BATTLE OF STOSKÄR, PART II

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

14th of October 1941

- Finns retreated to the ridge, which offered excellent defensive positions and managed to inflict heavy casualties for the attacker. More Russian reinforcements however were arriving to the island and the Finnish defenders decided to pull back to Långholmen. Finnish reinforcements tried to get to the help of the defenders, but came under a heavy firing and had to cancel their task. 

- Around 8:00 o'clock, more reinforcements for the Finns arrived from Skedö and they were ordered to counter-attack. The attack began at 8:07 o'clock and at 8:30 o'clock, the old positions had been captured from the Russians. The Russian troops started to pull back, as their task didn't require to hold the island. The retreat ended in chaos as the Finnish troops had managed to close in the beach where the Russian boats were located. Many of the escaping Russians died while attempting to get into the boats, but finally they managed to pull back from the island. At 10:30 o'clock, the island was again firmly back in the hands of Finns. 

- Russians tried to pull back to Koholmen, but light machine gun fire inflicted more casualties for the men in the boat and the attempt was aborted. At 11:30 o'clock, the island of Koholmen was again occupied by the Finnish troops. 

- In total the Finns lost 6 killed and 4 wounded. The Russians lost at least 35 men in Stoskär. Many more might have been killed in the boats, which came under the fire from the light machine gun.

- The emergency exit is visible from the outside, as plaster has come off from the wall.

- Entrance with the colour of the Lion of Finland still nicely visible.

- Someone has smashed the stove to pieces for some reason.

- From the opposite side. You have needed some heavy tools to smash the iron stove to this condition and to even move it away from its original position.

- A way to the observation cupola which...

- ...looks like this from the outside.

- Iron mushroom grows in the roof.

- And as you head towards another locations, the familiar eyes watch you...