Winter War Medal 1939-40

[Sensei]

I just picked up my first example of this medal. Very nice design. This one is unfortunately without campaign bar.

[Woolgar]

A nice example

Thank you for sharing

Nick

[Woolgar]

Just added this medal with Rannikkopuolustus (Coastal Defence) clasp

Nick

[Woolgar]

Latest arrival, 'Koivisto'

Nick

[Verikauha]

It would be more cool to research and add addiotional info what each individual word in each winter war medal means. In this case what "Koivisto" holds meaning behind it.

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Koivisto is actually name of said rural municipality, fortress itself is in Koivusaari island, in Saarenpää village. There were smaller forts in Humaljoki (2x152mm + 4x152mm guns) and Tiuri (4x152mm guns).
"Saarenpää Linnake/Fortress" in Koivisto held six 254mm and two 152mm naval guns as coastal artillery.
There was battle against enemy battleship Marat in Saarenpää 18-19.12.1939 in which battleship warded off.
Finns lost Koivisto 22.2.1940 and managed to retreat safety by ski-ing over the ice at dead of night in fear of encirclement. Russians started their attack against Vyborg 28.2.1940

Russians bombarded Saarenpää Fortress with total 325 tons of Naval ammunition and 500 tons of aerial bombs. Plus estimated amount of 10.000 pieces of smaller aerial bombs.
Land artilleries unknown but in one instance there were over 1000 shells shots in 30minutes against Saarenpää and Humaljoki Forts.


Pics of koivisto 2010

Best article about Koivisto, but it's in Finnish.

[Woolgar]

Thank you this is great information

I looked on-line for details on this last night but all I could find was loads of stuff on Mauno Koivisto the Finnish politician

Thanks for the photos too!

Nick

[Woolgar]

A group shot of my collection so far....
Rannikkopuolustus
Kotijoukot
Taipale
Karjalan Kannas
Kenttaarmeija
Kenttaarmeija for Foreigners
Lappi for Foreiners
Ilmapuolustus
Laatkotan-Karjala
Koivisto
Bronze for Civilian Volunteers

Still require...
Kainuu
Mantsinsaari
Pohjois-Karbala (in the post)
Summa
Soumussalma
Tolvajarvi

[Woolgar]

Latest addition 'Pohjois- Karjala' ( North Karelia)

In North Karelia, Soviet forces were outmanoeuvred at Ilomantsi and Lieksa. The Finns used effective guerrilla tactics, taking special advantage of their superior skiing skills and snow-white layered clothing and executing surprise ambushes and raids. By the end of December, the Soviets decided to retreat and transfer resources to more critical fronts.

[Woolgar]

Latest addition

Only require 4 more for full set...
Kainuu
Mantsinsaari
Soumussalma
Tolvajarvi

[Woolgar]

The Battle of Summa was fought between the Soviet Union and Finland, in two phases, first in December 1939 and then in February 1940. It was part of the Winter War and was fought near the village of Summa (now Soldatskoye) along the main road leading from Leningrad to Viipuri.

The village of Summa was a gateway to the city of Viipuri. The Finns had built 41 reinforced concrete bunkers in the Summa area, and the defence line was stronger than elsewhere in the Karelian Isthmus. However, the Finns had made mistakes in planning and nearby Munasuo swamp, east of Summa, had a kilometre wide gap in the line. At least 20 tanks drove through the line in the first day of battle, but the Soviets did not have proper co-operation between branches of service; tanks, artillery and troops fought their own battles. The Finns stood still in trenches and allowed the Soviet tanks to move behind the defence line on December 19th, as they did not have proper anti-tank weapons. After that the Finns repelled the Soviet main troops. Soviet tanks cut-off behind the line aimlessly attacked Finnish strong-points, but once these were eliminated the threat was over. The Finns won the battle on 22 December.

As the Soviets found it too difficult to breach the line at the Summa sector, they attacked 10 km to the east in a sector known as Lähde. If they broke through there then they could encircle the Finns holding the Summa position. Timoschenko knew he could beat the Finns in a battle of attrition. His plan was to wear them down and go for an intense final attack.

First large probing actions were launched against the Finnish lines. For over ten days the line held every position. On 11 February, the Soviets began their major assault.

On 12 February, a minor breach in the Finnish lines in the Lähde sector led to disaster. By that time, so many breaches had occurred in the Mannerheim Line that the reports concerning them were virtually disregarded. The following morning, a Finnish counter-attack was supposed to be launched by the entire 5th Division, the only reserve in easy reach of the front-line, but only one of the three regiments was available as the other two regiments had to be dispatched elsewhere.

Only two Finnish battalions launched a counter-attack against two well supplied Soviet regiments that were equipped with armour and artillery. The attack was thrown back with heavy Finnish casualties. The Soviets made efforts to exploit this prominently. One tank regiment proceeded as far as the Lähde road junction but then halted. Although complete victory was in their grasp, the Soviets stopped their armoured spearhead.

Many Finnish companies were reduced to half their original strength. One company had lost 86 out of 110 men. Over-night from the 14th to the 15th, the Finns began withdrawing from the Summa position. On the morning of the 15th the Soviets attacked an empty position at Summa with more than 100 tanks and two divisions. That afternoon, Mannerheim ordered a general retreat to the Intermediate Line.