Pics from Winter war and continuation war

Mursmansk rail road



Soviet tank captured



First Finnish motor boats at lake Ääninen North Karelia

 

Nice pics, Kai-Petri. I wonder about the copyright of those photos, assuming you did not take those yourself.

 

Well, I bought them so I´d guess they are mine to show if I wish.

 

Some photos for you lot...

 

And a couple more with Stalin in big trouble...

 

Great pictures. I'm surprised by the age of some of the Finnish soldiers how old were they when they were drafted in 1939-40? They look like they are 16.

 

Like most armies I am sure they were "considered" full age although they lied about it.

 

A couple of pages...

 

destruction death misery.....
.the building in #65 looks like regular log construction...and bridge in #64...they must've been log engineer masters.....I wonder what year that building was built?....and how was it heated and insulated? very interesting...the pictures tell more than some think

 

You'd be surprised by the quality of isolations of similar dacha's . Thick pine logs some clay to fill the gaps, a wood stove and here you go. I'm pretty certain the soldiers useda bath tub as a sauna too. When I was in Finland I slept in such a cabin and it was surprissingly warm. Add a few beers and a soup and the finns wuld be ready to kick Ivan .

 

good call Skipper...not only did the Finns survive in that weather and terrain, but they flourished....I salute them ...I've always been impressed with the Scandinavians.....I also see gun in #64 with some type of log emplacement....looks like it was built for the gun......
I know this is an old thread, but thanks for the pictures, etc....very interesting to me, and not your ''regular pictures

 

can you explain the emplacement for top right picture of #50?? if that is what it is....appears to be another intricate gun emplacement built with mucho logs

 

Such an interesting pictures.

 

Yes , that is a semi permanent bivouac gun emplacement. Logs were omnipresent and many finns are timberjacks or wood workers so .Building defensive emplacements was common and ....a way to kill time when there was no battle. Even nowaday you'll find many log fences in gardens etc... The good old North American log cabin is directly derived from this craftmanship.

 

Yes, the Finns used whatever they could get their hands on. Logs, sand, stones mostly.Incredible as well in Tali-Ihantala for 48 h pounding in summer 1944 these "bunkers" stood the test. Like I have said, never think the enemy has been wiped out after your bombing/artillery barrage. You get FIRE back in every case. The Red Army got the lesson then. A bloody lesson.

 

Interesting photos! Do you have any photos from your family? It would be interesting to see.

 

Sorry, they were fighting behind the lines so no photos as far as I know.

 

Ah I see, thanks anyways

 

Somewhere in eastern Karelia/Karelian isthmus during 1942-1944

 

Soon new photos. Unfortunately my short sight met my distant sight and I have been getting suitable glasses for the work and home for a while.. Fortunately nothing problems in the area of accurate vision and no high pressure problems, but I chose also such glasses that using them requires some time to learn to use them. Hope to be around more often.Cheers.