Suomen Merivoimat

A Finn Haditengerészet 1930 - 1944

Photos are from 1930-1944.InformationWhen the Winter War broke out the Finnish Navy moved to occupy the de-militarized Åland Islands and to protect merchant shipping. In the first month of the war battles between Soviet ships and Finnish coastal batteries were fought at Hanko, Finland, Utö and Koivisto. In Koivisto the batteries forced Soviet battleships to retire with damage.In December 1939 the ice became so thick that only the ice-breakers could still move. The two coastal defence ships were moved to the harbour in Turku where they were used to stiffen the air-defences of the city. They remained there for the rest of the war.Before the Continuation War five more torpedo boats were ordered from Italy. The base that the Soviets had acquired in the Winter War at Hanko Peninsula divided the areas where the Finnish Navy would operate in two. Large mine fields were laid down in cooperation with the German Kriegsmarine when the war began. The coastal defence ships bombarded the Soviet base at Hanko until the Soviets evacuated Hanko in December 1941.The first successful torpedo attack was done by Vesikko on 3.7.1941. The boat sunk 4100-ton merchant ship Vyborg east from SuursaariOn 21 October Vesihiisi sinks Soviet S 7 at Lågskär by torpedo. Four men, including commander Sergei Lisin, are taken prisoner. 26/27. October Iku-Turso shoots torpedo against Soviet Щ 320 at 23.58 and the enemy sub sinks at 00.01 at Marhällan. 5 November Vetehinen sinks Soviet Щ 305 at Gisslan by ramming. The greatest loss of the Finnish Navy occurred on September 13, 1941 when the Ilmarinen ( 1:46 ) ran into a mine and sank. 271 sailors lost their lives and only 132 were rescued. Most of the survivors later served in the Lake Onega flotilla, using old captured ships, including a steam engined paddlewheeler.Finnish Flotilla in LadogaSome smaller Soviet patrol boats and several barges delivering food to besieged Leningrad were attacked and sunk during 1942 and 1943. The Finnish Ladoga Flotilla had clashes with the Ladoga Flotilla of the Soviet Navy, which operated in Lake Ladoga from June 25, 1941 through November 4, 1944In 1942 the main focus of the war at sea was on the Finnish submarines which fought against over 30 Soviet submarines that tried to attack shipping in the Baltic Sea. The Soviet subs sank 18 ships, seven of which were Finnish. 12 Soviet submarines were also sunk.In July 1942 the Soviets made an attempt to occupy the small island of Sommers in the Gulf of Finland. The Soviets lost 16 landing boats and minor warships together with 128 men. 102 Soviet soldiers were taken prisoner. During 1943 the navy received 14 new torpedo boats which were used to replace the old pre-war ones.In 1944 the Soviets launched a major offensive against Finland, during which the navy fought in support of Finnish land forces the Gulf of Vyborg. In the end the ships were forced to pull out.1939 the Finnish Navy consisted of:Finnish coastal defence ships 2 coastal defence ships (Ilmarinen and Väinämöinen)Submarines.•Vetehinen on 1 June 1930, building number CV 702. •Saukko on 2 July 1930, building number Sa 241 •Vesihiisi on 1 August 1930, building number CV 703. •Iku-Turso on 5 May 1931, building number CV 704. • Vesikko 30 April 1934 for German Type II U-boats.Gunboats4 gunboats (Turunmaa, Karjala, Uusimaa and Hämeenmaa)Others7 motor torpedo boats1 minelayer6 minesweepers1 training ship Suomen JoutsenThe navy also had several auxiliary warships, ice-breakers and patrol boats from the Coast Guard.March: Sinitakkien marssi ( Blue coats march )