Finnish guerrillacompany

[Turre]

Hi!

Here`s couple of photo`s from my service in one of finnish army guerrillacompanies (sissikomppania).
I have more pics,but i don`t know,where they are..

Well,our main tasks are disruption of roadtraffic(ambush supply convoys,etc)
reconnaisence,attacks against communication centres and supply depots.

Usually we worked in groups(8-10men),which were further divided to patrols.
But we also practised a whole company-size operations.
These photos are taken during week-long liveammo exercise,so you won`t see very much action in these pictures(most of time we were waiting our turn to shoot).

http://kuvablogi.com/nayta/prev/img10664.jpg


http://kuvablogi.com/nayta/prev/img10665.jpg


http://kuvablogi.com/nayta/prev/img10667.jpg


http://kuvablogi.com/nayta/prev/img10668.jpg


http://kuvablogi.com/nayta/prev/img10666.jpg


When ( if ) i found rest of my photos, i will send them here.

Turre

P.S. Feel free to ask questions,i`ll try to answer with my clumsy english :-)

[Holstein]

Nice pictures.......and welcome to the forum

[Dead_Lock]

guerrillacompanies (sissikomppania).

These guys don't look like Sissys.

[larryzou]

Nice pictures,thinks man.

[Hellfish]

Are Sissis reserve units or active duty/conscript units?

[chuckster]

I like those tracked vehicles in the first photo. Cool cammo! What are they? Where can I read more about them?

[taiaha]

Good pics and welcome to the forum Turre!

[Maskirovka]

I like those tracked vehicles in the first photo. Cool cammo! What are they? Where can I read more about them?

U mean the swedish Hagglunds Bv-206? It´s one of the most common tracked terrainvehicle in the world. Over 11.000 sold to dozens of contries, civilian as military (including the armies of France, Germany, UK, USA...)

There are many sites on the internet, just search a little. Hägglunds site http://www.hagglunds.se/ have some. The new versions are armoured and called Bv-206S or BvS10. Many contries are buying these new ones now, UK, Germany, Holland, and Sweden.

[Horna]

Cool, nice pics! When were you in and where (JPr / PKarPr)? I did my time in -94, (II/94 KarPr/KymJp/SissiK), fun times... ;)

Sissi iskee!

[Caraway]

When I posted photos of Sissi (guerrilla) explosive training and how to make traps with explosives, those photos were removed pretty fast! Don't make the same mistake "Turre".

Sitä paitsi, ÄLÄ postaa ETS -tietoa.

Itse asiassa ÄLÄ postaa mitään Sissi -tietoa tänne. Älä myöskään postaa mitään Tiedustelu - tietoa tänne.

Täältä saadaan aika paljon...

[Galil]

Good guerrilla

[Turre]

Hi everybody!

Thanks for comments!

To Horna:I served in Jpr/LapJp/Sissik.Year was 2004.

To chuckster:Yep,those vehicles are Bandvagens.Their drivers themselves painted that winter camouflage.

To Hellfish6:Sissi`s are conscript soldiers(6month).After conscript service they are transferred to reserve.

To Caraway:Thanks for warning..Itse asiassa noista räjähteistä voisin sanoa,että meidän aikana niiden kanssa ei hirveästi värkätty(harmi).
Toki harjoittelimme ansoitusta aika paljonkin,mutta kovilla A-tarvikkeilla ei päästy koskaan ansoja kokeilemaan.
Toisin kuin rajakomppaniassa 80-luvulla kuulemani mukaan..

Turre

[Taekwondo]

Nit-nit-nitpicking,

there are sissis and there are "sissis", a sissi of a regular army would probably translate best as ranger, whilst a guerilla is "something completely different". ;)

I think the vehicles are Sisu's products, not Swedish - of course of the same lineage.

[Randomrokottaja]

Are Sissis reserve units or active duty/conscript units?

They are currently in training to become a war time sissi company. Training lasts 6months for basic grunts and 12months for NCOs/reserve officers.

There is no active duty units during peace time since all units are inactive in reserve. Only training camps and units producing operative troops to reserve.

Conscripts are not used in any operative duties here since their training is in process and unit's compositions are not operatively combat ready.

Operative units = units completed their training are then in reserve and need to be called to duty before missions.

edit:

"Sitä paitsi, ÄLÄ postaa ETS -tietoa."

ETS -luokitus on poistunut historian hämäriin.

