Battle of Syrjäntaka

Battle of Syrjäntaka was a 1918 Finnish Civil War battle fought 28–29 April in Syrjäntaka, Tuulos, between the German Baltic Sea Division and the Finnish Red Guards. Thousands of Red refugees were fleeing east, while they were blocked by a small unit of Germans in a highway crossing in the small village of Syrjäntaka. After hours of desperate fighting, the Reds managed to break through and continue their journey. Battle of Syrjäntaka and the preceding battle in Hauho were the only battles the Germans lost during their one-month military campaign in Finland. They were also the last Red victories of the Civil War. The battle itself was totally unnecessary. It had no effect to the result of the war and either side gained nothing as the Reds were captured only a couple of days later.

Battle of Syrjäntaka
Part of the Finnish Civil War and Eastern Front in World War I

Captured Red Guard women with a German carabinier
Date28–29 April 1918
(1 day)
Location
Tuulos, Finland
Result Red breakthrough
Belligerents
 German Empire Finnish Reds
Commanders and leaders
Godert von Reden Unknown
Units involved
Baltic Sea Division Red Guards
Strength
ca. 400 ca. 4,000–5,000
Casualties and losses
48 killed ca. 300 killed
ca. 150 captured
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.