Turku Coastal Regiment
Encyclopedia
Turku Coastal Regiment was a Finnish
coastal artillery
unit operating in the Turku
area and Archipelago Sea
. It was formed on 10.9.1939 as Turku Sector (Turun Lohko) as part of the neutrality guard and later Winter War
coastal sector system from a peace time 1st Independent Coastal Artillery Battalion (1. Erillinen Rannikkotykistöpatteristo). Turku Coastal Regiment was disbanded as an independent unit on 30.6.1998 and became part of the newly formed Archipelago Sea Naval Command
as Turku Coastal Artillery Battalion (Turun Rannikkopatteristo).
began constructing Peter the Great's Naval Fortress
, a coastal fortification system on the Gulf of Finland
. Primarily built to protect Saint Petersburg
, during the First World War Russia began to also fortify western Finland to guard against a possible German
invasion. This fortification project resulted in the forts of Örö
, Utö
and Lypertö among others, which then fell into Finnish possession after Finland's Declaration of Independence
. Åland Islands
had also been fortified, but the nine batteries built there were demolished later due to the demilitarization
of Åland.
After Finland had gained independence the coastal artillery units of Finland were organized as a single coastal artillery regiment with three coastal artillery battalions: I battalion in Helsinki
, II battalion in Vyborg
and III battalion on Lake Ladoga
. In 1919 these battalions were formed into independent coastal artillery regiments and Örö, Utö and Russarö became the V artillery battalion of Coastal Artillery Regiment 1 (Rannikkotykistörykmentti 1, RT 1). In a further organization change in 1921 units on the western Gulf of Finland and Turku were separated from RT 1 and formed as Turku Independent Coastal Artillery Battalion (Turun Erillinen Rannikkotykistöpatteristo), consisting of the batteries on Örö, Russarö, Utö and Lypertö. The battalion was later renamed 1st Independent Coastal Artillery Battalion (1. Erillinen Rannikkotykistöpatteristo).
. Neighboring sectors were Hanko, Satakunta and Ahvenanmaa sectors. Formation of Turku Sector is considered the beginning of the history of Turku Coastal Regiment. As the threat of war grew in Finland new and existing fortifications were constructed or improved, but lack of funds in 1920s and 1930s had resulted in neglect and lack of equipment. Coastal gun situation was satisfactory, but anti-aircraft guns were badly lacking and fire control and signaling equipment had significant shortages.
Organization of Turku Sector:
Coastal gun situation in Turku and Satakunta sectors on 10.11.1939
was the Battle of Utö on 14.12.1939 when two Baltic Fleet
destroyers approached Utö fort on an apparent reconnaissance and possibly mining sortie. Utö fort fired 31 shots against the destroyers, identified as Gnevny class
, hitting one of them. An explosion was seen on the damaged destroyer covering the ships in smoke, after which only one ship was seen and the damaged destroyer was claimed sunk, but actually both destroyers survived the engagement. The destroyers fired 8-10 broadsides without causing casualties or even hitting the island. As the sea froze the later part of Winter War in Turku Sector was limited to air activity and assisting in clearing mines dropped from aircraft to sea lanes. Battalion Hällfors was formed from the personnel of Turku Sector and Turku naval base as an infantry unit to reinforce the defence on the Gulf of Vyborg in the last stages of the Winter War.
after Winter War Åland Islands was again demilitarized and fortifications constructed during war were demolished. Some of the guns sent to Åland were retained in Turku Sector and construction of new fortifications for them began:
Turku Sector was disbanded on 1.9.1940 and Coastal Artillery Regiment 5 (Rannikkotykistörykmentti 5) was formed from Turku Sector as well as Kuuskajaskari and Reposaari forts from Satakunta Sector. The shortcomings of Winter War were somewhat alleviated with training and improving the fortifications. Some of the equipment shortages were also eased, for example new signalling equipment was received. On 17.3.1941 the regiment was renamed Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment (Turun Rannikkotykistörykmentti). On the mobilization before Continuation War
the regiment formed the 5th Coastal Brigade (5. Rannikkoprikaati) along with the 7th Coastal Brigade for the defence of Åland Islands.
