COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S ORDER OF THE DAY, N.O. 34,
PART IV

(The glory of our days - Finnish war 1939 - 1940 with pictures and communiqué from headquarters) 

14th of March 1940

- After sixteen weeks of bloody battle with no rest by day or by night, our army still stands unconquered in front of an enemy which in spite of terrible losses has grown in numbers; nor has our home front, where countless air-raids have spread death and terror among women and children, ever wavered. Burned cities and ruined villages far behind the front, as far even as our western border, are the visible proofs of the nation's sufferings during the past months.

- Our fate is hard, now that we are compelled to give up to an alien race, a race with a life philosophy and moral values different from ours, land which for centuries we have cultivated with sweat and labour. But with firm hands we must start the construction work, in order to prepare the soil left to us, a home for those rendered homeless and an improved livelihood for all, and as before we must be ready to defend our diminished Fatherland with the same resolution and strength with which we defended our undivided Fatherland. We are proudly conscious of the historic duty, which we shall continue to fulfill; the defense of that western civilization which has been our heritage for centuries, but we know also that we have paid the very last penny from any debt we may have owed to the west.

Mannerheim

- One of the two gun positions in the area.

- The same position seen from the front side.

- Part of the parapet has collapsed from the second position in the area.

- Comparison picture showing the size of the base for the gun. The base probably has been so big in order to make it possible to adapt it to any gun possibility if the actual armament hasn't been clear when the construction has been started.

- The bolts still remain, although rusted.

- These most likely have been hooks, to which camouflage nets or just trees and bushes have been attached. In some gun positions these hooks still remain in their original position, pointing straight forward.

- On top of one of the gun positions are two of these plates, to which numbers have been carved. Unfortunately this one is the only plate from which you can still read part of the numbers. It looks number 900 to me.

- Time is starting to show in the parapet.

- The main road in the area, which goes very near of the gun positions. The accommodation dugout remains number 424 is located right next to the road.

- One of the positions contains the year 1941 carved to the concrete. Moss has grown into the carved numbers thus making the year 1941 very visible. There also seems to be more numbers after 1941, but I can only make 27 out from it. Perhaps a date when the gun position was finished? After the number 27, it would seem like there is a letter V, meaning a number five perhaps? 27th of May 1941 is just a wild guessing as marking dates like shown in the picture, isn't a very common thing in Finland.

- The gun base in the second gun position.

- Wooden remains from the gun base are still attached to the bolts. The position contains also more remains.

- Depression in the concrete.

- Rusted bolts still remain in both of the bases.

- The second gun position seen from a bit higher angle.

- Comparison shot in the second gun position showing the size of the base.

- Monument of war.

- Next to one of the gun positions, is another base. Holes have been drilled to the solid rock, which forms another base on its own.

- Larger view. There is no parapet protecting this base and it is a question mark what has been located at this location. The distance to the gun position is only few meters. Perhaps fire control equipment has been attached here.

- Time to say goodbye...