessations on the
520:Lieutenant general
411:Beryozovye Islands
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33:verification
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702:Ruben Lagus
518:. In 1980,
500:during the
406:Kuuterselkä
210:Engagements
1068:Categories
810:9515223334
792:References
767:Commanders
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706:Mannerheim
683:Harry Järv
652:Svir River
580:Winter War
477:Baltic Sea
441:Vyborg Bay
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318:Silver Fox
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357:Bengtskär
96:June 2016
558:and the
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194:Infantry
184:Regiment
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