6th Division (Continuation War)

The 6th Division (6.Divisioona) was a unit of the Finnish Army during the Continuation War.

History

The 6th Division was attached to the German XXXVI Corps in Northern Finland in 1941. As part of Operation Barbarossa the division attacked with the SS Division Nord and German 169th Infantry Division against Salla with the goal of reaching Kandalaksha on the White Sea coast. The division also fought alongside a small German tank unit, the Panzer-Abteilung 211, which consisted entirely of captured French tanks. The attack was a failure.

In 1942 the 6th division was reorganised into the 12th Brigade, but was later brought back to division strength in 1943.

The division was transported to the Maaselkä isthmus in 1942 but after the Soviet main assault started in 1944 it was moved to the Karelian Isthmus. There it took part in the decisive Battle of Tali-Ihantala.

After the Continuation War ended the division also took part in the Lapland War. The division was disbanded after it had occupied Rovaniemi.

Commanders

• Colonel Werner Viikla (1941)
• Colonel A. Mäkiniemi (12th Brigade)
• Major General E. Vihma (1943)

Organisation

The 6th Division was organised from men from the Far-North Military Province (Perä-Pohjolan Sotilaslääni). It lacked the Heavy Artilley Battalion.

• Infantry Regiment 12 (Rovaniemi)
• Infantry Regiment 33 (Sodankylä)
• Infantry Regiment 54 (Western Lapland)
• Field Artillery Regiment 14 (Tornio)
• Light Battalion 3
• Engineer Battalion 36
• Signal Battalion 36

See also: List of Finnish divisions in the Continuation War, Finnish 6th Division (Winter War)