Battles in Muolaa sector

Battle for bunker Mu1-2. Reports from officers of 136th Rifle Division, 13th Army and article by Captain E. Tirronen, officer of 2 KTR (Field Artillery Regiment), 2nd Infantry Division:

Captain Eino Tirronen, 2nd Field Artillery Regiment

The 1st battalion of 2nd Field Artillery Regiment, supporting the 4th Brigade was withdrawn from isthmus between Muolaanjarvi and Yksjarvi lakes, where it was stationed in area of Oinala - Kyyrola and marched at night to the new defense line on Muolaa isthmus. Light Unit 2 (Kevyt Osasto 2), which was attached tot he Brigade the day before, took up forward defense positions to the north-west from Kangaspelto village.

Our units were hopelessly exhausted after seven days of unceasing fighting. Apparently, the enemy was facing the same situation. HIgh losses that the enemy had suffered required replacements and reorganization, because the enemy did not organize pursuit of our withdrawing troops. This made the withdrawal and consolidation of new defensive positions easier for us.

The 1st Detached Battalion was in the first defense line together with small units of the 2nd Light Unit and manned the frontline concrete bunkers. Places for forward artillery observers were distributed in the morning on Feb. 17 in the following manner: men from the 1st Battery were placed in the old bunker on the bank of Muolaanjarvi lake, the group of the 3rd battery manned the old bunker to the north of the road Kangaspelto - Hotakka to the west from the river, and men of the 3rd Battery were sent to Mutaranta.

Enemy's air force became visibly more active: series of bombs were dropped on us and even air fights erupted. Our fighters and air defense units shot down at least eight bombers of the enemy, and there were parachutes flying in the air. The pilots were either captured or shot, if they tried to resist.

Apart from that there was little battle activity at the front. Direction of Summa, from which for two weeks we heard hurricane artillery fire, was also quiet. Enemy was still bombarding areas of Oinala and Sudeoja long after they had been abandoned by our troops. In the second half of the day enemy's armour appeared and caught the forward outposts of the Light Unit 2 off guard. The Brigade was brought to battle readiness. The enemy's armour was repelled with fire of naval gun located in Kaenniemi area, the so called gun of Muolaa. Also one of our batteries opened indirect fire after receiving coordinates. Exhausted infantry did not need to take part in the battles that day.

During the night from February 17 to 18 the 2nd Detached Battalion took over sector of defense on the right at Muolaa leaving the defense sector on the left in Mutaranta to the 1st Detached Battalion. 4th Detached Battalion and Light Unit 2 were grouped in the area to west and southwest from Alusjarvi lake.

Enemy undertook an assault with one infantry company supported by armour on February 18. The assault was repelled by indirect fire of the 1st Battery, which also managed to destroy one of the assaulting tanks by a direct hit.

On February 19 the enemy brought up artillery for fire over open sights and started bombardment of our bunkers. Our artillery silenced some of these guns. Enemy's armour tried to advance on the ice of Muolaanjarvi lake in a new operation the next day. The 1st Battery repelled the assault and one burning tank remained on the ice. Enemy's direct-fire guns destroyed the concrete bunker of the 3rd Battery group and the forward observation group was forced to move to a trench.

The 136th Rifle Division of the 13th Army, which was storming the Mannerheim Line in this sector, was most likely aware of the Finnish fortifications in the area, but the latest intelligence data they they possessed was from 1937. They only had information about location of old bunkers built in 1920s. Indirect evidence of the fact that the staff of 136th Rifle division actually used intelligence reports from 1937 is found in account of Captain D. Shevenok, who describes his experiences as forward artillery observer in the following manner:

...I met Chief of Artillery in a ditch, in some 300 - 400 meters from the frontline. According to the map, to the left of us was a lake, and a small river ran into the lake. From my battle comrades I already knew that here, in Muolaa - Ilves area, lays the main Finnish defensive line. Infantry and tanks tired to assault the defensive sector from march, but failed.

