The God of War - Winter War

27 DECEMBER 1939, KELJA BRIDGEHEAD, SUVANTO RIVER, KARELIAN ISTHMUS The Soviet attack over the Suvanto River was aimed at three sectors; Kelja, Volossula and Patoniemi. Of those three sectors the Russians managed to hold a bridgehead only at Kelja. Other attacks were repulsed by a combination of Finnish counterattacks and concentrated artillery power. On the 25th and 26th December, the Finnish 29th and 30th Regiments (10th Infantry Division) launched repeated attacks to destroy the dangerous bridgehead. All attacks were defeated with the help of the Russian artillery. Russian troops too made numerous attempts to reinforce the bridgehead but those attempts were also stopped by the Finnish 10th Artillery Regiment and the guns of the Kekinniemi Fort. Both sides deployed a heavy artillery concentration to support their troops around Kelja. On 27th December, Finnish command made another attempt to destroy the Russian pocket. The newly arrived 6th Separate Battalion of Captain O. Saarinen, attached to the 10th Infantry Division, was deployed in the woods neighboring the Russian lines. Their orders were to attack and destroy the Russian forces in the area. The anti-tank detachment was to support their attack with a flank movement around the Russian right wing. The success of the attack was depending on the coordination with the artillery. Most of the artillery power of the Russian 4th Division was in the area too, reacting quickly to any Finnish counterattack. Once again the "God of War" had the last word.