Machine gun position

RECONNAISSANCE IN FORCE TO BJÖRKHOLMEN

(History of the Hanko Group, T-22005, Military Archives of Finland)

2nd of September 1941

- On 2nd of September 1941 the battalion commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Nordenstreng made a reconnaissance in force to Björkholmen. As the plan was to carry out the reconnaissance suddenly and with a surprise, there was no request to carry out artillery bombardment to the island. However a strong Russian machine gun fire, which was opened when our boats had reached within twenty meters from the shore, stopped the attempt and the infantry asked fire support from the artillery. This was given from 24:00 onwards according to the previously made plan. Artillery fired to Koholmen and to Björkholmen and the attacking force managed to retreat. Even one of the boats, which had lost an engine managed to get away. The second attacking force, which was moving by land from Långholmen and Stoskär, managed to advance to Koholmen. Fire controller 2nd Lieutenant Merikangas was with this force.

- This mobile fire control team had a phone and radio connection to the battery command post in Skedö, from where the actual fire controlling was performed. When the occupied islands were manned, the 2nd Lieutenant Merikangas and his team were left to Stoskär. At the same time an observation position was established to Koholmen to which a communication line was pulled.

Captain T. Louhivuori

Machine gun position, Picture 1

- A long communication trench leads into the machine gun position.

Machine gun position, Picture 2

- The communication trench is nicely visible at the slope of the hill.

Machine gun position, Picture 3

- There's not much remaining from the machine gun position. The whole structure is destroyed nearly completely.

Machine gun position, Picture 4

- The structure seen from another direction. It might be that this is a remains from just an ordinary dugout, but when one looks the place where this has been build, you could assume that this is a remains from a machine gun position. Additionally the embrasure of the position is still slightly visible.

Machine gun position, Picture 5

- View from the slope. The shores of the island are gently sloping, but when walking towards the inland, the land slopes steeply.