- Right here, - Chief of Artillery said, - somewhere in this corner, between the lake and the river, there is a bunker. Well, it is your job to find its exact location. Infantry tried to advance on the ice of the lake and the river, but came to nothing. It looks like they have up to 10 MGs in area of 300 by 400 meters. We must knock that bunker out at any cost...They saw its gun ports on the left as they attacked.

The map of Finnish fortifications that 136th Rifle Division most likely had, is shown above. Almost all old Finnish bunkers were spotted by Soviet spies. This map explains why Chief of Artillery was able to give such briefing to Captain Shevenok - the bunker of Jun. Lt. Virtanen is designated as bunker No. 84.

Captain Tirronen:

On February 21, at 0700 the enemy started a powerful artillery barrage, after which an assault of our positions followed at 0920. Strong enemy's forces stormed along the road Kangaspelto - Hotakka. Our own infantry was forced to retreat from their positions south from the road and consolidated its positions at Yrjonaho village. As result of this retreat, forward observers of the 1st Battery under vanrikki Jorma Virtanen with one machine gun were surrounded in the old bunker on the bank of Muolaanjarvi lake. The enemy tried to capture the bunker, but Virtanen repelled the assault with shrapnel. 1100 the 3rd Company of 2nd Independent Battalion (Company Liikainen) received orders to counterattack and rescue the surrounded artillery men. The attempt was not successful, though. In early afternoon the enemy's 203 mm gun opened fire over open sight on Virtanen's bunker. After the bunker partially collapsed, Russian infantry again attempted to capture the bunker.

Captain Shevenok

...After first 15-20 shots the first grenade hit the bunker, ricocheted, exploded on the side, but nevertheless cut down one of the pine trees that were on the bunker. Several minutes later the next grenade tore off the protective "pillow" of stones from the roof of the bunker. Our infantry tried to advance on the right, but was pinned down. The bunker opened fire. And finally, the grenade exploded directly on the armored cupola of the bunker. I saw Finns fleeing the bunker.

Captain Tirronen

At that moment Virtanen had already burnt all papers and maps. The garrison of the bunker managed to contain the enemy on the left flank, but on the bank of the lake the Russian infantry made it to the roof of the bunker and brought along machine guns. The artillery observer did not give up: he gave the whole battery coordinates of his own bunker! This desperate trick worked: the enemy suffered heavy casualties and withdrew from the bunker.

At 1320 the battery received the following radio message from Virtanen: "If no relief comes, we will fight to the last man."

Soon after this enemy managed to destroy the left casemate of the bunker with direct firing gun. Machine gun was also destroyed. Soviet infantry then tried to enter the bunker through the hole in destroyed wall, but Virtanen and his men repelled the attack with hand grenades. Then a short respite came. At 1700 enemy again started assault of the bunker, but was was repelled by artillery strikes of the battery, directed by the forward observers.

Our infantry also did not give up: At 1815 the Company under Lieutenant Gummerus managed to throw enemy back and rescue the artillery observers. Junior Lieutenant Virtanen and his men went out of the bunker at 2015, after 10 hours of siege. On the roof and around the bunker were resting over 200 dead soldiers of the enemy. The fire of the battery was very precise!

Besides Virtanen, there were Sergeants Rossi and Partanen as well as Senior Sergeants Ilvinen, Koiranen and Leppanen. They went through this ordeal more or less unharmed.

Colonel Tovantsev

In the evening the 3rd Battalion attacked Finnish positions and captured two MG nests along with bunker No 1, which was blocked by a group of men of the 9th Company under Junior Lieutenant Beketov (awarded by the Golden Star of the Hero of Soviet Union for this). It was a strong bunker, with three casemates, three MG gun ports and an armored turret, armed with an MG. Enemy tried to counterattack several times but was thrown back.

Captain Tirronen

At 17.45 the assault by two companies supported by ten tanks forced company Mytty (2nd Company 2nd Detached Battalion) to retreat from the sector to the north from the highway. Artillery observer of the 3rd Battery Lieutenant Tamminen was wounded in this incident.

In Mutaranta sector the artillery barrage started at 0900. The attack followed at 1200 with support of armour. Battle in the sector lasted all day long. We lost one bunker, which was destroyed, as well as one of our AT-guns and two machine guns. At 1715 the commanding officer in the sector received a permission to retreat to Kaivanto sector to the main defensive line. The lost positions from the beginning were meant to be just covering positions. The main defensive line itself in the sector was in the process of construction - the 4th Detached Battalion was carrying out fortification works there.

