Battle of Honkaniemi

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Honkaniemi (Lebedevka)


caption=
partof=Winter War
date=25 February, 1940-27 February, 1940
place= Vyborg, Finland
result= Soviet victory
combatant1=flag|Finland
combatant2=flag|Soviet Union|1923
commander1=flagicon|FinlandCol.Voldemar Oinonen
flagicon|FinlandCapt. I. Kunnas
flagicon|FinlandLt. O. Heinonen
commander2=flagicon|Soviet Union|1923Col. V.Kashuba
strength1=23rd Division
(Jaeger Battalion 3
4th Armored Company
4 Infantry Battalions
2 Artillery Battalions)
strength2=Elements of the 84th Division
35th Light Tank Brigade
casualties1=33 Finns (Died or Wounded)
6 tanks
casualties2=3 tanks

The Battle of Honkaniemi was fought between Finnish and Soviet forces on 26 February 1940. This extreme battle was fought only by tanks, the only kind fought in the Winter War. [ Jeff Crosby, [http://www.worldwar2tributes.com/battle.php?id=82| The Battle of Honkainemi] ]

The commander of the Finnish II Corps General Harald Öhquist had attached Jaeger Battalion 3 and the 4th company of the Armoured Battalion to the 23rd Division.

The 23rd was responsible for the area around the lake Näykkijärvi, just to the southeast of Viipuri, the second largest town in Finland. Also, the 3rd Battalion of the 67th Infantry Regiment that was on loan to the 5th division arrived as well, giving the reinforcement that the commander of the 23rd Division, Col. Voldemar Oinonen to launch an attack against the Soviets. At 10:15 pm, the commander of the Jaeger Battalion 3, Captain I. Kunnas and Lieutenant O. Heinonen of the 4th Armoured Company received orders to attack.

The Plan

The original plan had involved 6 Infantry Battalions, 4 Artillery Battalions and the 4th Armoured Company. However, due to the haste to get the plan up and running, the planners missed important aspects of the battle, therefore reducing the overall amount of units to 4 Infantry Battalions, 2 Artillery Battalions and the all important 4th Tank Company.

The Assault

On the nights of February 25 and 26, members of the Jaeger Battalion 3 were carried by trucks to Heponotko, which was about 3KM away from a depot in Honkaniemi (now Lebedevka) then they skied to the starting point at 4:00 AM. The tank company arrived around 30 minutes later from a 50 KM march. That march, however, cost them more then they would have liked. Since the conditions of the weather and road were extremely bad, the tank company lost 5 of their 13 Vickers 6-Ton tanks mostly do to engine failures.

Seeing this as a major blow to their offensive capabilities, Captain Kunnas splitted his remaining tanks between the 2nd and 3rd Jaegers Companies and the 1st Jaegers Company. Six tanks will support the Jaegers while two will help the 1st secure the left flank. It was chosen that the attack would commence at 5:00 AM, but the communication with the artillery battalions failed so it was decided to they will try again at 6:15 AM .

When communications with the artillery battalions were up and running, the time had come to attack. However another set-back had occur. During the preliminary artillery barrage, some of the shells landed at the starting point, resulting in the 30 Finns being killed or injured. The attack had to be postponed by another hour.

The Beginning

After the initial artillery bombardment by the two artillery battalions (both are called 1st Battalion but however in different Regiments, the 21st and 5th Artillery Regiments) the attack was commenced. However, the Finns had had another set-back, another 2 tanks had been lost to technical failures thereby reducing the total Finnish Tanks to only 6 for the entire battle. Even after all those set-back, there was more to come. The 1st Jaegers Battalion had advanced some 200 meters before having to halt under the tremendous firing powers of the Red Army. The 1st Jaegers Company which was covering the left flank, advanced foreword towards the railroad only to be unable to cross it. The 2nd and 3rd Jaegers Companies, which was the main attack force had advance 200 meters SW from the railroad, but had to be stopped.

Tank Backup

The 4th Armoured Company had one of the worst days ever. One of its Vickers tank got stuck in a ditch the turret was damaged in the process and had to retreat back to the starting point. The remaining 5 tanks died in a more honorably way, "being targeted by T-26's, T-28's and the 45 mm AT guns". [Sami H. E. Korhonen, [http://www.winterwar.com/Battles/Naykkijaervi.htm#attack| The battle of Honkaniemi] ]

Only the Platoon Commanders tank, Lt.V.Mikkola's, advance the farthest, almost 500 meter, almost into Soviet areas. Only 2 Finnish tanks were able to destroy other Soviet tanks, the tank of Corporal E. Seppälä, which had kept on fighting after being immobilized, had taken down 2 Soviet tanks before having to abandon the tank. The other tank was commanded by 2nd Lt. J. Virniö, which had destroyed 1 tank before being damaged. [Sami H. E. Korhonen, [http://www.winterwar.com/Battles/Naykkijaervi.htm#attack| The battle of Honkaniemi] ]

Finnish Retreat

Captain Kunnas received orders at 10:00 pm that he was to abort the attack and retreat. The Finns first tank battle met with an unsuccessful end. The entire tank battle had been fought with inexperienced crews and almost no radio communication, since the tanks were bought from the U.K without guns, optics and radios, and some even without the driver's seat, in order to save money. Because they wanted to save money, communication between tanks were impossible and the tanks would act upon their own judgment.

Aftermath

The entire battle brought the deaths of one NCO while injuring two officers and 2 NCO and 3 privates were reported missing in action. Even though the Soviets had a huge advantage over the Finns such as numbers and weapons, the Finnish Troopers still mounted their tanks and went on with the attack. Though the Finns were at a huge disadvantage, they made it up by having a great deal of courage.

On February 27, 1940, the remaining 8 tanks of 4th Tank Company were ordered to move to the Rautalampi area for AT-duties. [Sami H. E. Korhonen, [http://www.winterwar.com/Battles/Naykkijaervi.htm#attack| The battle of Honkaniemi] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.winterwar.com/Battles/Naykkijaervi.htm Battle of Honkaniemi] (The Battles of the Winter War)
* [http://www.worldwar2tributes.com/battle.php?id=82 World War II Tributes]