[Caraway]

there are sissis and there are "sissis", a sissi of a regular army would probably translate best as ranger, whilst a guerilla is "something completely different". ;) What the hell do you mean by that? In the time of war also the Frontier Guard Guerrillas are part of the "regular army" as you tend to put it. And they DO (pretty much) the same jobs. Cut the bullsh*t, jaeger.

Sissi (guerrilla) training takes from 6 months to 12 months depending of the rank or the job within the forces...

[Taekwondo]

OK, lets call them partisans for that matter.

I didn't actually think that somebody would care to come ranting about bull****, I'm quoting a US colonel-lieutenant who used the term ranger to descibe Finnish sissis to an international audience. Sorry if he contradicted your use of terms.

[Caraway]

OK, lets call them partisans for that matter.

I didn't actually think that somebody would care to come ranting about bull****, I'm quoting a US colonel-lieutenant who used the term ranger to descibe Finnish sissis to an international audience. Sorry if he contradicted your use of terms.

My use of terms? I thought it was you who first wrote about Sissies and "the Sissies who are complitely differend than the Sissies"...


BTW. Finnish Sissies are also represented in Wikipedia and in Specialoperations.com.

[Maskirovka]

I think the vehicles are Sisu's products, not Swedish - of course of the same lineage.

Do you mean that Patria (don´t they produce SISU?) produces Bv-206 under license? I have never heard anything of that, I thought all Bv were built by Hägglunds factory in Örnsköldsvik ("Eagleshieldsbay" ;)

[Taekwondo]

Finland has had (and has at least Nasus) both Swedish "bankkus" and domestic, Sisu made Nasus (nauhasisu = tracked sisu, Nasu is btw the name of Winnie the Pooh's pig friend in Finnish also if somebody wants to know :) ), Sisu defence is now a part of the Patria concerne. The Finnish Nasu is of course similar to the Swedish design, but a vehicle of its own.

[Taekwondo]

My use of terms? I thought it was you who first wrote about Sissies and "the Sissies who are complitely differend than the Sissies"...


BTW. Finnish Sissies are also represented in Wikipedia and in Specialoperations.com.


Kuten sanoin, on sissejä, ja sitten on "sissejä". On vähän eri asia olla Che Guevaran porukassa mukana kuin suomalainen res. vänrikki sissinhavu hihassa...

[Jani.R]

Kuten sanoin, on sissejä, ja sitten on "sissejä". On vähän eri asia olla Che Guevaran porukassa mukana kuin suomalainen res. vänrikki sissinhavu hihassa...

Che Gueveran joukkoja ei minusta voi sisseiksi kutsua.

[Taekwondo]

Che Gueveran joukkoja ei minusta voi sisseiksi kutsua.

Niinpä. Silti kutsutaan. Jenkeille Irakin "vastarintataistelijat" ovat guerrilloja, mutta enpä menisi niitä(kään) sisseiksi kutsumaan. Ongelma on osuvimman käännöksen löytämisessä, ja guerrillasta tulee mieleen lähinnä se adidasverkkari-hemmo ampumassa AK:lla, vaikka Suomessa asian merkitys on aivan toinen.

[Jakkech]

Oh well, tou could describe sissis as a commandos of some sort. Not special forces but special operation forces. Basically the tasks can be compared to those what british commandos have.

[Snoshi]

Oh well, tou could describe sissis as a commandos of some sort. Not special forces but special operation forces. Basically the tasks can be compared to those what british commandos have.

Yes,but they are recruits.

[Randomrokottaja]

Yes,but they are recruits.

Everyone starts from recruit (=0).

Sissi is light infantry which operates "behind enemy lines" disrupting supply convoys, communications etc. and support own "frontline" fighting that way. Similar to reconnaisance (on the foot) but instead of pure recon and information gathering, they are more specialized in raider missions.

Can be also used temporarily in various infantry's defence missions.

Real special forces are then whole different matter.

[pekka elo]

They do also reconnaissance, am I right?

[Jippo]

They do also reconnaissance, am I right?

There are "Sissi" which is more raider type, and "Tiedustelu" i.e. recon lines of training. I'm sure both could perform both tasks, but they are still somewhat specialised.


-jippo

[Turre]

Hello!

Nice to see this theme interests.

The vehicles were Bv-206.NASU was not used in Sodankylä`s jääkäriprikaati during my service.But Kainuun prikaati used them.

About difference of recon and sissi training:When i served,in our company were prepared sissijoukkue(guerrillaplatoon)and kevytheitinjoukkue(lightmortarplatoon 81mm)
When my friend served in same company,there were prepared sissijoukkue and tiedustelujoukkue(reconplatoon)

So they had different training program.

