AIR FORCES IN THE AREA OF HANKO, PART II

(Hanko Cape in the Second World War, Niilo Lappalainen & History of the Hanko Group, T-22005, Military Archives of Finland)

June 1941 to December 1941

- The German Küstenfliegersgruppe 806 operated in the area of Gulf of Finland and it's mission at the start of the Operation Barbarossa was to mine the waterways to Leningrad and to destroy the locks of Poventsa. Hanko wasn't a main target for the Kampfgruppe. After the initial stages of the Operation Barbarossa, most of the German planes were directed to the battles in other parts of the Eastern Front. 

- The German planes bombed Hanko during the 22nd of June to 24th of June 1941 for four times. On 26th of June, six German planes bombed Hanko and on 27th of June, Hanko was attacked four times, with modest forces. After this the German support nearly ended and the next time the German planes made an attack to Hanko was on 6th of July 1941. At that time the Germans lost one plane. The last German bombing missions to Hanko were on 1st of October and perhaps also on 2nd of October 1941, although there is conflicting information regarding the 2nd of October mission.

- We actually had given up hope of finding the structure 422 and decided to head back to the car, when I happened to look down and spotted barbed wire. I was standing on top of the structure, from which nothing much is remaining.

- Short section of barbed wire is still right next to the remains.

- There has been a clear stone construction build right next to a rock, which would have provided a very sturdy wall for the accommodation bunker/dugout.

- The same dugout remains seen from a distance.

- Near of the previous remains is also another dugout remains, which would be one candidate for the structure 422.

- Sometimes finding the remains from the Harparskog-line is just a matter of luck.