While preparing the design of the Finnish submarineSaukko, the Germans also prepared a design for a seagoing submarine for the Finnish Navy. Three submarines were built to this design, and like Saukko, they were fitted for mine-laying, the mines being supplied by the Germans. Being designed for use against Soviet bases (never very far from the Finnish bases), the radius of action was not of prime importance to this design, and only 20 tons of fuel oil were carried (as opposed to the 67 tons carried by the German Type VIIa based on this design.
Vesihiisi was alerted with Vesikko to the Hanko region on 30 November 1939 as several Soviet surface combatants were headed towards the area. The submarines however failed to reach the area in time to intercept the Soviet cruiserKirov and its escorts.[1]
Vesihiisi ran aground in early December 1941 and had to be docked for a few days for repairs. On 27 December Vesihiisi laid 16 mines off the Soviet naval station of Paldiski but soon after the ice forced the submarine to stay in port.[2]
Vesihiisi commenced operations during the Continuation War on 22 June by laying 20 mines in Estonian waters (controlled at the time by the Soviet Union). She laid 18 more mines on 24 June at Ruuskeri south-southwest of Suursaari Island (Gogland) and further 18 mines on 26 June southeast of Tytärsaari (Bolshoy Tyuters). After this the mining operation was postponed and Vesihiisi laid the 18 already loaded mines finally on 2 August east of Osmussaar.[3]
On 2 July 1941 Vesihiisi, while patrolling east of Suursaari (Gogland) encountered an escorted freighter heading east. A torpedo attack failed and the submarine suffered light damage from the escort's depth charges.[3]
On 5 August 1941 Vesihiisi attacked a convoy transporting supplies to the besieged Soviet garrison at Hanko. According to Finnish sources, the convoy consisted of a transport vessel of the Molotov class (Iosif Stalin-classpassenger ship) escorted by pair of large minesweepers and a group of patrol boats.[4] According to Soviet sources, there were only four minor ships: the 489-ton freighter Hilde, built in 1894,[5] one T58-class minesweeper, and two MO-class patrol boats.[6] The submarine penetrated the escort screen and launched two torpedoes at a range of 700 metres (770yd) while sailing between the target and the escorts. Neither of the torpedoes exploded and the escorts forced Vesihiisi to dive to the depth of 75 metres (246ft).[4][6] Though the submarine did not suffer severe damage from the depth charges, the repairs in the dock lasted for a week.[4]
In December 1941 after the Soviets had evacuated Hanko the Finnish submarines were docked for the winter. During the sailing season of 1941 the Italian torpedoes Vesihiisi used (Finnish designation T/40) proved to be unreliable. During 1942 Vesihiisi was upgraded with new 12-hydrophone listening arrays and equipped with a depth charge rack capable of carrying 4 depth charges. The submarine was further modified by streamlining the tower and moving the 20mm gun up to the tower.[4]
On 9 August 1942, Vesihiisi was deployed along with her two sister ships to Mariehamn. Their mission was to conduct anti-submarine and escort operations in the Sea of Åland.[7][8] In the evening of 21 October 1942 she torpedoed and sank the SovietS-class submarineS-7, near Lågskär in the Sea of Åland.[7][8] The captain (Sergei Lisin) and three of the crew of S-7; all of whom had been in the submarine's tower, were then captured (a fourth crewman drowned before he could be rescued).[7]
On 4 July 1944 Vesihiisi laid 20 mines between Moshchny Island (Lavansaari) and Seskar (Seiskari). The boat was attacked with depth charges by two Soviet minesweepers but was able to escape without any damage. The submarine laid a further 18 mines north of Moshchny Island on 6 July 1944.[9]
Notes and references
↑ Kijanen, Kalervo (1968). Suomen Laivasto 1918–1968 I[Finnish Navy 1918–1968, part I]. Helsinki: Meriupseeriyhdistys/Otava. p.250.
↑ Kijanen, Kalervo (1968). Suomen Laivasto 1918–1968 I[Finnish Navy 1918–1968, part I]. Helsinki: Meriupseeriyhdistys/Otava. p.270.
1 2 Kijanen, Kalervo (1968). Suomen Laivasto 1918–1968 II[Finnish Navy 1918–1968, part II]. Helsinki: Meriupseeriyhdistys/Otava. pp.16–17.
