Finnish Ladoga Naval Detachment
Encyclopedia
Finnish Ladoga Naval Detachment was a Finnish naval
unit stationed on Lake Ladoga between 1920-1940 and 1941-1944.
was signed by the Russians and the Finns in 1920. It included terms which limited the size of naval vessels on Ladoga to 100 tons, and the calibre of their armament to a maximum of 47 mm. When the Finns embarked on their naval rebuilding program in the early 1930s, some vessels were purposely designed to fit this 100 t limitation, including a small submarine. The Finns, however, found more use for their few vessels in the Baltic Sea
, and therefore had only a few small patrol boats on the lake. As the clouds of war began to draw closer the Finns had to improvise.
began on 30 November 1939 when the Soviet Union
attacked Finland
, nullifying the Treaty of Tartu. The Finns hastily gathered a small flotilla, consisting of the icebreaker Aallokas, the improvised gunboats Aunus, Vulcan and Tarmo, as well as Hercules, Kiviniemi, Yrjö, Voima, S I, N K af Klecker and a number of transport vessels to protect its sea front and islands. The largest ship among this group was the icebreaker Aallokas, whose commander Captain-Lieutenant Asikainen also commanded the gunboats. There were no major naval battles in the open waters of Lake Ladoga during 1939 - 1940, so the fleet units were tasked with fire support against the attacking Red Army, and spreading mines along the coastal areas. By January 1940 the ice became so thick that only Aallokas could be used, and she was damaged in an attack by Soviet aircraft on February 2. After the peace on March 13 the Finnish vessels had to be left at Ladoga, which had become a Soviet lake. Some of the vessels were later integrated in the Soviet Ladoga flotilla.
reached lake Ladoga in 1941, they found the Soviets had evacuated nearly every serviceable vessel to the southern shore of the lake. On 22 September 1941 the Finns captured a Soviet transport vessel (formerly Latvian coastal transport Ilga) which was pressed into service as the transport vessel Aunus. Other vessels available were either small armed fishing boats, like 15 ton Kukkapää, or small run-down naval vessels transferred to the lake, like Sisu
, Syöksy
, and Vinha
, which were no longer in adequate condition to carry torpedoes.
When Germany decided to withdraw its naval assets from Ladoga in late 1942, the Finns bought two of the Siebel ferries
, T-2 and T-17. Later, when the Soviets' 1944 offensive against the Finns began, Germany transferred four MAL-type ferries - M-31, M-32, M-33 and M-34 - originally intended for use on Lake Peipus
, to the Finns on Ladoga.
Finnish Navy
The Finnish Navy is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS" simply short for "Finnish Navy Ship"...
unit stationed on Lake Ladoga between 1920-1940 and 1941-1944.
Background
The Treaty of TartuTreaty of Tartu (Russian–Finnish)
The Treaty of Tartu between Finland and Soviet Russia was signed on 14 October 1920 after negotiations that lasted for four months. The treaty confirmed the border between Finland and Soviet Russia after the Finnish civil war and Finnish volunteer expeditions in Russian East Karelia. Ratifications...
was signed by the Russians and the Finns in 1920. It included terms which limited the size of naval vessels on Ladoga to 100 tons, and the calibre of their armament to a maximum of 47 mm. When the Finns embarked on their naval rebuilding program in the early 1930s, some vessels were purposely designed to fit this 100 t limitation, including a small submarine. The Finns, however, found more use for their few vessels in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
, and therefore had only a few small patrol boats on the lake. As the clouds of war began to draw closer the Finns had to improvise.
Winter War
The Winter WarWinter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
began on 30 November 1939 when the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
attacked Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, nullifying the Treaty of Tartu. The Finns hastily gathered a small flotilla, consisting of the icebreaker Aallokas, the improvised gunboats Aunus, Vulcan and Tarmo, as well as Hercules, Kiviniemi, Yrjö, Voima, S I, N K af Klecker and a number of transport vessels to protect its sea front and islands. The largest ship among this group was the icebreaker Aallokas, whose commander Captain-Lieutenant Asikainen also commanded the gunboats. There were no major naval battles in the open waters of Lake Ladoga during 1939 - 1940, so the fleet units were tasked with fire support against the attacking Red Army, and spreading mines along the coastal areas. By January 1940 the ice became so thick that only Aallokas could be used, and she was damaged in an attack by Soviet aircraft on February 2. After the peace on March 13 the Finnish vessels had to be left at Ladoga, which had become a Soviet lake. Some of the vessels were later integrated in the Soviet Ladoga flotilla.
