[TABLE OF CONTENTS]  [MAIN PAGE]  [HISTORY]  [VESTERVIK]  [BREDVIK]  [GRUNDSUND]  [RILAX]  [STORÖN]  [PARGAS]

[PRÄSTKULLA]  [LÅNGSTRAND]  [VIMONBÖLE]  [STORHOLMEN]  [SKOGBYTRÄSKET]  [HARPARSKOG]  [SPJUTBÖLE]

[BJÖRKKULLA]  [VITSAND]  [BJÖRNHOLMEN]  [ODENSÖ]  [SOMMARÖ]  [SKÅLDÖ]  [BAGGÖN]  [SITE MAP]

 

STORÖN

Storön area

  Map symbols

- The fortifications in the Storön area have protected the approaches to Bromarv area. The fortifications have been in an important position during the war, locking the defence in an area where the defensive line bends sharply. In practice attack towards Storön would have been very difficult if not impossible, because the heavily fortified Rilax and Pargas areas could have fired flanking fire against attacking enemy.

- Despite of the unlikely attack, nothing hasn't been left for a chance. Especially the gun position 50 has had a very good field of fire towards the island of Bengtsår Prästön, from where the possible attack would have started. The remains of the gun positions can be still found from the area. Unfortunately both of the positions have collapsed completely, leaving only a two large stone piles to mark the spot where the guns were located. Additionally a communication trench has been mined between the positions, which can be still found from the area in a rather good condition.

- Trenches, in which the soldiers waited for a possible attack in 1941, can be seen right in the shoreline. The trenches have remained recognizable all through these years. This is because there aren't any people living in Storön. That's why the trenches have decayed alone, without people causing more erosion to the positions.

Observing the effect of artillery fire

- The trenches have been built into an interesting place in a sense, that the ground rises steeply from the shoreline towards the rocks where the gun position 50 is located. Pulling back from the forward positions would have been difficult, if something would have gone wrong in the defence of the island. On the other hand, building the trenches further away from the shoreline, would have meant that the enemy might have been able to get a grip from the shoreline, from where destroying them would have meant a counterattack and own casualties.

- Rest of the positions in the forward line have lost nearly all of their shape during the last sixty years. Quite a large number of dugout remains however remain in the area. The best preserved structure in the forward line is the structure 416. According to the map symbol it was a machine gun nest with an observation cupola. When looking at the remains, it is apparent that the structure was a machine gun nest. No traces from the observation cupola can be found though.

- Nearby of the Riilahti Mansion right next to a road is an interesting group of structures, which looks like a dugout remains. According to the maps found from the Military Archives of Finland, there was a reserve mortar group in the area. It might be that the remains are the positions used by this group. Additionally there has been an artillery positions nearby. The structure remains do not look like an ordinary dugout remains, as the wall, which is facing towards the frontline would have seemed to be an open one. I have not been able to get a full certainty from the source material, what has been located in these positions.

- My own personal notes below are based on the situation in the defensive line, during the years 2005 and 2006.

Construction series with two numbers

- The only gun position in the Storön area was most likely completed during the existence of Hanko Front. According to the fortification map, the position would have been armed with two 47mm guns. The field of fire for the position has been excellent towards the island of Bengtsår Prästön.

 

Number Fortification card Note

50

No Both of the gun positions have collapsed.

 

Construction series 4xx

- The structures, which have been numbered starting with a number four, have all lost their shape nearly totally. Only the structure 416 is an exception from this. It is not possible to confirm anymore, that all of the positions were build according to the plan. Machine gun has been the primary weapon for the positions. Some of the structures have been accommodation bunkers or dugouts according to the fortification map.

 

Number Fortification card Note
416 No The structure has retained its shape very well.
417 No  
430 No  
431 No  
471 No  

 

Other constructions in the defensive line

 

Number Note

Trench line

 

Dugout remains

Located behind the main defensive line, right next to a road.

Copyright © 2005, 2006 Kimmo Nummela