THE BATTLES IN THE ISLAND GROUP OF HORSÖN, PART II

(Hanko Cape in the Second World War, Niilo Lappalainen)

10th of July to 3rd of September 1941

- The attack was performed by a Russian shock battalion, which consisted 250 men. Its companies left for the attack from the island of Medö and from the Uddskatan Cape. Around 2:00 o'clock, strong Russian forces landed on both sides of the island. The attack was supported by torpedo boats. After two and a half hours, the Russians under the command of Lieutenant A. Fetisov broke the Finnish defences in the island. Those defenders who had the chance, tried to swim away from the island. Many of them drowned or were shot into the water. Corporal Litzen with the help of two artillery men, managed to get ten men out from the island who could not swim. The losses for the Finnish troops were severe and bodies were drifting to the Finnish lines even during the autumn of 1941. 

- According to official documents, 39 men were either KIA or MIA. All of the heavy weapons were left behind. Additionally the Russians claimed to having captured either 28 or 23 prisoners.

- The Russians continued their attack on 11th of July and captured the islands of Stackörn, Elmholmen, Furuön and Gunnarsholmen.

- Structure 414 according to the plans was a machine gun nest. The structure can be still seen in the forest, in the foreground of the structure 42, a & b.

- Entrance into the machine gun nest can be still pointed out from the remains.