FINNISH ARMY 1918 - 1945: ARMOURED TRAINS AND RAILWAYS OF FINNISH CIVIL WAR

ARMOURED TRAINS
Part 1.0
Armoured Trains and Railways of Finnish Civil War
Few words about the terms used. When "White Army" in mentioned without
specifying the nationality it is Finnish White Army and likewise meaning of "Red
Guards" is Finnish Red Guards. Also in this text the Reds and The Whites also
mean Finnish Reds and Finnish Whites. To be exact the Reds often had Russian or
few fighting among them, but otherwise you can assume that "the Reds" in this
text means Finnish Reds. The term used about Russian Reds in this text is
Bolsheviks. Place names used in the text are the ones, which were used during
this War. Finnish Civil War is still somewhat delicate subject. I know that all
my fellow countrymen don't even agree calling this war "Civil War", but that is
what it technically was. I also think it's the most impartial term possible in
English about this war, which also why I use it. The source materials about this
war are far from good and as nobody has written a book about Finnish armoured
trains the information had to be gathered from variety of sources (which are
listed in the last page). Okay, now its time for me stop and let you to read
about the actual subject before I bore you stiff.
FINNISH RAILWAYS IN 1918
PICTURE: Map showing railways of Finland in 1918. CLICK THUMBNAIL TO SEE LARGER
PIC (130 KB).
First time armoured trains were used in Finland was during Finnish Civil War
(January - May of 1918). Building of Finnish railway network had been started
with Helsinki - Hmeenlinna railway in year 1862 and by year 1918 the most
important parts of Finnish railway network were already finished. Mainly the
Finnish railroad network included three important north-south railway lines and
two east-west railway lines. Viipuri - St. Peterburg railway connected the
Finnish railway network to other parts of Russian railway network. The other end
of Finnish railway network was Oulu - Tornio railway ending to Swedish border
completed year 1903. However as Finnish railway network was built to standard
(60-inch/152.4-cm) Russian railway-gauge unlike Swedish railways the trains
could not cross the Swedish border. The railway-gauge was not the only way in
which the Russian influence was visible in Finnish network. Railway network of
Finnish Grand Dutch had not been build merely for commercial motives - the
railway network offered Russian military effective tool for troop transports to
Finland during possible invasion or internal disturbances. Railway line Helsinki
- St. Peterburg was finished in year 1870, but the Finnish railway connection
ending to Finnish station in St. Peterburg wasn't yet connected to railways
coming from another parts of the Empire. This changed year 1913, when the
railroad bridge crossing Neva-river was finished, from that on Russian troop
transport trains were able to get into Finnish Grand Duchy without hassle of
disembarking from one train and re-embarking their troops to another in St.
Peterburg/Petrograd. Another Finnish railway line build for needs of Russian
military was inland east-west railway-line Vaasa - Haapamki - Pieksmki Elisenvaara finished in 1917. The way Russian military saw it Helsinki - St.
Peterburg/Petrograd railway was too close to the coast and another railway-line
located more inland was required for train transports to be safe from attacks,
which the enemy might done from the sea. Rather ironically during Finnish Civil
War Vaasa - Haapamki - Pieksmki - Elisenvaara railway largely benefited White
Army, which ousted Russian military from Finland.

