Neuvostoliittolainen pommikone Saunajärven jäällä 14.3.1940. Kuva SA-kuva.

Headquarters hill at Luelahti

Three encirclements (a so-called triple motti) were formed in the Luelahti area in connection with a Finnish counterattack. The Finns initially had the impression that the middle motti of the three would hold the headquarters of the attacking division. The Finns seized the area of the middle motti on 3 March, but it was revealed that the commander and headquarters were actually in the western motti.

Formation of the Luelahti triple motti

The Luelahti area was encircled by the Finns following an attack that began at the end of January 1940. Infantry Regiment 27 cut off the road on the eastern side of the Saunajärvi village and Detachment Ruotsalo cut off the road on the western side of Luelahti. Later, the 1st Battalion of Infantry Regiment 65 (1st/Inf Regt 65), led by Major Yrjö Hakanen, cut off the road once more between Luelahti and the Kannas farm (at the location of the Kaakkurinlampi Pond).

The pressure from the Finns gradually divided the Luelahti motti into three parts, which were named Western Motti, Headquarters Hill and Eastern Motti. Headquarters Hill got its name from the initial thought that the commander and headquarters would be located in that motti

Puna-armeijan esikuntakukkulan puolustusasemia. Kuva Lassi Piirainen.

Early stages of the fighting and the capture of the Headquarters Hill

Terrain reconnaissance was conducted in the Luelahti sector well before the counterattack was launched at the end of January 1940. The reconnaissance included skiing a route through passable terrain from Riienniva towards Luelahti.

Detached Battalion 14 was tasked with destroying the enemy stores in Luelahti because the area was thought to have only enemy supply troops. However, the enemy had formed a strong defence about 600 metres (656 yards) north of the Luelahti farm, and the enemy’s defence positions could not be broken. This defence position was named Strongpoint behind the swamp.

The Finnish troops captured the strongpoint on 11 February. An important factor in the success of the attack was aiming machine gun fire directly into the loopholes of the enemy log walls. The assault troops managed to capture one of the gun posts on the right flank of the enemy strongpoint, and this enabled the overrunning of the defences.

The first attempt to take the actual Headquarters Hill was made on 25 February. However, the attack stopped and the troops lay under enemy fire all day. It was only after dark that they were able to retreat. From that day onwards, enemy air activity intensified to such an extent that enemy aircraft were overhead almost the entire time there was daylight.

On 28 February, the chief of staff and the chief of artillery of the Finnish 9th Division conducted a thorough reconnaissance of the area. The next day, Major Yrjö Hakanen was given the following mission to attack: Detachment Hakanen was ordered to take the Headquarters Hill and then prepare to continue the attack to the strongpoint on its east side. For the attack, the detachment was ordered to assemble a battalion-sized assault group and have one company in reserve to continue the attack. The attack was scheduled to take place on 2 March 1940 at 7:15 p.m. Major Yrjö Hakanen drew up his own attack plan on 1 March and had four infantry companies and one machine gun company assembled for the attack.

Kartta alueesta. Taustana Maanmittauslaitoksen Karttapaikka.

The preparation fire for the attack began the following evening at 6.15 p.m. A total of 4,730 shells were used, an exceptionally high number in the Winter War. The attack started as planned at 7.15 p.m. One company broke into the enemy positions, and from that location the reserve company was drawn into the battle. Starting on the morning of 3 March, the motti broke up into the Eastern and Western Mottis of Luelahti, with about 200 Soviet soldiers moving into both. A total of 60 prisoners were taken and 80 fallen were found. At the same time, it was discovered that the commander and headquarters were in the Western Motti of Luelahti. An artillery piece captured from the motti was turned towards the Eastern Motti.