1 2 3 4 Kijanen, Kalervo (1968). Suomen Laivasto 1918–1968 II[Finnish Navy 1918–1968, part II]. Helsinki: Meriupseeriyhdistys/Otava. pp.48–51.
↑ "Хильде (1894)" (in Russian). Later in 1941 Hilde was sunk at Hanko. The Finns raised and repaired it, and the ancient ship served, under different names, until 1970.
Vesikko is a submarine, which was launched on 10 May 1933 at the Crichton-Vulcan dock in Turku. Until 1936 it was named by its yard number CV 707. Vesikko was ordered by a Dutch engineering company Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw in 1930 as a commercial submarine prototype, being the prototype for the German Type II submarines. Purchased by the Finnish before World War II, she saw service in the Winter War and Continuation War, sinking the Soviet merchant ship Vyborg as her only victory. After the cease-fire with the Allies in 1944, Vesikko was retired. Finland was banned from operating submarines after the war and she was kept in storage until she was turned into a museum ship.
Operation Tanne Ost was a German operation during World War II to capture the island Suursaari in the Gulf of Finland before it could fall into Soviet hands. Suursaari was especially important because it worked as a lock in the Finnish Gulf guarding the minefields keeping the Soviet Baltic Fleet in Kronstadt.
The Baltic Sea campaigns were conducted by Axis and Allied naval forces in the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the connected lakes Ladoga and Onega on the Eastern Front of World War II. After early fighting between Polish and German forces, the main combatants were the Kriegsmarine and the Soviet Navy, with Finland supporting the Germans until 1944 and the Soviets thereafter. The Swedish Navy and merchant fleet played important roles, and the British Royal Navy planned Operation Catherine for control of the Baltic Sea and its exit choke point into the North Sea.
Vetehinen was a 500-tonne Vetehinen-class submarine that was constructed in the early 1930s, which served in the Finnish Navy during the Second World War. The submarine was the first ship of its class of three submarines. The name vetehinen means "merman".
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Saukko (Pu110) was a small submarine that served in the Finnish Navy during the Second World War. It was designed not to exceed 100 tonnes, as it was planned for use in Lake Ladoga, and according to the 1920 Treaty of Tartu, no nation was allowed to use naval ships of more than 100 tonnes on the lake. The submarine could be divided into separate sections and transported by rail. The conning tower could be lifted off entirely. The engines were in the aft section and the batteries in the forward section. The name "Saukko" means European otter.
Turunmaa was a Finnish gunboat built in 1918. She served in the Finnish Navy during World War II. The ship was named after Turuma, a type of frigate designed for use in shallow waters of the archipelago and served in the Swedish Archipelago fleet in the late 18th century. The frigates had in turn been named after the region of Finland.
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Uusimaa was a gunboat that served in the Finnish Navy during World War II. She was built in 1917. As the ship had changed hands many times during the turbulent last years of World War I she had been renamed many times: In Russian service, she was called Golub, later, in German service, her name was Beo. Finally the Germans handed her over to the Finns in 1920, who renamed her Uusimaa. After World War II, she served as a trawler in the Baltic Sea. She was scrapped in 1953.
Hämeenmaa was a gunboat that served in the Finnish Navy during World War II. She was built in 1917. As the ship had changed hands many times during the turbulent last years of World War I she had been renamed many times: In Russian service, she was called Pingvin; later, in German service, her name was Wulf. Finally, in 1920, the Germans handed her over to the Finns, who renamed her Hämeenmaa. After World War II, she served as a trawler in the Baltic Sea. She was scrapped in 1953.
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The Syöksy-class motor torpedo boats was a series of four British Thornycroft type motor torpedo boats of the Finnish Navy. The vessels were constructed in 1928 by the John Thornycroft & Co. shipyard in Woolton, UK. The vessels saw service in World War II. The Thornycroft type released its torpedoes by dropping them from rails in the aft. The ship then had to steer away from the torpedoes path, a manoeuvre that could be quite tricky in the close waters of the Gulf of Finland.
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The Battle of Hanko was a lengthy series of small battles fought on Hanko Peninsula during the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union in the second half of 1941. As both sides were eager to avoid a major, costly ground battle, fighting took the form of trench warfare, with artillery exchanges, sniping, patrol clashes, and small amphibious operations performed in the surrounding archipelago. A volunteer Swedish battalion served with Finnish forces in the siege. The last Soviet troops left the peninsula in December 1941.
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