Once Finnish Civil War begun in end of January 1918 the frontlines formed to
line Ahlainen - Vilppula - Mntyharju - Antrea - Rautu. This divided Finland to
two parts: Middle and northern Finland controlled by White Army and Southern
Finland under control of the Red Guards. While area controlled by White Army had
more area and population the area controlled by Red Guards had largest cities
(with large harbours), the main parts of railway network, majority of railroad
stock and most of industry. These advantages should have given Finnish Reds a
very favourable situation, but because large part of railroad personnel refusing
to work for them and lack of discipline among their troops they failed to use
railroads effectively. Maybe the most visible example to show lack of discipline
and it results came with the tendency of Red Guards units sent to the frontline
to keep the trains they had been transported to front with for their
accommodation. Because this misuse tied large amounts of rolling stock the Reds
actually faced shortage of available trains before end of the war. The railroads
offered main route of transporting troops and supplies for the Armies of both
sides. The three main north-south railway lines (Pohjanmaa railway, Savo railway
and Karelian railway) all went through the frontlines, so they were natural
routes of attack on which the armoured trains were used during the war. The
Helsinki - Petrograd railway line going along the southern coast was vital
offered vital route of supply for Red Guards, while the inland Vaasa Elisenmki east-west railway line finished just in 1917 was equally important
for transports of the White Army. However the railroad lines also contained
Achilles' heel for each side as the both sides could threat railway connections
of each other. Haapamki railway crossroads vitally important to White Army was
very close to Vilppula frontline and only route for Red Guard to get supplies by
land from the Russian Bolsheviks was the east-west coastal railway going through
Viipuri.
Railways, locomotives and rolling stock in beginning of the war:
Area and population under control:RedsWhitesFront areaTotal
Percentage of area14.7 %82.1 %3.2 %100 %
Percentage of population42.3 %52.6 %5.1 %100 %
Railway equipment:RedsWhitesTotal
Railway rails (km)1871 km2296 km4167 km
Railway density (km/square km)0.0340.0080.012
Locomotives46595560
Passenger cars1203501253
Freight cars15722100016722
(Data source: Punakaartin sota, part 1, page 119).
Due to season (winter) and shortages of equipment both sides were very much tied
to the existing railroad and road networks. As a result the battles were mainly
fought along the railroads and roads. Finnish Civil War was fought between end
of January to mid-May, which means it started at winter and ended at spring.
Neither side had tents, so in middle of winter troops of both sides had to rely
existing buildings to get shelter for night. Because of this the battles were
fought to capture or keep some village or town even more often than usual.
During winter the existing roads were covered in snow, but this wasn't much a
problem as both sides used horse-towed sledges as their transport and supplies
vehicles. Only very small number of motor vehicles existed in Finland during the

war and in snow covered roads their usefulness was very limited. Both sides had
some cavalry units, while among Reds the riding horses often served also as
status symbols of their leaders. White side had also few small units of bicycle
troops, but one can only question if they actually really used their bikes in
snow-covered roads. While the situation would have been pretty much ideal for
large units of ski-infantry, which would have been less dependent of roads and
would have had better mobility, such units were quite rare on both sides. While
the Finns had ski-infantry during Swedish era the Russian military never
developed specialised ski units and as the result even beside the traditions the
whole idea seem to have been largely forgotten until reintroduced in 1920's.
THE TRAINS
In Finnish Civil War Red Guards and Russians were the ones mostly using armoured
trains. During the war they had about 10 armoured trains in their use, while
most of the war White Army had only one somewhat proper armoured train. The
reasons for this were relatively simple. As Red Guards had the railway
connection to their Bolshevik ally, they could ask Russian armour trains from
Bolsheviks as their support and they did. The industry in area controlled by the
Reds included also the only two railway machine works - Fredriksberg Engineering
Works (Fredriksbergin konepaja) in Helsinki and Viipuri Engineering Works
(Viipurin konepaja) in Viipuri. These two Engineering Works allowed them to
build armoured trains of they own. And they most certainly put this capacity to
use. However the two Engineering Works were not similar - the capacity of
Fredriksberg Works was much larger than what the Viipuri works. During the Civil
War the Reds were able to armour 6 - 7 steam locomotives and 12 - 13 flatcars
("O-wagons") in Fredriksberg plus 2 steam locomotives and 2 flatcars
("O-wagons") in Viipuri. Knowing the situation it is easy to see why
Fredriksberg Engineering Works located in Vallila of Helsinki was so very
important for the Reds - without it number of their armoured trains would have
been much smaller. However the Engineering Works had also their internal
problems with this. Large part of employees in Fredriksberg Works supported Reds
(about third of emplyees in there were Reds), but the engineers belonging to
executive branch of the Engineering Works did not. The Reds absolutely needed
some of the engineers to work for them as the usual workers lacked the skills
and experience required for planning armoured trains. In Fredriksberg Works the
Reds solved this problem by forcing vital members of executive personnel to work
for them, while in Viipuri they succeeded finding engineer, who was willing to
help them constructing armoured trains.
ARMOURED TRAINS OF REDS BUILD IN FINLAND
In hierarchy of Finnish Reds "Rautatieneuvosto" (Railway council) was the
organisation, which ordered manufacturing of armoured trains. The first order it
placed to Fredriksberg Engineering Works was for armouring of 4 - 6 locomotives
and "suitable amount of wagons" in 1st of February 1918. It successfully
completed the first four trains early March and once the crews had been gathered
for them the armoured trains left towards the frontlines. 7th of March
"Rautatieneuvosto" placed second order for 3 additional armoured trains for
Fredriksberg Works, but only one of these three trains were completed and sent
to battle before German Ostsee Division captured Helsinki in 12th - 13th of
April. Just two days before arrival of the Germans to Helsinki the Reds sent one