attempted to invade the island of Bengtskär
. The coastal batteries of Örö supported the Finnish defenders, and a counter-attack force from the men from Örö and Hiittinen repelled the invaders. Otherwise the action in the area was limited to Soviet air activity. The 5th Coastal Brigade was transferred to East Karelia
and reformed as the Lake Onega Coastal Brigade. 7th Coastal Brigade was thus the only unit remaining in the Archipelago Sea area, and it became the Archipelago Sea Coastal Brigade (Saaristomeren Rannikkoprikaati)) on 1.3.1942. Hiittinen Sector, formerly part of the Hanko Group, became also part of the brigade. The brigade was reorganized on 29.4 as two coastal artillery regiments, the 7th on Archipelage Sea and the 17th on Åland Islands, plus Bothnian Sea coastal guard and units directly subordinated to brigade headquarters. With the Soviet Baltic Fleet trapped at the eastern end of the Gulf of Finland the threat for the brigade was low and the regiment headquarters were not established and only the most important forts were manned.
During the Soviet Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive in 1944 units from Åland Islands and Archipelago Sea were transferred east to reinforce the defences there. To fulfill the ranks older men already released from service were recalled. After the Soviet offensive was halted on late summer of 1944 the defence of Åland Islands was reinforced to guard against a possible German invasion. While there were no clashes between Finnish and German forces in Åland Islands or Archipelago Sea area, a force of three German ships that had left Finland late were allowed to pass by the Utö fort on 19.9.1944, the same day that Moscow Armistice
was signed. The German heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen
along with escorts was patrolling of Utö, coming to a range of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) at closest, when the three ships sailed by. Utö fort was at battle stations during the event, and guns on the three German ships were similarly manned.
to Tornio
on the Swedish
border, an area of 1000 kilometres (621.4 mi) long including 17 000 islands. Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment consisted of headquarters in Turku, I fortification battalion (I Linnakkeisto) with headquarters in Korppoo and consisting of Utö and Jungfruskär manned forts, Bokulla, Alskär, Lökholma, Lypertö, Kuuskajaskari and Reposaari
guard forts along with some forts in Åland Islands that had not been demolished yet. II fortification battalion headquarters were in Hanko and consisted of Russarö
and Hästö-Busö manned forts and Bågaskär, Ändö
, Skälö, Jussarö
and Morgonlandet guard forts. Örö and Sommarö were directly subordinated to regiment headquarters as independent forts.
As part of the armistice treaty Finland was required to sweep naval mines from Gulf of Finland with a force of 200 vessels. This requirement caused great problems since Finnish Navy and Coast Guard combined had only half the required number of ships, so civilian ships, mainly tug boats, were requisitioned for the task. Even still it was necessary to use wood-fuelled harbor or lake tugs ill-suited for open sea to reach the required number. The coastal artillery manned four of the seven minesweeper flotillas of the minesweeper fleet, with Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment manning the majority of the V minesweeper flotilla.
. Utö and Kuuskajaskari forts were the primary training centers of the regiment while training was also given in Turku and Janhua. The name of regiment was changed, for the third time, to Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment on 1.1.1957. The weaponry of the regiment remained largely the same as before, with dispersed heavy static coastal guns forming the core of the coastal defence. The most significant improvement was modernization of 152/45 C guns to 152/50 T model. By 1970 Utö, Örö (re-attached to regiment in 1969) and Gyltö forts had been equipped with 152/50 T guns. Old heavy anti-aircraft guns, primarily 76 Itk/31 were used as light coastal guns and the Örö 2/305/52 O battery was still kept in use. Anti-aircraft and close defence weapons were mainly from Second World War era or older. Tactical improvements were made for fire control methods however, and radars began to be used. To supply the different island forts the regiment had a supply ship Pansio along with smaller vessels.
Coastal Artillery Regiment 3 in 1949.
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...
coastal artillery
Coastal artillery
Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications....
unit operating in the Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
area and Archipelago Sea
Archipelago Sea
Archipelago Sea is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Åland, within Finnish territorial waters...