Artillery observers received new pattern bunkers on the main defensive line. However, from some of them observation possibilities were so bad that for example the forward observer of the 3rd Battery set up his observation post in a trench.

The result of the day was quite average for the enemy: there were some 500 dead soldiers lying on the ground in front of our positions, as well as 2 burning tanks. One enemy's battery was silenced. Besides that, two burning bombers fell down somewhere near our positions.

Captain Shevenok

On February 21 we carried out an artillery strike, which lasted four hours. Our infantry attacked. But before they advanced one kilometer they were again pinned down - behind the first line of the bunkers Finns had the second line, which was stronger and better camouflaged. Bunkers on the second line were built after the best French design. We did not know, where the bunkers were. Not only we had to destroy, but also find these monsters.

Battle for bunker Mu15 and beyond

Captain Tirronen

During the night enemy force of battalion strength infiltrated our positions through the ice of Muolaanlampi lake and reached area of Kirnumetsa, near to HQ of the 4th Brigade. 1st Detached Battalion by mistake left their sector of defense (Muolaanlampi) unmanned, although had received an order to hold it. All available forces of the Brigade were sent into action to face the threat. The battle in the forest lasted until afternoon of the next day, when all enemy forces were either destroyed or taken prisoner.

An enemy battalion tried to come to help the surrounded forces in a column, but the column was hit by the fire of the 2nd Battery and was forced to withdraw after suffering heavy losses. Around 1300 enemy's forces of battalion's strength attacked the defense positions at Kaivanto. The 2nd Battery's fire directed by Junior Lieutenant Levanto caused enemy to suffer high losses, and MGs did the rest of the job.

At the same time enemy's reinforced battalion tried to outflank our forces at Kaivanto from the east. As all our batteries were already engaged in battle, we had to ask artillery commander of Sikniemi sector for assistance, which was given to us. A battery fired on the advancing enemy's troops and caused them to withdraw. Despite this, the situation at Kaivanto isthmus was not stabilized, as enemy was all day throwing new forces of infantry supported by tanks into action. Their guns which were placed for fire over open sight were growing in numbers. By the evening indirect fire of our batteries and precise strikes combined with fire of infantry weapons finally caused the enemy to withdraw. The situation was stabilized.

In the afternoon the enemy's direct fire cannon's grenade flew into the casemate of the Gun of Muolaa rendered it useless and wounded one man of its crew. At the highway powerful attacks of the enemy were contained.

On February 22 the enemy attacked in our area with division's strength. Enemy's losses were around 700 KIA, and 34 prisoners, among which were many officers. Many tanks, MGs, radio sets and other equipment littered the battlefield.

During the night the Staff of the 2nd Division reinforced the Brigade with a new battalion, 2nd Battalion of 5th Infantry Regiment, which was transferred to reserve of our defense area.

On February 23, at 0700, the enemy launched attacks in Mutaranta sector against the Kaivanto defense area. Little by little they forced Company Vuolio to withdraw up to Samela house. Forward observer of the 2nd Battery, vanrikki Antero Levanto was left surrounded with 13 men in a concrete bunker to north-west from Kaivanto. Tanks surrounded the bunker and fired on its gun ports; one grenade exploded inside the bunker, destroyed a heavy MG and heavily wounded two men. At the same moment phone line to the Battery from the bunker was cut. Levanto did not have a radio. The garrison of the bunker placed a light MG on the place of the destroyed heavy MG and managed to contain enemy's infantry on the flanks.

The enemy's infantry tried to get on the roof of the bunker, but the attempt was repelled with SMG fire from the observation cupola. After that the enemy placed a heavy gun to fire on the armored cupola, and staying in the cupola became impossible after two men were wounded. The armored cupola was destroyed, and a hole in the roof appeared. After this enemy's infantry managed to get on the roof of the bunker and throw hand grenades inside the bunker. Leivanto's men also threw hand grenades from the door of the bunker and managed to clean the roof from the enemy many times.

