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[GUNNARSHOLM]  [SOMMARÖAR]  [KÄRINGSHOLMARNA]  [GRÖNSKÄR]  [FURUSKÄR]  [DRAGSVIK]  [BORGARS]  [LAPPOHJA]

[LILLMARS]  [LILLKROKAN]  [STORKROKAN]  [HÄSTÖ & FURUHOLMEN]  [GRISLOM]  [STORA VALTERHOLM]  [LILLA LÅNGHOLM]

[VRAKHOLM]  [BJÖRKHOLM]  [ELGEN]  [KOHOLM & STOSKÄR]  [LÅNGHOLM]  [GLOSKÄR]  [SITE MAP]

- The general layout of the front line has been drawn using the original maps, which show the Finnish and Russian positions in the area. The main sources have been the map drawn by the Coastal Battalion 55 of the fortification works done in the area. Additionally the map of the Russian rental area of Hanko, which was drawn by the Finnish in 1943, has been used to shape out the Russian front line. There was no point of placing single structures to the map, as the map literally would be filled from single structures. The front line, which is now drawn to the map, shows the general layout of the line. However there has been depth in defence especially in the Russian side, so the front line has not been just a one single trench line in terrain, but there has been positions also in front of the front line, as well as behind of the line.

- The dominating landscape features in the area are the Dragsvik bay in west and the fields of Lappvik mansion in the east side of the area. These two landscape features have limited the shape of the front line, especially in the Finnish side. The fields of Lappvik mansion have been way too open to build any kind of positions there. Because of this, the Finnish front line followed the edge of field in the west, north and east side of the mansion.

- In practice the Finnish front line area, from where the Russian front line could be effectively controlled with fire, was limited to this 300 meter area between Dragsvik bay and the fields of Lappvik mansion. There is some rather big rocks in this 300 meter area, to where positions have been build. The area in front of these rocks contains also trenches and some dugouts.

- The Finnish fortifications in the area of Dragsvik have been mostly build by the Coastal Battalion 55. The list of fortifications build, which has been made by the Battalion, shows that some 150 meters of trench line was build to the area, which contained four fire positions, shaped in a form of a letter T. These positions were reinforced with sand bags and equipped with shelters and with periscopes. Additionally from these positions, there was also communication trenches leading towards the rear areas. To this whole trench line system was also connected three guard positions, two machine gun nests, two swap positions and a fire control position for mortars. All of these contained a shelter. The dugouts in the area were covered with one and a half meter layer of earth and could accommodate a half-platoon.

- Further towards the rear area on top of the rocks, there has been a single layer cylinder barbed wire obstacle, which has been about 200 meters in length. Additionally there has been guard positions in the area, which have been reinforced with sand bags. At least one of these has contained a covered shrapnel shelter.

- There really was no depth in defence on the Finnish side. This is explained by the fact, that the purpose of the Finnish troops was to fight a delaying action, before the Harparskog-line itself, to where the the Russian attack in land front had to be stopped. The positions near of the border line area, were not meant to be kept indefinitely.

- In the Russian side the front line starts from the rock, which is located near of the Dragsvik bay. From there the line continues in nearly consistent form towards the Borgars hills. If there's no defence in depth on the Finnish side, the same cannot be said from the Russian positions. Literally the whole Hanko Cape had been dug open and defensive lines followed each others. If the Finnish forces would have managed to penetrate the first line, there would have been a second line behind of the first one and so on, until the troops would have been in front of the City of Hanko, where the last Russian defensive line went.

- The Russians build several covered light machine gun and machine gun positions to the rocky hill near of the Dragsvik bay. These positions could control the front line area very well. Also the direction of Dragsvik bay had been covered with light machine guns and with machine guns. Further towards the rear area, behind of the hill, there was also open and covered gun positions, which most likely have been capable to direct firing.

- From the Dragsvik bay area the Russian front line goes towards the Borgars hills, following the Kofverhag mansion road and the Öby road. In the midway between Borgars and Dragsvik, there is another concentration of covered light machine gun and machine gun positions. These positions however have been damaged during the improvement of the road, but some of them can be still found from the area. In front of the positions, there has been barbed wire and tripping obstacles as well as the anti-tank ditch, which can be still found in a good shape. The area in front of the positions has been also mined. Behind of these positions there has been two gun positions. The gun positions are so close to the front line, that the guns has been meant to be used in a direct firing purposes.

- The area of the Dragsvik is perhaps the most interesting one in the Hanko Cape land front. There is really no new structures and the area is nearly in the shape that it was, when Finnish and Russian troops stared each others from their trenches. The layout of the Finnish and Russian front line can be still seen in the terrain very easily. The area is also easy to find. After Lappohja you turn to the Öby road. One can leave the car to an abandoned road, in the intersection area of Kofverhag mansion road and Öby road. The distance to the old borderline area from this spot, is only a bit over 200 meters.

- When looking at the front line, one can only be amazed by the courage, which got the men up from their trenches and move over the no-mans-land towards the strongly fortified Russian positions. The war in Hanko Cape was not a lightning war, but resembled more of the war during the years 1914 - 1918. What we now know about the Russian positions, backs up the reluctance of the commander of Infantry Regiment 13, to perform reconnaissance attacks against the Russian positions.

Reconnaissance attack in Dragsvik 06.07.1941