of the two remaining uncompleted armoured trains to Viipuri for to be finished

in Viipuri Works. The Finnish Reds seem to have named the armoured trains they
manufactured in Fredriksberg by giving them numbers. Finnish books and articles
know these armoured trains number 1 - 5, but likely they were all named with
numbers.
PICTURE: One of the old buildings of Frediksberg (later Pasila) Engineering
Works. The buildings of this Engineering Works basically cover a whole city
block in Vallila of Helsinki. CLICK THUMBNAIL TO SEE LARGER PIC (53 KB).
The armouring methods used in the both Engineering Works seem to have been the
same. The artillery wagons were built from 4-axle "O-wagons" (flatcars), which
had 20-ton capacity. Steel or iron plates were riveted at sides and both ends of
these flatcars and their attachment was reinforced with angle irons. Portholes
for small arms and machineguns were added to both sides and ends of the wagon.
The source artillery pieces the Reds used as main weaponry of their armoured
trains seem to have been Russian military arsenal in Helsinki, which the Red
Guards and their Bolshevik supporters had taken over.
Armoured trains armed with Fredriksberg Works were armed with following
naval/coastal guns:
37-mm Maxim automatic gun
47-mm Hotchkiss naval/coastal gun
57-mm Hotchkiss and Nordfelt naval/coastal gun
75-mm Canet naval/coastal gun
The column mounts of these guns were simply bolted to floor or the platform of
the railway wagon and they were fired over the armour plating. Typically two
guns were installed to same artillery wagon, but some wagons had only one gun.
Even if these artillery wagons were open topped, they gave their crews
reasonably good protection against rifle-calibre fire while they had enough
firepower to give the armoured train firepower superiority. However attacking
past high hills with enemy infantry in them could have been a bad idea - the
open top didn't give protection against bullets fired above. Locomotives, which
the Finnish Reds armoured for their armoured trains were armoured very much the
same way. They selected suitable locomotive and covered its sides with armour
plating. However the quality and thickness of steel/iron plates used to armour
both wagons and locomotives build by the Reds varied considerably. Typically the
thickness of armour plates used in armoured trains that the Finnish Reds build
seem to have varied around 10 - 15 millimetres. No certainty exists about source
of these plates either, but Russian naval arsenal could well be the main source,
as it seems to have supplied also the artillery pieces used in them.
PICTURE: Example of typical artillery wagon made in Fredriksberg Works at 1918.
The colour these were painted is actually now known, but green (as used by
Russian Army) seems like a good guess. CLICK THUMBNAIL TO SEE LARGER PIC (37
KB).
PICTURE: Another example of typical artillery wagon build by Fredriksberg Works
at 1918. The colour these were painted is actually now known, but green (as used
by Russian Army) seems like a good guess. CLICK THUMBNAIL TO SEE LARGER PIC (36
KB).
Structure of the typical Fredriksberg-build Red armoured trains seems to have
been:
1. Flatcar
2. Armoured artillery wagon (1 - 2 guns + machineguns)
3. Armoured locomotive
4. Armoured artillery wagon (1 - 2 guns + machineguns)

