The 2,000-man Siberian Ski Brigade composed of the 9th, 30th and 34th Ski Battalions immediately followed General Meretskov and rushed to the rescue of the besieged 18th Motorized Rifle Division. Since all intersections had been blocked by Finnish troops, the Siberian ski brigade had no choice but to risk their way through the forest. Like the Third Grenadier Regiment of the Northern Combat Group, this move carries huge risks.
The Finnish army only started recruiting when relations between the Soviet Union and Finland began to deteriorate. Before this, these Finnish soldiers were hunters, and the forest was a familiar place to them. The Siberian Ski Brigade had to pass through the forest to rescue the 18th Motorized Rifle Division, and inevitably had to fight a bloody battle with the Finnish army from the forest.
Sure enough, the experienced hunters of the 7th Finnish Infantry Division discovered a different side of the forest. Based on various clues left behind, the Finns quickly discovered the traces of the Siberian ski brigade. The news was reported layer by layer, and soon the top brass of the Finnish 7th Infantry Division knew that a Soviet unit was marching in the forest.
Major General Inigo Edwardson, commander of the 7th Finnish Infantry Division, received the news and immediately called commanders at all levels to the headquarters. After everyone arrived, Inigo Edwardson said seriously, "Now the tenth The officers and soldiers of the division are engaged in a bloody battle with the invaders, and all the trails have been blocked by us. The Soviet troops cannot get through at all, but there is one piece of news that always makes me feel upset."
"Commander, what's upsetting you?" said a regimental commander with the rank of lieutenant colonel on his shoulders.
Inigo Edwardson said solemnly, "This morning, a hunter found large sled marks on the edge of the forest. As far as I know, there is currently no Finnish army active in that area. Considering that the 10th The division has compressed the Soviet 18th Motorized Infantry Division into an encirclement of only a few square kilometers. I think everyone should know what this unknown force is doing."
"Division commander, are you saying that this unit is probably heading towards the besieged Soviet army?" the chief of staff asked.
Inigo Edwardson looked at his partner and did not hide his judgment: "To be honest, it is very possible. As far as I know, the commander-in-chief of the Soviet Seventh Army, General Meretskov, has a team transferred from Siberia. The name of the unit that came over was the Siberian Ski Brigade, and it is likely that they are the troops dispatched this time."
"Whatever the Siberian Ski Brigade, I only know that this is Finland," the regiment leader who just spoke continued, "Even if the Siberian Ski Brigade is one of the few Soviet troops that is proficient in snow warfare, I still want to know In the forests of Finland, who can be the king of the forest?"
"Okay, then the task of intercepting the Siberian Ski Brigade and cooperating with the 10th Division to annihilate the Soviet army will be left to your 27th Infantry Regiment." Inigo Edwardson said with appreciation, "Let those who come from the Far East Let’s see who is the king in the Finnish forests.”
"Commander, you will soon hear the news about the annihilation of the Siberian ski brigade. Oh! Let me think about what will be written in the newspapers in various European countries tomorrow? There is a showdown of kings in the jungle, and the winner is the Finnish No. 1 The 23rd Regiment of the 7th Infantry Division, haha..." The regiment leader babbled nonsense and walked out dancing.
"This guy..." Inigo Edwardson shook his head, obviously hating and loving this subordinate.
Soon, more than a thousand Finnish hunters wearing white coats and white hats followed the traces of the Siberian ski brigade on sleds and into the dense forest.
Inigo Edwardson saw the soldiers of the 27th Infantry Regiment disappearing into the forest, turned his head and said to the signalman, "Inform the commander of the 10th Division, Colonel Michel Gabermeier. There are currently an unknown number of The Soviet soldiers entered the forest, probably to support the besieged 18th Soviet Motorized Infantry Division. We have sent an infantry regiment to encircle it, and we hope that the officers and soldiers of the 10th Division will be careful."
The signal soldier was busy taking notes. When he saw Major General Inigo Edwardson finished speaking, he saluted and turned to go to work.
After a day and night of offensive, the Northern Combat Group had almost controlled all the commanding heights. The Soviet 18th Motorized Infantry Division huddled in a small mountain depression and resisted. The situation in the northwest of Lake Ladoga has completely developed in Finland's favor, but contrary to Colonel Michel Gebermeier's expectations, so far, he has not received any request to surrender.
It wasn't until Major General Inigo Edwardson's computer of the 7th Finnish Infantry Division came into the hands of Colonel Michel Gabermeier that Colonel Michel Gabermeier knew that the besieged Soviet army was still waiting for reinforcements. .
