ONE NIGHT IN THE HANKO FRONT

(Teasing the encirclement of Hanko, Adolf Molnár) 

July 1941 to August 1941 

- Around midnight starts the firing of the Finnish artillery. The guns are firing towards Bengtsår, Svedjeholmen, Rågholmen and to Kamsholmen. The ground is shaking under us and there's a lot of noise from the grenades in our island. It doesn't seem to worry the artillery men, that we are also in Kamsholm, but it is worrying us a lot. 

- The northern tip of the island is under a heavy bombardment. Under a heavy artillery fire from our own guns, we empty the northern area of the island, which is known with the name of Nordkap. The boys are swearing like they would have never heard, that swearing is a sin. 

- Long live the triumph of technology, our own artillery has managed to set our island on fire. I don't know if I should cry or laugh. No other choice than to start laughing. Sundquist is leaping around like a little rabbit in the middle of the blazing ground and around him the Finnish grenades are exploding when they hit the ground. 

- Finally the Finnish artillery has noticed their mistake and concentrates their fire only to the Russians. Whirl of soil can be seen rising in Bengtsår and in front of it tall water whirls raise above the sea level. No ammunitions is saved now, fire! State will pay them. Rågholmen is covered in a smoke cloud and in Bengtsår the trees are chopped to pieces by the exploding grenades.

- One of the four remains with the picture pointing towards the frontline. I would assume that these were accommodation dugouts, although all of them are located quite close to each others. The different maps from the Military Archives of Finland would indicate that on this very same area, a reserve mortar group was located. Also two artillery positions are shown, but not exactly on this place.

- The same remain from a different angle. It is easy to see the shape, as it is full of water.

- Trench line connects all of the four remains together.

- In all of the remains, the side, which was facing towards the frontline, was opening towards the frontline.

- A very massive concrete piece lies in the forest, on top of a trench line, which leads to a very small pit.

- One of the pits was full of garbage, but still this position is very well visible especially during the autumn and spring months, as no vegetation hinders the view. During the summer time, it might be a real hard task to locate this one.

- In some places just a slight depression remains from the trench line and in some places it's still nearly as deep as in the 1941.

- One of the four dugout remains.

- Trench line can be seen leaving away from the position, in the upper part of the picture.

- Trench line has retained its shape fairly well.