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THE BATTLES IN THE ISLAND GROUP OF HORSÖN, PART III

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

10th of July to 3rd of September 1941 

- The Hanko Group ordered to capture the island of Horsön back. However the order was pulled back, as the Commander-in-Chief was very negative about the attack. It was not wise to hit the head to the wall, the moral for the Russian troops would get low soon. Additionally the equipment, which was in use for the troops and the 300 Russian soldiers in the island of Horsön, would have meant heavy casualties. 

- The Finnish section of Bromarv made a counterattack on 11th of July with limited objectives and managed to capture the islands of Elmholmen, Furuön and Gunnarsholmen. In Stackörn the fighting lasted through the night, but the Russians managed to hold the island. During the night of 13th of July to 14th of July, reconnaissance in force was made into Stackörn. The reconnaissance was supported by artillery. The 11 men under the command of Corporal Koski managed to land into the island, but was forced into a heavy fire fight with the Russian defenders. One squad was sent as reinforcements. The patrol and their reinforcements managed to destroy three machine gun emplacements.

- Completely rusted milk-can lies at the bottom of one of the dugout remains. If the milk-can has been here ever since the troops left the area, one can only imagine the shout that has been created in the garrison when it has been noticed that one milk-can has been lost.

- The area holds an interesting looking embankment. It has been constructed right in the shoreline. It is hard to say whether or not it has been build by the troops in the area. Basically the embankment would have covered soldiers moving in the area, as this place is clearly visible to the Russian held islands.

- The embankment seen from a bit different angle.

- View towards the island of Lackisör, which is located on the left side of the picture. The island, which is located on the right side of the picture is Bengtsår Prästön. It was occupied by the Russian troops.

- View towards the island of Gråön.

- The area where structure 415 is supposed to be located contains numerous dugout remains. Some are a bit bigger...

- ...and some are a bit smaller.

- The biggest remains is the most interesting one. It is a gun position, which has not been marked to the fortification map. The gun position has been located very close to the Russian positions. The trees most likely have camouflaged a bit of the gun position in 1941, but in any case it has been impossible to camouflage the whole position so, that the muzzle flashes would have not been visible to the other side.

- The fact that there is still a base for the gun at the bottom of the pit, confirms that the pit has been a gun position. The base is visible in the foreground of the picture, at the bottom of the pit.

- The same pit, where the base for the gun is nicely visible.

- The bolts are still attached to the concrete base.

- When you continue towards the structure 414, you can spot several single man shelters very close to the shoreline.