Battle of Salla (1939)

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Battle of Salla Part of Winter War Initial Soviet advance November 30 – December 17 Date November 30, 1939 to 28 February 1940 Location Salla, Finnish Lapland Result Finnish victory Belligerents  Finland  Soviet Union Commanders Major General Kurt Martti Wallenius  ? Strength Several battalions Two divisions Casualties and losses 187 dead, 211 wounded, 21 captured 5000 dead, 8000 wounded, 180 captured

v • d • e Winter War Tolvajärvi – Suomussalmi – Kelja – Taipale – Summa – Raate-Road – Kuhmo – Honkaniemi – Kollaa – Salla – Petsamo

Finnish counter-attacks and Soviet withdrawal.

The Battle of Salla was fought between Finnish and Soviet troops near Salla in northern Finland during the Winter War. The Soviets had orders to advance through Salla to Kemijärvi and Sodankylä, and from there to Rovaniemi in just two weeks. From there they were to advance to Tornio and cut Finland in two. The Finnish troops managed to stop the Soviet advance just east of Kemijärvi. During the last days of February 1940 the Finnish troops were replaced with the Swedish and Norwegian volunteers of the Stridsgruppen SFK.

[edit] Order of battle

[edit] Finland

There were only a few Finnish troops in the area at the start of the war. The 17th Separate Battalion (Er.P 17) or the "Salla Battalion" was mobilized before the war. Its main components came from a company of the Frontier Guard. The Finnish troops were part of the Lapland Group (Lapin Ryhmä) which was commanded by Major General Kurt Martti Wallenius.

[edit] Soviet Union

The Soviets attacked with two divisions, the 122nd and the 88th.