"We can't wait any longer, we must annihilate them as soon as possible..." Colonel Michel Gabermeier suddenly shouted. The staff officers who were immersed in their work beside him were so frightened that they trembled.
On February 10, 1940, it was just dawn. The soldiers who had been called up at 4 o'clock had a hurried breakfast and immediately took their positions to prepare for the next attack.
For this attack, Colonel Michel Gebermeier used a weapon that had never been used, the Type 40 flamethrower newly equipped with the German Army? Launcher, Type 40 flamethrower? Is the injector a Type 35 flamethrower? The suffix of the injector is the model number. Compared with the style of the Type 35 on the battlefields of the Spanish Civil War, the Type 40 does not have such a great reputation. However, from Lin Wei’s mouth, Colonel Michel Gabermeier learned that the Type 40 is the Type 35. An improved version, this model weighs only 21.8 kilograms, but the corresponding fuel carrying capacity is also reduced to 7.5 liters. The range is thirty to thirty-five meters. However, Type 40 is not the final version. For this battle in Finland, Lin Wei sprayed almost all of this model with flames? All the launchers were given to the Northern Combat Group.
As soon as the attack began, the Soviet army discovered that the Northern Combat Group was very different from the usual offensive. It turned out that during the Spanish Civil War, when the SS achieved great success, Lin Wei asked his staff to write a book about using flamethrowers? training materials on launchers so that they could be used by the German Army at any time. After the German army's success in Spain, did they pay more attention to flamethrowers? function of the transmitter. Will they breathe flames? The weapon soldiers were organized into groups of six, with three flamethrowers in each group? The launchers are dispersed throughout the front line, and their main task is to clear the enemy's front line of defense when the German army launches an offensive.
The German army's flamethrowing of equipment? The ejector has been improved, reduced in weight, and a signal tube that can be ignited multiple times is used to make the flame spray? The mobility and firing frequency of the launcher are greatly increased. The Soviet army, which did not understand this method of combat in the first place, immediately suffered a big loss.
The engineers in front burned all the objects that could block them into a sea of fire. From time to time, screaming Soviet soldiers could not bear to be burned to death and shot themselves to end their lives.
But the Soviet soldiers immediately poured out firepower on their backs and sprayed flames? After all, no one wanted to be burned to death among the engineers who fired the weapons.
"As engineers, we have received training in the use of Type 41 flamethrowers equipped with gunpowder ducts, but am I willing to use this equipment in combat even if it is a last resort? No! Thank you. The reason for rejection is simple. On the battlefield, if you are hit by a pistol, rifle or even a machine gun, it will only leave a hole in your body. But if you are unfortunate enough to be carrying a flamethrower, any small piece of shrapnel can kill you. Burn into a fireball. When enemy soldiers hear the sound of your flamethrower, all the bullets will fall around you. No soldier wants to be burned to death, and all experienced soldiers will use them first of bullets 'taking care' of the guy trying to burn them with a flamethrower!"
While the Northern Combat Group was engaged in a desperate fight with the Soviet 18th Motorized Infantry Division, the 27th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Finnish Infantry Division was also fighting their own war in the forest with the Soviet Siberian Ski Brigade. The contest in the forest was lonely and lonely. Without the support of aircraft and artillery, both sides made full use of their own jungle experience and snow tactics. There is no trickery to complete your own war.
At this time, the commander-in-chief of the Soviet southern offensive and the commander of the Seventh Army, General Meretskov. A new battle plan is being formulated in his headquarters. General Meretskov looked at the commanders who came over and said, "The General Secretary is very dissatisfied with our progress. Now there is a voice in the world saying that our Red Army is not a force that can fight at all. So we need A victory that did not silence those clumsy liars and proved the honor of the Red Army.”
The atmosphere in the conference room was very solemn, and everyone listened quietly. General Meretskov was very satisfied with this situation. Only at this time could he express his depression about politics. General Meretskov said with a smile, "I have already discussed it with General Khabarov and General Florov of the Eighth Army. The number of Finnish troops is small, and the embarrassing situation you are facing now is completely Finnish." We relied on the advantage of the terrain, but the Finnish strength was too small after all, so we decided to stay still for the time being and fight with the divisions facing the Finnish army. The other troops crossed the Lake Ladoga area and attacked directly. The Mannerheim Line of Defense in the Karelian Isthmus. And quickly give up the fierce attack, so that the Finnish army still in the Lake Ladoga area will definitely go back to support the Mannerheim Line of Defense. This will relieve the situation we are currently experiencing. Dilemma”.