5. Flatcar
If needed additional closed wagons could be attached between locomotive and
artillery wagons for transporting additional infantry, supplies or equipment.
Early on all the trains didn't necessarily have the flatcars in their both ends,
but when breaking rails became common way of limiting mobility of armoured
trains these flatcars proved more then worth the trouble. During the war the
flatcars added in both ends of the train saved trains from derailing more
seriously in several occasions.
IMPROVISED ARMOURED TRAINS
Besides proper armoured trains both sides equipped and used also improvised
armoured trains improvised with chest or shoulder high parapets made from bales
of paper, bags of sand, railway sleepers, combination of brick & planks etc.
Basically the parapets seem to have been made from materials, which happened to
be locally available. In Karelian railway the Reds adopted structure of sides
for improvised armoured trains build from two layers of planks and layer of
brick between. This structure they got from improvised armoured train of Latvian
Riflemen, which shortly took part of fighting there. More detailed information
about improvised armoured trains is listed in the other parts listing battles
along each railway. However also the first armoured train, which the Reds build
in Fredriksberg Works belonged to this category early on. Known as "armoured
train of riflemen" it contained:
1. Flatcar with artillery piece.
2. Locomotive (no armour).
3. Ammunition wagon (boxcar).
4. Boxcar with walls "armoured" with planks and portholes build in them.
Later the "plank-armoured" boxcar was united to same train with the lower
artillery wagon, which contained one artillery piece, this combined train also
had armoured locomotive. It seems that at least in some point this train was
also used joined to Russian-build "Putilovian" artillery wagon as a one combined
armoured train.
RUSSIAN ARMOURED TRAINS IN FINLAND
Thanks to their railway connection to Petrograd the Reds also received armoured
trains to their support from Russian Bolshevik government. Mid-1917 Russia had
only 7 armoured trains and the Bolsheviks started their revolution all the
armoured trains were away in the fronts, so early on they had none. Even if the
amount of armoured trains in use of Russian Bolsheviks was very limited in
beginning of year 1918, they were fast increasing number of their armoured
trains. This explains, how they were able to sent several armoured trains to
Finland to support Red Guards even if they were fighting a Civil War of their
own at the same time. Information about the armoured trains they sent to Finland
is bit sketchy, but fairly decent amount is known about the two trains that
White Army succeeded capturing. These contained:
- "Kerenski"
- "Partisaani" (Partisan)
Both "Kerenski" and "Partisaani" were heavy armoured train model 1915. Very
little is known for certain about them before they arrived to Finland but
according what is known one these two trains probably was originally "Gen.
Annienkov" build in Kiev year 1915, but nobody seems to know for sure which of
these two. "General Annienkov" had been designed by Staff-Captain Pilsudski and
had been used by 2nd Zaamurska Railway Brigade lead by Major-General Kolobov. It
seems that the Finnish Reds named one of these two trains "Kerenski" because of
Russian soldier claiming that it was the same train, which previous Russian
Prime Minister Kerenski leading temporary government had used. After escaping

