Hi! And greetings from Finland!
This GB sounds temptating. Very interesting subjects you have found. Nice work everyone!
Have to try to find time to attend. And suitable kit.
Few weeks ago I was talking with my dad about start of WW2. He said, that he can clearly remember that day. He was tending cows at range and day was very warm and sun was shining. He couldn´t remember how he heard, that German had attacked to Poland. Did someone came to tell? Did he heard at home? Or did he heard that when they went to neighbor to listen news from radio. Yes, those days everyone didn´t have radio. My dad was seven then. Still he remember that day.
16. of October 1939 my uncle got this letter:
Commandment
to accede special rehearsal of reserve.
Jäger Oiva Ilmari Komulainen Fransinpoika (son of Frans)
Rank of reservist and complete name
Sukeva, Järvenpää
Address
Leaning on 2 clause of 7§ of law of liability to military service and application of decree 3 clause of 104§ of law of liability to military service, have Ministery of defence command You to call to special rehearsal of reserve, and You have to at last NEXT TRAIN hours after, when You have receive this commandment to set forth shortest way to KUOPIO (nearest city) where You have to report to CADRE OF MILITARY COURT, UNLESS OTHERWISE IS ASSESSED
Commander of cadre
This commandment must be expressed at point of departure to get stamped, and when it is stamped it is valid as ticket in 3. class.
Point of departure: Sukeva
Destination: Kuopio
Note! This commandment is not to be assigned to conductor.
Notifications.
Reservist shall take with him to rehearsal his military pasport and if possible following accessories:
proper boots, "pieksut" (another kind of boots) or other piece of footwear suitable for outdoor abode, two sets of underwear, two pair of socks, woolen sweater, rucksack, towel, military style or other outfit suitable for outdoor abode, hunting knife, needle and thread, tin dish and cup, in wintertime skies with ski poles and, if in possession of reservist is, military rifle, pistol or revolver with cartridges as well as binocular and compass......
Reservist belonging to Finnish White Guard must arrive in full accessory.
Mileage is given to reservist when he arrives to duty.
Reservist, who haven´t arrive in set period of time, is going to be punished by military criminal-law and after he have beared his sentence he is called particularly to rehearsal.
He was then 24.
When they arrived to Kuopio they got cockade and rifle with cartridges.
Their uniform was called "Malli Cajander", Model Cajander: http://www.ww2incolor.com/finnish_forces/Malli+Cajander.html Cajander was finnish prime minister in 1939.
Army tryed to deliver as soon as they could snow suits to all soldiers.
Still 44 days of peace left in Finland.
30. of November 1939 Russians attacked to Finland
I found his carrick from my grand parents attic:
You can see stitchings here on the left sleeve:
He got hit to his elbow in February 1940. He was in hospital and convalescence to the end of Winter War.
Because Finland didn´t have specific medal for wounded all who got wounded got second class Medal Of Freedom.
(Now this goes even more off topic, sorry)
When war continued in June 1941 he was called to arms again.
Then he was as battle courier.
In August their group walked to mine field. They were hit by "jumping mine". My uncle got hit by 53 shrapnel.
I can´t find any markings that was he at hospital or not. Probably not.
Again he got second class Medal Of Freedom.
At same time, or atleast almost same time he got also first class Medal Of Freedom. We don´t know why he got it. He never told.
He also belonged to local battlefront entertainment group. Singing and playing. Keeping morale high! They were once even in nation wide radio.
In october 1942 he got hit his last time. "Shrapnels to stomach, stomach open" was written to offical papers.
I tryed to find more information, but in battle diary he was only marked as fallen. R.I.P.
As I have understood he was very special and important person to my father.
From left to right:
Fourth class Cross Of Freedom with swords and ribbon of woe (given after death)
First second class Medal Of Freedom
Second second class Medal Of Freedom
First class Medal Of Freedom
(Up right) Memorial Medal of Winter War
(Up) Ribbons of Medals Of Freedom
Sorry this off topic.