. It was formed on 10.9.1939 as Turku Sector (Turun Lohko) as part of the neutrality guard and later Winter War
Winter 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...
coastal sector system from a peace time 1st Independent Coastal Artillery Battalion (1. Erillinen Rannikkotykistöpatteristo). Turku Coastal Regiment was disbanded as an independent unit on 30.6.1998 and became part of the newly formed Archipelago Sea Naval Command
Archipelago Sea Naval Command
Archipelago Sea Naval Command is a Finnish Navy unit headquartered in Pansio, Turku. Its main operating area is the Archipelago Sea. Archipelago Sea Naval Command was formed in 1998 by combining the Archipelago Sea Fleet and Turku Coastal Regiment....
as Turku Coastal Artillery Battalion (Turun Rannikkopatteristo).
History
Following the naval losses in the Russo–Japanese War the Russian EmpireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
began constructing Peter the Great's Naval Fortress
Peter the Great's Naval Fortress
Peter the Great's naval fortress or the Tallinn-Porkkala defence station was a Russian fortification line, which aimed to block access to the Russian capital Saint Petersburg via the sea. The plans for the fortress included heavy coastal artillery pieces along the northern and southern shores of...
, a coastal fortification system on the Gulf of Finland
Gulf of Finland
The Gulf of Finland is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland and Estonia all the way to Saint Petersburg in Russia, where the river Neva drains into it. Other major cities around the gulf include Helsinki and Tallinn...
. Primarily built to protect Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, during the First World War Russia began to also fortify western Finland to guard against a possible German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
invasion. This fortification project resulted in the forts of Örö
Oro
Oro means gold in Italian and Spanish.Oro may refer to:Places* Oro, Estonia, a village in Estonia* Orø, an island in DenmarkIn music:*"Oro" , the Serbian entry in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest...
, Utö
Utö, Finland
Utö is a small island in the Archipelago Sea in the Baltic sea and belongs to Väståboland municipality. It is the southernmost year-round inhabited island in Finland. On the island there's a lighthouse, pilot station, a small guest harbour, a shop and a post office. Due to the remoteness of the...
and Lypertö among others, which then fell into Finnish possession after Finland's Declaration of Independence
Finland's declaration of independence
The Finnish declaration of independence was adopted by the Parliament of Finland on 6 December 1917. It declared Finland an independent and sovereign nation state rather than an autonomous Russian Grand duchy.-Revolution in Russia:...
. Åland Islands
Åland Islands
The Åland Islands form an archipelago in the Baltic Sea. They are situated at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia and form an autonomous, demilitarised, monolingually Swedish-speaking region of Finland...
had also been fortified, but the nine batteries built there were demolished later due to the demilitarization
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
of Åland.
After Finland had gained independence the coastal artillery units of Finland were organized as a single coastal artillery regiment with three coastal artillery battalions: I battalion in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, II battalion in Vyborg
Vyborg
Vyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
and III battalion on Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
. In 1919 these battalions were formed into independent coastal artillery regiments and Örö, Utö and Russarö became the V artillery battalion of Coastal Artillery Regiment 1 (Rannikkotykistörykmentti 1, RT 1). In a further organization change in 1921 units on the western Gulf of Finland and Turku were separated from RT 1 and formed as Turku Independent Coastal Artillery Battalion (Turun Erillinen Rannikkotykistöpatteristo), consisting of the batteries on Örö, Russarö, Utö and Lypertö. The battalion was later renamed 1st Independent Coastal Artillery Battalion (1. Erillinen Rannikkotykistöpatteristo).
Second World War
Turku Sector was formed on the beginning of the Second World War as part of the Finnish neutrality guard on 10.9.1939 and before the general mobilization for 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...
. Neighboring sectors were Hanko, Satakunta and Ahvenanmaa sectors. Formation of Turku Sector is considered the beginning of the history of Turku Coastal Regiment. As the threat of war grew in Finland new and existing fortifications were constructed or improved, but lack of funds in 1920s and 1930s had resulted in neglect and lack of equipment. Coastal gun situation was satisfactory, but anti-aircraft guns were badly lacking and fire control and signaling equipment had significant shortages.
