1st Division (Continuation War) explained

Unit Name:	1st Division
Native Name:	1. Divisioona
Start Date:	1941
End Date:	1944
Country:
Branch:	Army
Type:	Division
Notable Commanders:	Paavo Paalu

1st Division
Date:	1941
Parent:	VII Corps
Subordinate:	Infantry Regiment 35 Infantry Regiment 56 Infantry Regiment 60 Field Artillery Regiment 5 Light Battalion 8 Engineer Battalion 29 Signal Battalion 33 Miscellaneous smaller units

The 1st Division was a unit of the Finnish Army during the Continuation War.

History

The division was initially formed from reservists of the Lounais-Suomi military district and was intended to be used as the reserve of the General Headquarters.^[1] Before the onset of the war, one of its component regiments, Infantry Regiment 14, was transferred to the Åland islands under the command of the navy as part of Operation Kilpapurjehdus.^[2] The 14th regiment was replaced by Infantry Regiment 60.^[3]

During the war, the 1st Division took part in the invasion of East Karelia as a component of the Finnish VII Corps that captured the city of Petrozavodsk.^[4] Later in the war, the division was transferred to the II Corps.^[5]

Notable members

• Lauri Törni^[6]

See also

• List of Finnish divisions in the Continuation War
• Finnish 1st Division (Winter War)

References

• Leskinen, Jari, and Antti Juutilainen, eds. Jatkosodan pikkujättiläinen. WSOY, 2005.
• Vaura, Ilkka. "Turkulaisen ”Tunturirykmentin” erikoinen sotatie alkoi 80 vuotta sitten". Turun Sanomat, 20 June 2021, https://www.ts.fi/puheenvuorot/5344591. Accessed 23 September 2021.
• Santa, Matti. JR 60:n Vaiheet. JR 56 ja JR 60 Kilta ry, n.d., http://web.jr56jajr60.fi/publichtml/index.php/jr60/. Accessed 23 September 2021.

Notes and References

1. Leskinen and Juutilainen 2005, p. 82.
2. Vaura 2021.
3. Santa n.d.
4. Leskinen and Juutilainen 2005, p. 144.
5. Leskinen and Juutilainen 2005, p. 804.
6. Leskinen and Juutilainen 2005, p. 1075.