At approximately 1800 the enemy threw a satchel charge into the chimney of the bunker and the stove of the bunker blown into pieces. Huge amounts of smoke and CO2 gas released by the explosion made breathing and speaking inside the bunker quite difficult. At this moment Levanto decided to break out of the besieged bunker.

Enemy opened heavy MG and rifle fire on the garrison which was breaking out, but due to the darkness the fire was not accurate and only one man was left on the battlefield, killed by a bullet. Two dead, one destroyed and one intact MG were left in the bunker. During the retreat Levanto's men managed to destroy a crew of enemy's tank, which had abandoned their vehicle.

At 1500 the 1st Company of the 1st Detached Battalion (Company Terasvirta) received an order to counterattack and recapture Kaenniemi area, which had been lost by Company Vuolio. The counterattack succeeded and Kaivanto area was in our hands again at 1700. Junior Lieutenant Levanto's fire from the besieged bunker made the counterattack easier, as with his fire he managed to prevent significant infantry forces to reach Kaivanto.

At 1645 Company Gummerus of the 4th Detached Battalion received an order to carry out a counterattack and rescue the Levanto's men, besieged in the bunker. Men of Gummerus managed to get some 200 meters from Kaivanto and met the breaking out men of Levanto. The Company stayed in defensive positions in a small wood in some 400 meters from Kaivanto and partially at Kaenniemi.

At Muolaa our positions were under extremely heavy artillery fire from morning till evening. In the afternoon enemy launched its attacks also in this sector, trying to take possession of a small wood to south-east from the Ilves village. At 2100 the 1st Company of the 4th Detached Battalion received an order to counterattack the area from the west. Company Suorsa from the 5th Infantry Regiment joined the attack from the north. Our attacking units encountered strong resistance of the enemy. Battle for the forest lasted the whole night.

In the morning the enemy threw more armor into the battle. Among other things, flamethrower tanks of the enemy destroyed entire garrison of a bunker by throwing flame into the bunker through its gunports. (apparently, bunker Mu14 or Mu18)

On February 24 at 0730 enemy started its offensive against our positions at Kaenniemi and Ilves with armor and artillery support. Our infantry was quite exhausted by unceasing battle, which had already lasted about a week. Only with help of artillery were they able to contain all attacks of the enemy.

At 1300 enemy's new attack forced Company Gummerus to retreat from its positions, but our artillery delivered several strikes on the enemy and our counterattack that followed threw the enemy back. Kaenniemi was again in our hands. By midnight Company Suorsa managed to destroy all enemy forces in the wood at Ilves and made contact with the 2nd Detached Battalion of Major Vieskka. Enemy lost some 400 men during the day.

In the afternoon an order came from the 2nd Division to prepare changing our artillery positions and our battalion sent a party in order to find suitable places for new positions to Ala-Noskua and Kuparsaari.

On February 25 the defensive positions were shifted to the 1st Division.

The night was relatively peaceful, but in the morning enemy's battalion advanced towards Kirnumetsa to the west from Muolaanlampi lake, but went back the same way, after suffering heavy losses under strikes of our artillery. Attacks in Kaenniemi also continued and flamethrower tanks again burnt entire garrison of a bunker.

Those concrete bunkers received a really critical statement. Forward observer of the 1st Battery, Lieutenant Heikki Tulikoura made the following statement about them:

in a thin and low forest there were black bunkers standing with no communication trenches and no phone cables whatsoever. During battle they were so unbearable positions that all had to remember about leaving them in a second. Despite their high cost, they were such hopeless rat holes, that it is a miracle, how the enemy did not fry us all in them one by one. If they were only equipped with some sort of AT-weapon, then we could fight off enemy tanks, but in reality we could do nothing except for sitting and waiting, when a tank would drive to the door and do whatever it wants.

Sources: Taistelimme Muolaan Kannaksella, Eino Tirronen, Kansa Taisteli Magazine No 2, 1982; Fighting in Finland, Volume 2.

Translation into English by Bair Irincheev, 2003.

Battles in Muolaa sector, February 17 - February 27, 1940