Organization of Turku Sector:
- Sector headquarters in Turku
- ÖröOroOro means gold in Italian and Spanish.Oro may refer to:Places* Oro, Estonia, a village in Estonia* Orø, an island in DenmarkIn music:*"Oro" , the Serbian entry in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest...
fort and patrol area - UtöUtö, FinlandUtö is a small island in the Archipelago Sea in the Baltic sea and belongs to Väståboland municipality. It is the southernmost year-round inhabited island in Finland. On the island there's a lighthouse, pilot station, a small guest harbour, a shop and a post office. Due to the remoteness of the...
fort and patrol area - Bokulla fort
- Berghamn patrol area
- Lökholma fort
- Pensar fort and training center in Nauvo
- Kemiö patrol area
- Lypertö fort
- IniöIniöIniö is a former municipality of Finland. On 1 January 2009, it was consolidated with Houtskär, Korpo, Nagu and Pargas to form the new town of Väståboland....
independent patrol area - Detachment Ravila
- Battalion Hällfors (formed later during Winter War)
- Detachment Hormio
- Detachment Brunila
Coastal gun situation in Turku and Satakunta sectors on 10.11.1939
- Turku Sector
- Örö
- 2/305/52 O Open positions, no armor or rear protection, camouflaged
- 4/152/45 C Battery dispersed, protection improved, camouflage incomplete
- Utö
- 4/152/45 C Guns in row, rear protection under construction, camouflage incomplete
- Bokulla
- 3/152/35 Mk Guns on open rock without protection, camouflage incomplete
- Lökholm
- 3/152/35 Mk Guns on rock, frontal protection under construction, camouflage incomplete
- Lypertö
- 2/152/35 Mk Guns in row, no rear protection
- Pensar
- 1/152/45 C Guns on open rock without protection
- 1/152/35 Mk
- Örö
- Satakunta Sector
- Reposaari
- 2/120/41 ALQF 4.7 inch Gun Mk I - IVThe QF 4.7 inch Gun Mks I, II, III, and IV were a family of United-Kingdom 120-mm naval and coast defence guns of 1888 and 1890s which served with the navies of various countries. They were also mounted on various wheeled carriages to provide the British Army with a long range gun...
Open positions, front and rear protection under construction, ammunition magazines under construction, camouflage incomplete
- 2/120/41 AL
- Rihtniemi
- 4/87 K/95 Field fortified (mobile guns)
- Reposaari
Winter War
The only battle of Turku Sector during 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...
was the Battle of Utö on 14.12.1939 when two Baltic Fleet
Baltic Fleet
The Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
destroyers approached Utö fort on an apparent reconnaissance and possibly mining sortie. Utö fort fired 31 shots against the destroyers, identified as Gnevny class
Gnevny class destroyer
The Gnevny class were a group of destroyers built for the Soviet Navy in the late 1930s - early 1940s. They are sometimes known as the Gremyashchiy class destroyer and the Official Soviet Designation was Project 7...
, hitting one of them. An explosion was seen on the damaged destroyer covering the ships in smoke, after which only one ship was seen and the damaged destroyer was claimed sunk, but actually both destroyers survived the engagement. The destroyers fired 8-10 broadsides without causing casualties or even hitting the island. As the sea froze the later part of Winter War in Turku Sector was limited to air activity and assisting in clearing mines dropped from aircraft to sea lanes. Battalion Hällfors was formed from the personnel of Turku Sector and Turku naval base as an infantry unit to reinforce the defence on the Gulf of Vyborg in the last stages of the Winter War.
