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 | |||||||
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Part of the Finnish Civil War and Eastern Front in World War I | |||||||
Captured Red Guard women with a German carabinier | |||||||
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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 |