Vessels
Listing (not necessarily exhaustive) of wartime vessels and their armament| Name | Type | Role | Build | Size | Armament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aallokas | Icebreaker | Gunboat | 1936 | 300 tons | 2 x 75 mm guns |
| Tarmo (formerly: Syd) | Requisitioned Tug | Gunboat | 1911 | 89 tons | 1 x 75 mm gun |
| Vulcan | Requisitioned Tug | Gunboat | 1901 | 75 tons | 1 x 75 mm gun |
| Aunus | Tug (captured 1919) | Gunboat | ~ 1900 | 95 tons | |
| Vapaus | Requisitioned Tug | Gunboat | 1913 | 89 tons | 2 x 47 mm guns |
| Yrjö | Transport | Minelayer | ~ 1910 | 90 tons | |
| Voima (formerly Orion) | Requisitioned Tug | Minelayer | 1895 | 66 tons | |
| S I | Motor boat | Minesweeper | ? | 27 tons | 1 x 47 mm gun |
| N.K. af Klercker | Motor boat | Minesweeper | ? | 29 tons | 1 x 47 mm gun |
Continuation War
When Finnish forces in the Continuation WarContinuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
reached lake Ladoga in 1941, they found the Soviets had evacuated nearly every serviceable vessel to the southern shore of the lake. On 22 September 1941 the Finns captured a Soviet transport vessel (formerly Latvian coastal transport Ilga) which was pressed into service as the transport vessel Aunus. Other vessels available were either small armed fishing boats, like 15 ton Kukkapää, or small run-down naval vessels transferred to the lake, like Sisu
Sisu class motor torpedo boat
The Sisu class motor torpedo boats was a series of two Italian M.A.S. type motor torpedo boats of the Finnish Navy. The vessels were constructed in 1916 by the Orlando shipyard in Livorno, Italy. Sisu and Hurja were purchased by the Finns in 1920, and saw service in World War II...
, Syöksy
Syöksy class motor torpedo boat
The Syöksy class motor torpedo boats was a series of four British Thornycroft type motor torpedo boats of the Finnish Navy. The vessels were constructed in 1928 by the John Thornycroft & Co shipyard in Woolton, UK. The vessels saw service in World War II. The Thornycroft type released its...
, and Vinha
Syöksy class motor torpedo boat
The Syöksy class motor torpedo boats was a series of four British Thornycroft type motor torpedo boats of the Finnish Navy. The vessels were constructed in 1928 by the John Thornycroft & Co shipyard in Woolton, UK. The vessels saw service in World War II. The Thornycroft type released its...
, which were no longer in adequate condition to carry torpedoes.
When Germany decided to withdraw its naval assets from Ladoga in late 1942, the Finns bought two of the Siebel ferries
Siebel ferry
The Siebel ferry was a shallow-draft catamaran landing craft operated by Germany's Wehrmacht during World War II. It served a variety of roles in the Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Seas as well as along the English Channel...
, T-2 and T-17. Later, when the Soviets' 1944 offensive against the Finns began, Germany transferred four MAL-type ferries - M-31, M-32, M-33 and M-34 - originally intended for use on Lake Peipus
Lake Peipus
Lake Peipus, ) is the biggest transboundary lake in Europe on the border between Estonia and Russia.The lake is the fifth largest in Europe after Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in Russia north of St...
, to the Finns on Ladoga.
Vessels
Listing (not necessarily exhaustive) of wartime vessels and their armament| Name | Type | Role | In Finnish use | Built | Size | Armament |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aunus (formerly: Ilga) | Transport (captured 1941) | Transport | 1941-1944 | ~ 1925 | 211 tons | |
| Kukkapää | Fishing boat | Patrol boat | 1941-1944 | ~ 1930 | 15 tons | 1 x 47 mm gun |
| T-class ferry (Siebel ferry Siebel ferry The Siebel ferry was a shallow-draft catamaran landing craft operated by Germany's Wehrmacht during World War II. It served a variety of roles in the Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Seas as well as along the English Channel... )
|
Gunferry | Gunferry | 1942-1944 | ~ 1940 | 143 tons | |
| M-class ferry (MAL-ferry)
|
Gunferry | Gunferry | 1944 | ~ 1941 | 180 tons | |
| I-boat (Infanterie-boat)
|
Infantry boat | Patrol boat | 1942-1944 | ? | ? | |
| Sisu Sisu class motor torpedo boat The Sisu class motor torpedo boats was a series of two Italian M.A.S. type motor torpedo boats of the Finnish Navy. The vessels were constructed in 1916 by the Orlando shipyard in Livorno, Italy. Sisu and Hurja were purchased by the Finns in 1920, and saw service in World War II... |
Motor torpedo boat | Patrol boat | 1942-1944 | 1916 | 13 | 1 x machine gun |
| Syöksy-class Syöksy class motor torpedo boat The Syöksy class motor torpedo boats was a series of four British Thornycroft type motor torpedo boats of the Finnish Navy. The vessels were constructed in 1928 by the John Thornycroft & Co shipyard in Woolton, UK. The vessels saw service in World War II. The Thornycroft type released its... Syöksy class motor torpedo boat The Syöksy class motor torpedo boats was a series of four British Thornycroft type motor torpedo boats of the Finnish Navy. The vessels were constructed in 1928 by the John Thornycroft & Co shipyard in Woolton, UK. The vessels saw service in World War II. The Thornycroft type released its... Syöksy class motor torpedo boat The Syöksy class motor torpedo boats was a series of four British Thornycroft type motor torpedo boats of the Finnish Navy. The vessels were constructed in 1928 by the John Thornycroft & Co shipyard in Woolton, UK. The vessels saw service in World War II. The Thornycroft type released its... Syöksy class motor torpedo boat The Syöksy class motor torpedo boats was a series of four British Thornycroft type motor torpedo boats of the Finnish Navy. The vessels were constructed in 1928 by the John Thornycroft & Co shipyard in Woolton, UK. The vessels saw service in World War II. The Thornycroft type released its... |
Motor torpedo boat | Patrol boat | 1944 | 1928 | 13 | |