On June 25, 1941, Finland was again officially at war with the Soviet Union. The Swedish government was maneuvering to avoid the hard pressure from Berlin to allow transition-traffic through Sweden, but finally they had to allow the German 163rd "Engelbrecht" Infantry division to go by train through Sweden (the June II reinforcement at Tomea, in FitE/SE).

Map 35: The Hanko Peninsula

Furthermore, Sweden was unwilling to become openly involved in this new war on the German-Finnish side and thus postponed any decisions on the reestablishment of a new Volunteer Corps.

During the summer, the government finally authorized 2500 volunteers. However, the enthusiasm of 1939 was gone, particularly because Finland was now fighting on the disliked Axis side contrary to 1939 when the Soviet Union was allied with Germany.

During the first half of August 1941 the Volunteer Battalion began to form, organized as a regular Swedish infantry battalion with:

1 staff company
3 light infantry companies (rifle companies excluding the normally integrated heavy weapons)
1 heavy company (5 MMG sections with 2 MMG each, 3 mortar sections with 2x 81 mm mortars each, and one AT-platoon with 4x 37mm Bofors).

August - December 1941: Relieving the Finns at Hanko

In August 1941 the new battalion transferred one company at a time to the front-line at the Soviet held port of Hanko (hexside 1B:0414/0515; 35:4529/4530). The Swedes began to take over positions previously held by units of the Finnish "Hanko Group".

Parts of this Hanko Group were:

• 17th Infantry Division (moved east from mid-July, leaving 55th Infantry Regiment at Hanko);
• 4th Coast Defense Battalion;
• 18th Fortress Battalion;
• three border companies;
• 44th Coast Defense Battalion (CO Lt. Col. Ekstrom).

The period August 17 to September 18 saw only patrol level action in the Swedish sector, with low casualties on both sides (10 KIA and some 40 wounded).

After that date, the unit was relieved in the front line by a Finnish battalion of 55th Infantry Regt. - after some political controversy between a Finnish-speaking, anti-Swedish regimental commander named Koskimies and the Swedish battalion commander Berggren.

During the night of December 2/3, the Soviets began withdrawing by sea from Hanko. This evacuation meant abandoning most of the heavy equipment and supply. By 2200 on December 2, the only combatant left was one fanatical soldier who was going to fire the prearranged high-explosives in order to deceive the soldiers of Hanko Group.

Early in the morning of December 3, the general advance on Hanko began. The Swedes, rather disappointed to be in reserve, soon began to advance on their own initiative, spearheaded by Cpt. Grafstrom's jaeger company (the same man from Markajarvi.

Reinforced by some heavy weapons and a flag from the "White Guard district of Raseborg" as the only flag available on such short notice, the company soon passed the more cautious Finnish units.

At 2230 there were still some 20 kms to cover. The Finns stopped as darkness fell and advised the Swedish CO not to continue until daylight because of the large number of AP mines discovered during the day. Grafstrom however, didn't intend to stop.

After a very short discussion with his platoon leaders, Grafstrom asked: "Any suggestions?"

"Begin the advance at one, I have a torch," pioneer Lt. Pellieff answered.

"Well, I have never refused anyone to advance upon the enemy. Move out!" Grafstrom replied.

And so the 3rd company's double-file night march began, 2nd Lt. Pellijeff with his torch at the point. At 0625 hrs, December 4, after clearing several hundred mines and booby- traps, the company reached the town of Hanko and placed the flag atop the city hall.

This was a serious blow to the already strained relations between the Swedes and the Finnish CO of Hanko-Group, Koskimies. The "Swedish" capture of Hanko came just two days before the Finnish National Holiday on December 6!

On December 15, Field Marshal Mannerheim received the battalion for a reward and farewell ceremony at Harparskob (1B:0414; 35:4529), close to Hanko. The battalion arrived in Stockholm for a welcome home ceremony on December 19. Twenty-six men had been killed in action and some 80 men had been wounded.

1942-1944: Swedish Volunteers at the Svir

Only a month after the return of the Hanko battalion, a new volunteer force was organized, but the Swedish civilians were even less eager than before to go to war. Almost three years of ration cards and neutrality had naturally taken its toll on Swedish ardor. Only some 130 Volunteers left Sweden on January 10, 1942 for Finland and the Karelian front. However, it was a company with extensive experience of war since 60% were veterans of the Winter War and almost 70% had participated in the Hanko battalion.

The commander was Cpt. Rickard Nilsson from the Swedish Infantry Regiment 14, a very talented officer. On February 5, the company was attached to the Swedish speaking Infantry Regiment, where the Leningrad-Murmansk railroad crosses the Svir River (2A:0622; 35:1706). The company was named "Avdelta kompaniet" or "The Independent Company."

During the years 1942-44 the Volunteers manned part of the Svir River front in the 13th Infantry Regt (17th Div.) sector.

Although this period mostly was a trench warfare period, the Volunteers nonetheless saw heavy fighting. During April 1942 the Russians tried to force a bridgehead across the Svir at the railroad crossing. The offensive lasted for most of April and at the end of it 13th Inf Regt. had suffered five dead, 50 wounded and four missing. The Swedes, however, lost only three men thanks to their skill in close combat. In the front report of 13th Regiment, two Swedes were mentioned and decorated for heroism in combat beyond the call of duty -- the squad leader Nilsson and 2nd Lt. Hard af Segerstad, who would become CO on May 5, 1943.

The next 13 months, from June 1942 to July 1943 was relatively quiet, with the Swedes and Russians alternating in undertaking small-scale raids for prisoners. During this time the entire Finnish Army guarding the Svir front dug in and prepared their trenches to almost WWI level. The casualties during the second half of 1942 mounted to six killed, eight wounded, and one missing.