Interim Peace
During the Interim PeaceInterim Peace
The Interim Peace was a short period in the history of Finland during the Second World War. The term is used for the time between the Winter War and the Continuation War, lasting a little over a year, from 13 March 1940 to 24 June 1941...
after Winter War Åland Islands was again demilitarized and fortifications constructed during war were demolished. Some of the guns sent to Åland were retained in Turku Sector and construction of new fortifications for them began:
- Alskär 2/152/45 C
- Jungfruskär 3/152/45 C
- Berghamn 3/120/45 C
- Isokari 3/152/45 C
Turku Sector was disbanded on 1.9.1940 and Coastal Artillery Regiment 5 (Rannikkotykistörykmentti 5) was formed from Turku Sector as well as Kuuskajaskari and Reposaari forts from Satakunta Sector. The shortcomings of Winter War were somewhat alleviated with training and improving the fortifications. Some of the equipment shortages were also eased, for example new signalling equipment was received. On 17.3.1941 the regiment was renamed Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment (Turun Rannikkotykistörykmentti). On the mobilization before Continuation War
Continuation 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...
the regiment formed the 5th Coastal Brigade (5. Rannikkoprikaati) along with the 7th Coastal Brigade for the defence of Åland Islands.
Continuation War
At the very beginning of the Continuation War the 7th Coastal Brigade took up positions in the Åland Islands. The only significant event at the beginning of the Continuation War was the Battle of Bengtskär (26.-27.7.1941), where a force from the Soviet Union naval base in HankoBattle of Hanko (1941)
The Battle of Hanko was a lengthy series of small battles fought on Hanko Peninsula during the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union in the second half of 1941...
attempted to invade the island of Bengtskär
Bengtskär
Bengtskär is a skerry southwest of Hanko, and part of the municipality of Dragsfjärd. This rocky skerry is the southernmost inhabited place in Finland, and is reached by ferry from the village of Kasnäs....
. The coastal batteries of Örö supported the Finnish defenders, and a counter-attack force from the men from Örö and Hiittinen repelled the invaders. Otherwise the action in the area was limited to Soviet air activity. The 5th Coastal Brigade was transferred to East Karelia
East Karelia
East Karelia , also rendered as Eastern Karelia or Russian Karelia, is a name for the part of Karelia that since the Treaty of Stolbova in 1617 has remained Christian Orthodox under Russian supremacy. It is separated from the western part of Karelia, called Finnish Karelia or historically Swedish...
and reformed as the Lake Onega Coastal Brigade. 7th Coastal Brigade was thus the only unit remaining in the Archipelago Sea area, and it became the Archipelago Sea Coastal Brigade (Saaristomeren Rannikkoprikaati)) on 1.3.1942. Hiittinen Sector, formerly part of the Hanko Group, became also part of the brigade. The brigade was reorganized on 29.4 as two coastal artillery regiments, the 7th on Archipelage Sea and the 17th on Åland Islands, plus Bothnian Sea coastal guard and units directly subordinated to brigade headquarters. With the Soviet Baltic Fleet trapped at the eastern end of the Gulf of Finland the threat for the brigade was low and the regiment headquarters were not established and only the most important forts were manned.
During the Soviet Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive in 1944 units from Åland Islands and Archipelago Sea were transferred east to reinforce the defences there. To fulfill the ranks older men already released from service were recalled. After the Soviet offensive was halted on late summer of 1944 the defence of Åland Islands was reinforced to guard against a possible German invasion. While there were no clashes between Finnish and German forces in Åland Islands or Archipelago Sea area, a force of three German ships that had left Finland late were allowed to pass by the Utö fort on 19.9.1944, the same day that Moscow Armistice
Moscow Armistice
The Moscow Armistice was signed between Finland on one side and the Soviet Union and United Kingdom on the other side on September 19, 1944, ending the Continuation War...
was signed. The German heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen
German cruiser Prinz Eugen
Prinz Eugen was an Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser, the third member of the class of five vessels. She served with the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The ship was laid down in April 1936 and launched August 1938; Prinz Eugen entered service after the outbreak of war, in August 1940...
along with escorts was patrolling of Utö, coming to a range of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) at closest, when the three ships sailed by. Utö fort was at battle stations during the event, and guns on the three German ships were similarly manned.
