The Continuation War 1941-1944

Men in Arms:


Jun 1941: 476000, Oct 1942: ca. 376000*, Aug 1944: 531000
* Army was partly demobilized, because agriculture and industry needed more men after it became clear that war was going to be a long one

Combat formations: Army

Designation 1941 1942 1943 1944 Famous Battlefields Notes
1. D CL,EC MI MI MI,CL
2. D CI CI CI CI Tyrjä, Siiranmäki
3. D UH UH UH UH,CI Uhtua, Kuuterselkä
4. D CI,EC,MI MI CI Viborg, Maaselkä
5. D CL,EC,SV SV SV SV,EC,CL Korpiselkä, Nietjärvi
6. D SA MI MI,CI Salla, Ihantala 1942 as 12. Pr, 1943 again division
7. D CL,EC,SV SV SV SV,EC,CL
8. D CI,EC,MI SV SV SV,EC,CL Porlammi, Maaselkä
10. D CI CI CI CI Valkeasaari
11. D LC,EC,SV SV SV SV,CL
12. D CI CI Porlammi Disbanded in 1941; formed 3. Pr
14. D RU RU RU RU Repola, Rukajärvi
15. D CI CI CI CI
17. D HA,EC,SV SV SV SV,CL Hanko, Svir
18. D CI CI CI CI Hopeasalmi
19. D CI Shores of Ladoga Disbanded in 1942
1. JPr CL,EC,SV,MI Aunus
2. JPr CL,EC,MI Maaselkä Part of PsD in 1942
RvPr CL CI,CL Vammelsuu
Pr 'K' CL Kuutamolahti Composed of 'Tribal Battalions'*
PsD EC EC EC,CI Kuuterselkä, Vuosalmi
3. Pr MI MI CL Ihantala Formed in late 1941
12. Pr MI Transformed as 6. D in 1943
15. Pr EC SV,EC,CL Nietjärvi Formed 24 May 1943
19. Pr CI CI Taipale Formed 16 Oct 1943 from JR 16
20. Pr EC,CI,CL Viborg Formed 16 Oct 1943 from JR 22
21. Pr MI,CL Ilomantsi Formed 16 Oct 1943
RajaJPr CL Ilomantsi
ÄänRPr EC EC EC
LaaRPr CL CL CL
1. RD CI

Abbreviations: D = Division Pr =Brigade JR =Infantry Regiment PsD = Armored Division Rv = Cavalry J = Jaeger Raja = Frontier Guards ÄänRPr = Onega Coastal Brigade LaaRPr = Ladoga Coastal Brigade, RD = Coastal Division

Locations: CI Carelian Isthmus, CL Carelia North of Lake Ladoga, EC Eastern Carelia, MI Maaselkä Isthmus, SV Svir River, RU Rukajärvi, UH Uhtua, SA Salla

* Two Tribal Warrior Battalions (AHSP & VHSP) were formed out of volunteers and conscripts of Carelian origin, who lived in Finland before the war. Also Finns were used to put the battalions to full strenght. Other non-Finnish units in the Puolustusvoimat during the Continuation War were SFB, Swedish volunteer battalion, operational in 1941, Tribal Battalion 3, which was formed out of POWs who were Carelians or Ingrians and spoke Finnish, JR 200, an Estonian regiment, which was formed in 1944 and later returned to defend Estonia against Soviets.

Order of Battle in the End of the Continuation War

Front Corps
Carelian Isthmus V AK 10. D
11. D
17. D
1. RD
3. Pr
IV AK 4. D
6. D
18. D
III AK 2. D
15. D
19. Pr
Reserve In Isthmus 3. D
PsD
Northern Carelia VI AK 5. D
8. D
15. Pr
II AK 1. D
7. D
Ryhmä E
14. D
Ryhmä= group

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