June 1944: The Beginning of the End

In mid-May 1944, 45th Infantry Regiment relieved the 13th. After 27 months of constant front line duty, the Swedes went into reserve and began an extensive combat training period.

On June 6, the news of the Normandy landings spread like fire among the soldiers of the 13th. Many already doubted a happy end to the war but now hope for a good partial peace vanished. The primary objective for most Finnish soldiers was now to end the war and get home in one piece. Three days later the Volunteers woke up to the sound of a distant thunderstorm. The weather was clear however, and the soldiers soon found out that the sound was coming from across Lake Ladoga, from the Karelian Isthmus.

At 0415 on June 9 the Soviets started their great offensive to force Finland out of the war and free troops for the battles for Poland and Germany. The offensive was a surprise for the Finnish High command, but not for the front line soldier. For several weeks the front-line units were reporting new Soviet batteries, sounds of large armored formations and other signs of preparation. The higher command levels did everything in their power to explain these reports as "exaggerations" and "fantasies" of over-cautious commanders.

The lull period of 1942-44 hadn't been used efficiently to strengthen the defenses on the Isthmus. There were some remnants from the Winter War and some frontline field fortifications, but none which could effectively stand up to a major Soviet offensive such as the one around Leningrad earlier in the spring. Rumors spread rapidly of overrun positions, encircled units, tremendous artillery barrages, and overwhelming numbers of enemy heavy tanks.

On the eve of June 13, the entire 17th Division was ordered to the Isthmus. Entraining began the next day with one infantry regiment at a time. The Swedes were now organized into a company with one rifle platoon and one jaeger platoon.

On June 19 the regiment detrained 29 km north of Viipuri (2A:0333; 35:4416) and the entire 17th Division went into reserve. The 13th Infantry Regiment reorganized to man part of the "VKT Line," the Viipuri-Kupparsaari-Taipale line.

June 20, 1944: The Black Day

After 11 days of fighting the Soviets stood outside the medieval town of Viipuri. In those few days they had covered the same distance it took one hundred days to cover in the Winter War. Most of the original Finnish units on the Isthmus were in disorder; many were routed as well. The High Command had moved the strategic reserves from Aunus (the area between the Svir and the White Sea Canal) to restore the situation.

Besides the 17th Division the 20th Brigade was transferred from Aunus and almost immediately went into the front line in the southern suburbs of Viipuri. The 20th was a newly raised unit with little combat experience. Other Finnish units routing through their positions during the night of June 19/20 contributed substantially in demoralizing the soldiers of the 20th. There was also a shortage of ammunition and AT weapons.

When the Soviets attacked the brigade routed almost at once. To prevent the Soviets from gaining a bridgehead north of Viipuri, the entire 17th Division except 2 Battalion/13th Infantry Regt and the Swedes were attached to 5th Infantry Regt. and manned the VKT line east of Viipuri.

The Soviets began to probe and launch harassing artillery fire that evening.

The loss of Viipuri also meant the loss of the war to the Finns since Viipuri citadel had always been a symbol of freedom and bulwark against the "Hordes from the East."

Swedish and American Volunteers. NATIONAL ARCHIVES

June 21 - June 29 1944: Bloody Midsummer

During the period of June 21-29 the Soviets attacked heavily NE of Viipuri attempting to outflank the still thin Finnish line and gain a foothold NW of Viipuri.

The Swedes were ordered to hold two small hills called Kaplainmaki and Vierumaki (2A:0333; 35:4416) in cooperation with the Finnish 2/13 Infantry. They soon found themselves in the midst of the hurricane. The Soviets attacked with utmost ferocity. Even when the attacking troops paused to regroup and move reinforcements forward, artillery continued to drench the Swedish positions with shells.

As soon as the Soviets got a foothold anywhere the tiny force counterattacked and annihilated the attackers. Finally on the 25th they were ordered to withdraw some kms to the north (2A:0432, around the last "i" in "Viipuri"; 35:4516) to regroup, having suffered 53% casualties. The Soviets didn't stop, however.

Lt. Hard and Lt. Nilsson (CO of the jaeger platoon) carried out the most heroic counterattack on the evening of June 25.

The Soviets had followed the 2/13 closely and made a flanking movement, occupying a ridge in the battalion's flank. The Swedes were ordered to the counterattack immediately.

And so they did. With some 20 men in two parties the Swedes advanced and in close-combat threw the Soviets back. The relieving Finnish company counted more than 150 dead bodies, several LMGs and MMGs were captured. The Swedes lost one man.

After that the Swedes were called "The Tigers from Tali." The next five days the company continued to fight a delaying action NE of Viipuri, suffering heavily from the lack of AT weapons and the stony terrain that made the Soviet artillery much more effective than otherwise.

The company suffered 72% casualties from June 20-29.

The Finnish pact with Germany finally helped to stabilize the situation. Stukas, assault guns and the German 122nd Infantry Division stopped the Soviet advance on Helsinki.

June 30 - September 26, 1944 End of the War for the Volunteers

The war was basically over for the Swedish volunteers. The Finnish 17th Division withdrew into reserve 5 kms NW of Viipuri (113:0302; 35:4417) where the Swedes remained until the Finnish /Russian armistice was signed on September 19. For the rest of the summer the Swedes saw only patrol level action as the Soviets now concentrated forces against the Germans.

With the departure of 36 volunteers for Sweden on September 25 and 26 after being received by Field Marshal Mannerheim's personal representative, the participation of the Swedish Volunteer Corps in World War II came to a close.

In Finland and USSR: Intro