Post War Era
After Continuation War Åland Islands were again demilitarized and the fortifications built there demolished. Archipelago Sea Coastal Brigade was renamed Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment for the second time on 4.12.1944. Åland Islands was separated from the regiment as part of the demilitarization, but Hanko Coastal Artillery Battalion and Gulf of Bothnia Coastal Guard were attached to it, resulting the regiments area of responsibility to strech from PorkkalaPorkkala
Porkkala is a peninsula in the Gulf of Finland located at Kirkkonummi in Southern Finland.The peninsula had great strategic value, as coastal artillery based there would be able to reach more than halfway across the Gulf of Finland...
to Tornio
Tornio
Tornio is a town and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is , with a total population of . It borders to the Swedish municipality of Haparanda...
on the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
border, an area of 1000 kilometres (621.4 mi) long including 17 000 islands. Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment consisted of headquarters in Turku, I fortification battalion (I Linnakkeisto) with headquarters in Korppoo and consisting of Utö and Jungfruskär manned forts, Bokulla, Alskär, Lökholma, Lypertö, Kuuskajaskari and Reposaari
Reposaari
Reposaari is an island at the Kokemäenjoki rivers mouth in Pori, Finland.It is connected with the Finnish mainland by three bridges. It is mainly harbour and industrial area....
guard forts along with some forts in Åland Islands that had not been demolished yet. II fortification battalion headquarters were in Hanko and consisted of Russarö
Russarö
Russarö is an island south of Hanko. The island is closed to the public as it is military area of the Finnish Defence Forces. The island has a five-story stone lighthouse built in 1863 and a Finnish Meteorological Institute weather station.- External links :...
and Hästö-Busö manned forts and Bågaskär, Ändö
Ando
Andō is the surname of:* Kozō Andō, Japanese kendoka* Kunitake Andō, Japanese businessman* Masanobu Ando, Japanese actor and film director* Miki Ando, Japanese figure skater...
, Skälö, Jussarö
Jussarö
Jussarö is an island in Ekenäs , Finland. Jussarö is known by the Jussarö lighthouse. There is also an iron ore mine, but it was closed in 1967. The iron ore occurrence is the biggest undersea level in Finland. In Jussarö some abandoned buildings still remain; which were used by the military until...
and Morgonlandet guard forts. Örö and Sommarö were directly subordinated to regiment headquarters as independent forts.
As part of the armistice treaty Finland was required to sweep naval mines from Gulf of Finland with a force of 200 vessels. This requirement caused great problems since Finnish Navy and Coast Guard combined had only half the required number of ships, so civilian ships, mainly tug boats, were requisitioned for the task. Even still it was necessary to use wood-fuelled harbor or lake tugs ill-suited for open sea to reach the required number. The coastal artillery manned four of the seven minesweeper flotillas of the minesweeper fleet, with Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment manning the majority of the V minesweeper flotilla.
1950s and 1960s
Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment was renamed Coastal Artillery Regiment 2 (Rannikkotykistörykmentti 2) 1.12.1952 and II fortification battalion was detached from the regiment as an independent unit. Örö and Sommarö forts were also detached, while a new motorised coastal artillery battery was formed in the regiment in Janhua in UusikaupunkiUusikaupunki
Uusikaupunki , is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the Finland Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is inland water. The population density is .The municipality is unilingually Finnish...
. Utö and Kuuskajaskari forts were the primary training centers of the regiment while training was also given in Turku and Janhua. The name of regiment was changed, for the third time, to Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment on 1.1.1957. The weaponry of the regiment remained largely the same as before, with dispersed heavy static coastal guns forming the core of the coastal defence. The most significant improvement was modernization of 152/45 C guns to 152/50 T model. By 1970 Utö, Örö (re-attached to regiment in 1969) and Gyltö forts had been equipped with 152/50 T guns. Old heavy anti-aircraft guns, primarily 76 Itk/31 were used as light coastal guns and the Örö 2/305/52 O battery was still kept in use. Anti-aircraft and close defence weapons were mainly from Second World War era or older. Tactical improvements were made for fire control methods however, and radars began to be used. To supply the different island forts the regiment had a supply ship Pansio along with smaller vessels.