Kerenski got armoured train to his disposal from Russian White Army in
south-east front of Russia and later the Bolsheviks had succeeded capturing the
train in Bologoje at November of 1917. Bolsheviks named the train they captured
from Kerenski as "Raskolnikov", presumably after Fedor Raskolnikov, who was one
of their leaders in Baltic Fleet and major player in starting of Bolshevik
revolution. The Bolsheviks took "Raskolnikov" to Moscow and from there to
Petrograd, from where it seems to have arrived in Finland. Bolsheviks might have
captured the heavy armoured train model 1915 the Finns knew as "Partisaani" in
battle of Zlobin at November 1917, but otherwise nothing is known of its origin.
Its known that the Bolsheviks sent armoured train from Petrograd to Finland 4th
of February 1918 and the timing fits to Russian armoured train appearing
Vilppula front at that time, but otherwise even the exact time they arrived to
Finland is uncertain.
PICTURE: Russian armoured train Kerenski derailed in Sini in Karelian Isthmus.
Photo source Suomen vapaussota kuvissa (published 1934). CLICK THUMBNAIL TO SEE
LARGER PIC (93 KB).
Both of these trains seem likely had similar structure:
1. Flatcar
2. Artillery wagon (76 K/02 field gun, Maxim machineguns)
3. Locomotive
4. Artillery wagon (76 K/02 field gun, Maxim machineguns)
5. Flatcar
PICTURE: Drawing showing likely structure of Russian heavy armoured train
m/1915. Both "Kerenski" and "Partisaani" were this type. CLICK THUMBNAIL TO SEE
LARGER PIC (60 KB).
As usual with armoured trains this structure allowed the trains to advance and
fight effectively both forward and backward, but the maximum firepower could
only be against targets located in either side of the train. Both artillery
wagons had rotating turrets for their main weapons. Artillery wagons seem to
have had 8 loopholes for machineguns (3 in both sides and 1 located each side of
the rotating gun turret), but didn't necessary machinegun for each loophole.
From these 8 loopholes 6 allowed only shooting targets located side of the
train, but the 2 loopholes next to gun turret allowed also shooting along the
rail. Also 76 K/02 field gun was set in turret, which had traverse limited to
less than 180 degrees. These trains seem to have been more heavily armoured then
the ones Finnish Reds build in Pasila. Their armour plating seems to have been
about 20 millimetres (0.79 inch) thick. However this wasn't their most important
difference when compared to armoured trains build in Finland - the biggest
difference armouring-wise was they had roofs made from armour plating, while
Finnish made trains had open tops. As mentioned during Finnish Civil War Finnish
White Army captured both of these trains - "Kerenski" in Sini (Karelian
Isthmus) and "Partisaani" in Toijala (about 20-km south of Lempl).
Besides these two trains White Army captured also Russian "Putilovian"
(Putilovilainen) artillery wagon, which had arrived to Antrea railway ( Karelian
railway) in late March. However its quite likely that this artillery wagon
arrived to Finland already in beginning of February as part of Russian armoured
train, which left with Russian volunteers from Petrograd to Finland 4th of
February. As name suggests it seems to have been manufactured in Putilov
Factory, where the Russians seem to have manufactured number of basically
similar artillery wagons typically armed with anti-aircraft guns. This armoured
artillery wagon had two 76 ItK/14 Putilov antiaircraft-guns and several

machineguns. Finnish Reds armoured locomotive in Viipuri for this artillery

wagon, but seem to have used it also possibly used it joined to their own
armoured trains. Originally the Reds had intended this wagon to Raisuli - Rautu
railway, but they decided to send it to Antrea instead, there it bombarded White
Army positions in Hannila village and supported attack of the Reds to Hill 56.
This wagon was captured by White Army in Kavantsaari of Antrea railway (in
Karelian Isthmus).
PICTURE: Putilovian artillery wagon after White Army had captured it. Photo from
Suomen Vapaussota kuvissa 2 (edition published 1934). CLICK THUMBNAIL TO SEE
LARGER PIC (63 KB).
SAVIOUR OF KARELIA
The only somewhat proper armoured trains that the White Army had was Antrea
armoured train ("Antrean panssarijuna") also known as "Saviour of Karelia"
("Karjalan pelastaja"), which operated in Karelia railway (Karelian Isthmus).
This armoured train contained only one improvised artillery wagon and armoured
locomotive pushing it. While the "G-1" (later called "Sk-1") series locomotive
used in it was properly armoured with layers of thin steel plates and cardboard,
the artillery wagon it was pushing was just typical 2-boogie flatcar equipped
with its sides and ends equipped with walls about shoulder high. Structure of
these walls was rather simple - two layers of planks and layer of bricks between
them. These walls in artillery wagon had loopholes through which its crew could
use their rifles and pistols. Only heavy weapon in the train was 76 VK/04
mountain gun on naval mount, which had been captured from Russian military when
the Whites 27th of January disarmed Russian naval unit of Vuoksi, for whose
three gunboats they belonged. Russian soldiers had succeeded hiding breechblocks
of the mountain guns, but Machine- and Repair Shop of Yrj Horsma in Sortavala
succeeded manufacturing new ones for them. This caused delay of several days,
but once the new breechblocks were completed one by one the guns were rushed to
use. Second of the guns to receive its new breechblock was used for this
armoured train. The old G-1 locomotive had been earlier used to assist with
railway switch was armoured and equipped in Sortavala and Enso. Besides armour
this locomotive received also changes to its smokestack, which had added extra
tubing leading the out coming smoke low in front of the locomotive. This feature
was added for making spotting movements of the train from distance more
difficult. Persons who got this armoured train build were brothers Svensson and
one of them (K.E. Svensson) served also as its commanding officer early on.
"Saviour of Karelia" proved highly successful both in battle in the way it
helped boosting moral of White Army troops in Antrea front.
PICTURE: Drawing showing structure of Antrea armoured train aka Savior of
Karelia. (14 KB).
AFTERMATH - WHERE HAVE ALL THE ARMOURED TRAINS GONE?
The only armoured train of the Whites and its crew survived the war, but all
armoured trains of the Reds were not as lucky. Armoured trains had proved to be
most effective of heavy weapons used by the Red Guards, which seems likely have
reflected to attitudes that the Whites had towards their crews. Most if not all
of their crews suffered losses during the war and once they ended up prisoners
of war their future didn't look too bright even then. During the war White Army
intelligence gathered special lists of Red Guards personnel, which were
considered especially dangerous, leadership of Red Guards or responsible for
crimes. Getting in such a list didn't exactly improve chances of surviving

