"Question for Finnish Army experts" Topic
6 Posts
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Korvessa | 21 Mar 2018 8:59 a.m. PST |
As I understand it, during the years they were part of Swedish Empire the Finns basically had seven territorial infantry regiments. Using their Finnish names (which I think is cooler), for the infantry, you have: Uusimaa, Hämeenmaa, Turunmaa, Pori, Savo, Karjala & Pohjanmaa. The cavalry combined provinces and have Uusimma-Hämee, Turku-Pori & Savo-Karjala. The question is, did any of the regiments from the Winter War retain the traditions and battle honors of any of these older regiments? I have read about the Uusimaa Dragoons in WWII, so I presume they carry on the cavalry traditions, not sure about the others though |
bruntonboy | 21 Mar 2018 10:27 a.m. PST |
What a great question? Are you sure this is the right place to ask though- it doesn't mention anything about modern politics, Hitler or people love for or hatred of plastic miniature. Seriously though I would like to read some sensible replies on this. |
Korvessa | 21 Mar 2018 10:55 a.m. PST |
If were lucky Dan S will join in. I always value his input |
M C MonkeyDew | 22 Mar 2018 4:52 a.m. PST |
link Don't know but the modern Finnish army still uses those designations. Bob |
Griefbringer | 22 Mar 2018 9:16 a.m. PST |
The question is, did any of the regiments from the Winter War retain the traditions and battle honors of any of these older regiments? There was (and still is) a difference in the Finnish military between training units (usually titled regiments or brigades, but in practice quite variable in size), that provide peacetime training for conscripts, and actual wartime units, that are formed of reservists when a threat of war presents itself. Thus, at the time of the Winter War, there were various training regiments (such as Porin rykmentti), that could claim heritage to 17th century units, though in practice these could have some continuity issues during the time when Finland was part of the Russian Empire. During the Winter War these units continued their training duty, to provide freshly trained replacements to the front. (Such replacements were sometimes called "Porcelain boys" because their snow camo suits were clean white when arriving to the front.) However, the infantry regiments that actually fought at the front were not directly related to the training units, but were put together from reservists living in a certain geographical area at the time – and thus the men present could have completed their conscript service in a variety of units. So the answer may depend on what you mean by a regiment – training unit or actual field unit.
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Daniel S | 22 Mar 2018 10:02 a.m. PST |
Korvessa, Thank you but I am afraid that my expertise such as it is on the Finnish regiments stops about 1660 and past 1720 I am not much use at all I am afraid… This is what I know: The Swedish army only adopted "Segernamn" ("victory names") aka battle honours in 1844 and no battle honours were every given to the "lost" Finnish regiments though they certainly could claim many of the battle honours awarded to Swedish regiments. Based on anecdotes from my days in the Swedish army and the wiki pages of the brigades of the modern Finnish army some units did resurrect their connection to the Finnish regiments of the Swedish army such as celebrating certain days. For example the Kainuu brigade still celebrates the anniversery of the battle of Rain am Lech 1632 when 300 Finns spearheaded the assault crossing over the Lech. |
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