During our exercises assault against fuel depots,etc.,we conducted reconnaisence ourselves.It was very interesting to creep around "enemy`s" base

We practised sometimes also a traffic counting.

Turre

[chuckster]

U mean the swedish Hagglunds Bv-206? It´s one of the most common tracked terrainvehicle in the world. Over 11.000 sold to dozens of contries, civilian as military (including the armies of France, Germany, UK, USA...)

There are many sites on the internet, just search a little. Hägglunds site http://www.hagglunds.se/ have some. The new versions are armoured and called Bv-206S or BvS10. Many contries are buying these new ones now, UK, Germany, Holland, and Sweden.
Thanks a Lot!

[Taekwondo]

Randonmrokottaja, did you mean conscripts?

Turre, thanks for clearing out the Bv 206 thing.

[Randomrokottaja]

Randonmrokottaja, did you mean conscripts?

Turre, thanks for clearing out the Bv 206 thing.

Oh, yes. I meant private. Wrong english term, sorry my bad.

[Ravenum]

Anyone here served in Rajajääkärikomppania (Frontierjaegercompany)? I served in II/04 and got NCO training.

RjK is the one and true sissicompany! ;)

[Turre]

Noh noh, elähän nyt..No ei vaiteskaan,kova kouluhan se RjK on.

Where did you served?We sometimes shared same exercises with fellows from Ivalo`s RjK.

Turre

[Ravenum]

Noh noh, elähän nyt..No ei vaiteskaan,kova kouluhan se RjK on.

Where did you served?We sometimes shared same exercises with fellows from Ivalo`s RjK.

Turre

I served in Immola, K-SR. Guys from Ivalo are hardboiled, they don't feel cold, hunger and they never get tired. :D I might post some pictures here.

[Lazarou]

Great, all we need now is a Raja vs Pv flamewar and the circle is completed.

:)


Welcome to the forum, Ravenum. Beware of the Russian members.

[Ravenum]

Great, all we need now is a Raja vs Pv flamewar and the circle is completed.

:)


Welcome to the forum, Ravenum. Beware of the Russian members.
Don't worry, no flamewar. :)

Tule ryssä rajan yli, tule jukolauta, pitkä sekä leveä on Karjalassa hauta... :D

And thanks!

[Turre]

Ahh..Finally snow!I was getting bored to darkness.

Ravenum,photos are very welcome to this thread!

I`m still searching my own pics..Goddamn!I will find them.

Turre

[Ravenum]

edit: Server's down, i'll upload the pics later.

[tenda]

Nice pictures.......and welcome to the forum
x2 tnx....p-)

[Turre]

Thanks for pics Ravenum!

Beautiful badge that "sissiristi".Never seen before.Who was issued with that?

Te ette vissiin nähneet vilaustakaan tetsareista?

Have you ever heard about "musta maanantai" or "morttimarkkinat"?

Guys in Kainuun RjK had special days called those names.

Were you group or squad commander?

Turre

P.S.Laita ihmeessä lisää kuvia,jos kehtaat.Kiinnostavaa nähdä sissimeininkiä etelämpää.

[Ravenum]

Thanks for pics Ravenum!

Beautiful badge that "sissiristi".Never seen before.Who was issued with that?

Te ette vissiin nähneet vilaustakaan tetsareista?

Have you ever heard about "musta maanantai" or "morttimarkkinat"?

Guys in Kainuun RjK had special days called those names.

Were you group or squad commander?

Turre

P.S.Laita ihmeessä lisää kuvia,jos kehtaat.Kiinnostavaa nähdä sissimeininkiä etelämpää.

Server's still down. :/

Sissiristi is only given in Rajavartiolaitos/Frontierguard for excellent serving in RVL, i was given one. :)

Tetsareita ei käytetty juuri lainkaan, TASIa käytettäessä ja sitäkin käytettiin todella harvoin.

I know what is "morttimarkkinat", stealing stuff from new recruits for replacement for the gear you have lost. Never heard about "mustamaanantai".

Well, i'm second in command in my squad so it makes me a group leader. My squad was led by kersantti(what's the english word for it?)

I'll try to upload the pics to another server.

[Turre]

Kersantti is Sergeant in english.

"Musta maanantai" on kainuussa kuulemma eräänlainen morttien kaste.Aamusta iltaan tetsataan erään(en muista nimeä) järven jäällä.

Turre

[Ravenum]

Kersantti is Sergeant in english.

"Musta maanantai" on kainuussa kuulemma eräänlainen morttien kaste.Aamusta iltaan tetsataan erään(en muista nimeä) järven jäällä.