prisoner of war camps after the war - and one of these lists contained known
commanders, technical personnel and crewmembers of Red armoured trains.
PICTURE: "Partisaani" after capture. CLICK THUMBNAIL TO SEE LARGER PIC (99 KB).
Where did the armoured trains of the Reds end up:
Name of train:Build in:Captured where:Who captured:Special:
Armoured Train 1Fredriksberg WorksTampereWhites
Armoured Train 2Fredriksberg WorksTampereWhites
Armoured Train 3Fredriksberg WorksTampereWhites
Armoured Train ?Fredriksberg WorksHerralaGermans
Armoured Train ?Fredriksberg WorksOkeroinenGermans
Armoured Train ?Fredriksberg WorksKouvolaWhites
Armoured Train ?Fredriksberg WorksValkeasaariBolsheviks?interned?
Armoured Train ?Viipuri WorksPapula (Viipuri)Whites
KerenskiRussiaSinioWhites
PartisaaniRussiaToijalaWhites
Putilovian wagon (*)RussiaKavantsaariWhites
Three of the Fredriksberg-build armoured trains the Whites captured in Tampere
5th - 6th of April. The Reds had exploded one of these three trains, but the
Whites succeeded taking the other two to their own use. German troops captured
another two Fredriksberg-made trains in Herrala and Okeroinen west from city of
Lahti 1st of May. Likely one of these two trains was Armoured Train number 4,
but which one and if the other train was possibly number 5 or number 6 is now
known. One of the Fredriksberg-made trains was also captured by the Whites in
Kouvola and given by them to the Germans who used it shortly to sent contact to
Colonel Brandenstein in Lahti. In addition to these trains one
Fredriksberg-build train (the one sent unfinished to Viipuri?) was presumably
interned by the Bolsheviks in Valkeasaari after General Kaljunen's had some Red
Guard troops had driven it through southern parts of Karelian Isthmus already
captured by White Army to Russian border.
Somebody might want to know what happened to the armoured trains after Finnish
Civil War. Well, that information will become available in part two this same
website. Shortly said best of the remaining parts were recycled to form two
armoured trains, which first the Germans used for couple of months in 1918 and
which were then transferred to Finnish Army. These best parts contained
artillery wagons from "Kerenski" and "Partisaani", Fredriksberg-build
locomotives and some artillery wagons also from Fredriksberg-made artillery
wagons, from which the artillery weapons had been removed and roofs added. Later
these were modified and refined to two armoured trains, which Finnish Army used
still during World War 2.

Last updated 2nd of May 2005

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