Kotijoukot 1939 - 1940

Wartime Finnish Defence Forces [Puolustusvoimat] consisted of two main components: Field Army [Kenttäarmeija] and Home Troops [Kotijoukot]. In autumn 1939 Finnish armed forces were mobilized in two phases. On 7.10.1939 a partial Extraordinary Exercise [Ylimääräinen harjoitus, YH] was proclaimed for the Securing Troops [Suojajoukot]. Already before the first phase of the mobilization had ended the full scale Extraordinary Exercise was started on 12.10.

On 17.10.1939 Civil Guard Organization [Suojeluskuntajärjestö] was ordered to form a new expanded command staff for Home Troops for the possible war. Civil Guards Supreme Staff (Suojeluskuntain yliesikunta, Sk.Y) had unofficially become Home Troops Staff (Kotijoukkojen esikunta, KotiJE) already on 10.10.1939 but the order was not realized until after the war had broken on 30.11.1939. The name Home Troops Staff was officially used since 2.12.1939.

During the Winter War Home Troops Staff was organized as follows:
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Kotijoukkojen päällikkö / Chief of Home Troops,
Kotijoukkojen komentaja / Commander of Home Troops (22.2.40-)
Lt.Gen. L. Malmberg

Kotijoukkojen ilmatorjuntakomentaja / Anti-Aircraft Commander of Home Troops
Lt.Col. T. Ekman
----- Ilmatorjuntatoimisto (Anti-aircraft Office) Maj. E. Liusvaara

Kotijoukkojen viestikomentaja / Signals Commander of Home Troops
Capt. V. Virva
----- Viestitoimisto (Signals Office) (probably also Capt. V. Virva ?)
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Kotijoukkojen esikunta (KotiJE)
(Home Troops Staff)
Helsinki, 4.12.39 - 25.3.40 Hämeenlinna

Kotijoukkojen esikuntapäällikkö / Chief of Staff of Home Troops
Col. A.-E. Martola, 18.2.40- Lt.Col./Col.(40) M. Vihma

Adjutantti / Adjutant Maj. R. Nylander

Esikuntakomppania (EK) (HQ Company) Capt. J. Roste

Komento- ja järjestelyosasto (Command and Organizing Department)
Lt.Col. U. Tähtinen, 18.12.39- Lt.Col. T. Kotilainen
----- Komentotoimisto (Command Office)
----- Lt.Col. B. Ikonen, 28.12.39- Maj. G. Sittkoff
----- Henkilöasiaintoimisto (Office for Personnel Affairs)
----- Maj. M. Ahovaara
----- Järjestelytoimisto (Organizing Office)
----- Lt.Col. T. Kotilainen, 17.12.39- Maj. E. Kuusela

Koulutusosasto (Training Department)
Lt.Col. V. Forsberg
----- Koulutustoimisto (Training Office)
----- Lt.Col. V. Forsberg
----- Urheilutoimisto (Sports Office)
----- Capt. L. Pihkala
----- Valistustoimisto (Information Office)
----- CGO h.c. * M. Kivilinna
----- Rovastintoimisto (Canon's Office)
----- Maj. H. Anttila

Ilmavoimatoimisto (Air Force Office)
Maj. G. Appelgren

Kansliatoimisto (Secretarial Office)
Capt. S. Merivirta

Hallinnollinen osasto (Administrative Department)
Capt. A. Lounasmaa **
----- Hallinnollinen toimisto (Administrative Office)
----- Maj. A. Karring
----- Tilitoimisto (Account Office)
----- Lt.Col. U. Lohikoski
----- Revisiotoimisto (Revision Office)
----- (civil) M. Pakkanen

Asetoimisto (Weapons Office)
Maj. A. Erkala

Intendenttiosasto (Superintendent Department)
Lt.Col. K. Saurio
----- Muonitustoimisto (Provisioning Office)
----- Maj. J. Hydén
----- Vaatetus- ja varustetoimisto (Clothing and Equipment Office)
----- Lt.(Res.) E. Karhilo
----- Rakennus- ja majoitustoimisto (Constructing and Quartering Office)
----- Maj. H. Turunen

Lääkintätoimisto (Medical Office)
Col.(Med.) T. Salo, 8.1.40- Lt.Col.(Med.) H. Wäisänen

Eläinlääkintätoimisto (Veterinary Office)
Col.(Vet.) C. Stauffer

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* CGO = Civil Guard Officer [Suojeluskuntaupseeri],
h.c. = honoris causa (honour status)
** So far it is not known why the lower ranked officer had higher officers under his command. Probably that was based on the status in peace-time Civil Guard and/or civilian training.

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Civil Guard Organization, women's volunteer corps Lotta Svärd, most military schools, garrisons, training centres, Home Supplement Troops [Koti-T-joukot] as well as air surveillance and air defence (anti-aircraft units) at home area, military hospitals and POW camps were under the command of Chief (since 22.2.40- Commander) of Home Troops. All securing and guarding duties on home area belonged also to Civil Guard / Home Troops. The main task was training and forming of new troops and delivering supplements to the Field Army.

Peace-time Military Districts [Sotilaspiiri] were merged into the Field Army during the Extraordinary Exercise and were replaced by Civil Guard Districts [Suojeluskuntapiiri] which also took all their previous duties gradually since 22.9.1939. Almost all Chiefs of Civil Guard Districts, Military Conductors, Regional Chiefs and Local Chiefs of Civil Guard were moved to the Field Army and the new acting Chiefs were ordered to take their posts. Only peace-time Supply Chiefs stayed on their posts.
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Civil Guard Districts and Regions

Originally there were 22 Civil Guard Districts but by the Winter War their number was temporarily increased to 27 so that they were practically the same as the former military districts. Of the total of 672 local Civil Guards 565 were Finnish speaking, 95 Swedish speaking and 12 bi-lingual. Between the local Civil Guards and Civil Guard Districts were a total of 161 Civil Guard Regions [Suojeluskunta-alue]. Lappeenranta, Viipuri [Viborg], Käkisalmi, Sortavala, North Karelian, Kainuu, Kemi and Northern Civil Guard District were subordinated to local commanding headquarters of Field Army in command, training and supply affairs but were otherwise under the command of Home Troops Staff. Since 22.1.1940 they were under the command of Finnish Supreme HQ (PM).
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Civil Guard Districts during the Winter War 1939 - 1940

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Civil Guard Units during the Winter War

All Civil Guard Districts had its own mixed units formed of over aged, disabled and under aged volunteers and conscripts mainly for guarding and securing duties at home area. Their size and organization varied a lot from platoons to battalions. Many units were very poorly equipped and most men had civilian clothes and were armed with mixed rifles, small bore rifles, Bergman SMGs and pistols. Lots of Swedish rifles were received later during the Winter War. Units were not usually used in direct combat duties but participated in securing threatened directions and chased Soviet desants and shot-down pilots in rear and home areas.

In mid February 1940 Viborg Guard Battalion (Viipurin vartiopataljoona, Vii.VartioP) was used in securing duties between Summa and Viborg in Karelian Isthmus during the critical moments after the Soviet breakthrough on 13.2.1940 and later in the battle for the city of Viborg but didn't see any combat action. Battalion was composed of under aged 17 to 18 years students of local schools. It was commanded by Lt.Col. K. Niemeläinen.

At the end of the Winter War seven hastily alarmed Civil Guard Battalions (Suojeluskuntapataljoona, Sk.P) were also used at Bay of Viborg and later secured the coast on Kotka Sector (KLo.) which was initially totally without regular troops of the Field Army. Battalions didn't see any direct combat action.
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Sources: SUOHI [III], TALHI [4]
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