1970s to 1990s
New coastal guns were developed with 100 TK turret gun replacing older light coastal guns and 130 TK medium turret gun complementing the older 152/50 T. Anti-ship missile battery was formed in the regiment in 1995 and anti-aircraft weaponry was also improved. A major change for signalling equipment was the adoption of digital messaging system. Training organization was changed when Gyltö became a conscript training center in 1967 and Utö and Örö were delegated to NCO and specialist training. The name of the regiment was changed to Turku Coastal Regiment (Turun Rannikkorykmentti) in 1990, and this name was used until the regiment was disbanded in 1998. Conscript training in Kuuskajaskari fort ended in 1997. Regiment received new ships to replace the old ones with the addition of supply ship Parainen in 1980 and minelayer Pyhäranta in 1992.Traditions
The formation anniversary of the Turku Coastal Regiment is the formation date of Turku Sector, 10.9.1939. The regiment, then named Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment, received its first flag on the Finnish defence forces flag day on 4.6.1958. The march of the regiment was Suomalainen veljeslaulu by Carl Collan. Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment was named the heritage unit of Lake LadogaLake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
Coastal Artillery Regiment 3 in 1949.
Names of the Turku Coastal Regiment
| Name | Abbr. | Name in English | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turun Lohko | TLo | Turku Sector | 10.9.1939 | 31.8.1940 |
| Rannikkotykistörykmentti 5 | RT 5 | Coastal Artillery Regiment 5 | 1.9.1940 | 16.3.1941 |
| Turun Rannikkotykistörykmentti | TRT | Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment | 17.3.1941 | 15.6.1941 |
| 5. Rannikkoprikaati | 5.RPr | 5th Coastal Brigade | 16.6.1941 | 6.11.1941 |
| 7. Rannikkoprikaati | 7.RPr | 7th Coastal Brigade | 7.11.1941 | 28.2.1942 |
| Saaristomeren Rannikkoprikaati | SaarRPr | Archipelago Sea Coastal Brigade | 1.3.1942 | 3.12.1944 |
| Turun Rannikkotykistörykmentti | TRT | Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment | 4.12.1944 | 30.11.1952 |
| Rannikkotykistörykmentti 2 | RT 2 | Coastal Artillery Regiment 2 | 1.12.1952 | 31.12.1956 |
| Turun Rannikkotykistörykmentti | TurRtR | Turku Coastal Artillery Regiment | 1.1.1957 | 31.12.1989 |
| Turun Rannikkorykmentti | TurRR | Turku Coastal Regiment | 1.1.1990 | 30.6.1998 |
Commanders of the Turku Coastal Regiment
- Lieutenant Colonel Lennart HanneliusLennart HanneliusLennart Vilhelm Hannelius was a Finnish sport shooter who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics.In 1924 he won the bronze medal in the 25 metre rapid fire pistol competition.-External links:*...
, 10.9.1939-16.12.1939 - Lieutenant Colonel Niilo Heiro, 17.12.1939-14.6.1940
- Colonel Taavi Kainulainen, 15.6.1940-9.3.1942
- Colonel Niilo Heiro, 10.3.1942-3.12.1944
- Major General Eino Järvinen, 4.12.1944-30.4.1945
- Colonel Taavi Kainulainen, 1.5.1945-11.4.1955
- Colonel Martti Miettinen, 12.4.1955-17.2.1956
- Colonel Väinö Karvinen, 18.2.1956-9.7.1960
- Colonel Veikko Hassinen, 10.7.1960-29.9.1966
- Colonel Aarre Kurki, 30.9.1966-22.10.1968
- Colonel Yrjö Pohjanvirta, 23.10.1968-21.5.1977
- Colonel Pentti Aulaskari, 22.5.1977-1.10.1979
- Colonel Jukka Karvinen, 2.10.1979-30.9.1985
- Colonel Olavi Simola, 1.10.1985-31.1.1990
- Lieutenant Colonel Ilmari Heinonen, 1.2.1990-31.5.1990
- Colonel Risto Sinkkonen, 1.6.1990-29.2.1992
- Colonel Juhani Haapala, 1.3.1992-28.3.1996
- Colonel Pertti Malmberg, 29.3.1996-30.6.1998