Turre

Jaaha, meillä oli lentokenttää edes takaisin, leveyssuunnassa sentään. :D

[Thor]

Ok guys, this is a english speaking site for a purpose and if you wish to have conversations in finnish please use private messaging.

[Lazarou]

Well, i'm second in command in my squad so it makes me a group leader.

Platoon = joukkue
Squad = ryhmä
Fireteam = four or five soldiers


My squad was led by kersantti(what's the english word for it?)

Sergeant - kersantti
Corporal - alikersantti (believe it or not)
Private First Class - korpraali
Private - jääkäri/sotamies
Recruit - alokas
conscript - varusmies, asevelvollinen

Or something.

Try uploading your images on Imageshack.us

[CSAR]

Fire squad could be translated as "puoliryhmä" ("half squad"), am I right?

[Ravenum]

Platoon = joukkue
Squad = ryhmä
Fireteam = four or five soldiers



Sergeant - kersantti
Corporal - alikersantti (believe it or not)
Private First Class - korpraali
Private - jääkäri/sotamies
Recruit - alokas
conscript - varusmies, asevelvollinen

Or something.

Try uploading your images on Imageshack.us
Thanks a lot for the info! I'll upload the pics tomorrow.

So i'm a fireteam leader/second in command in squad.

And still awarded with Sissiristi ;) :D

Actually, there are 6 Sissiristi's that can be given to soldiers for excellent service, 3 men got that in my squad (including me), so i guess my squad is one of the bestest. :)

What do you think?

[Taekwondo]

Lazarou,
i thought it was
alokas = private
jääkäri yms = private first class
korpraali = lance corporal
alikersantti = corporal
kersantti = sergeant
and so on

Maybe it's just my brain messed up and mixing UK and US ranks? I'd probably call puoliryhmä a half-squad. I think fireteam is more an independent tactical unit, but anybody with better knowledge can of course tell me how it is.

[Randomrokottaja]

Taekwondo: And i was just attempting to correct that "private 1st class" thing.

Yes, in finnish army rank translations there is no private 1st class. Official rank is Lance-Corporal.


"I think fireteam is more an independent tactical unit, but anybody with better knowledge can of course tell me how it is."

Fireteam is once again a US term which is one part of their rifle squad (1 US rifle sqd consists of 3 fireteams), not used here. Half-squad is the our one.

[Lazarou]

I searched on the all mighty Internet a little, and this is what I found from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_military_ranks):

Sotamies (or jääkäri, tykkimies etc according to branch) - Private
Aliupseerioppilas - NCO Student
Korpraali - Lance Corporal
Alikersantti - Corporal
Upseerioppilas - Officer Student
Kersantti - Sergeant
Upseerikokelas - Officer cadet (reserve officer cadet, regarded as NCO)
Ylikersantti - Staff Sergeant
Vääpeli - Warrant Officer
Sotilasmestari - Chief Warrant Officer

So that would make alokas private. Damn, I was told it's recruit.
A note to myself: never trust lieutenants again.
But then again, according to this (http://www.wwiivehicles.com/finland/Ranks.htm) site and a few others private is sotamies, private 2nd class is korpraali and so on - as I thought before.

I'm confused.

[Turre]

Greetings!

Maybe i messed up with english terms,when i talked about group.
So it really would be:
Sissiryhmä=Guerrillasquad
Partio=Patrol/subsquad
Our squads were divided to three subsquads and commander of third subsquad was usually second in command.

Turre

[Turre]

Actually, there are 6 Sissiristi's that can be given to soldiers for excellent service, 3 men got that in my squad (including me), so i guess my squad is one of the bestest. :)

What do you think?

Ravenum,i think you was member of well motivated squad :)

[Randomrokottaja]

"Sotamies (or jääkäri, tykkimies etc according to branch) - Private 2nd class"

Official is Private PTE. Private 2nd class etc. imaginary ranks don't exist.

"So that makes alokas private. Damn, I was told it's recruit.
A note to myself: never trust lieutenants again."

Yes, recruit is alokas. Do you trust more wikipedia than professional active officer? Oh yeah, once again.

"Although according to this site and a few others private is sotamies, private 2nd class is korpraali and so on - as I though before."

Yes, but it is WRONG. Wikipedia can even claim Mickey Mouse as finnish president until someone decides to remove it or replace with better information which could be Donald Duck, in the best case.

[Turre]

Randomrokottaja,can i ask,in what troops you are serving?

Turre

[Randomrokottaja]

Greetings!

Maybe i messed up with english terms,when i talked about group.
So it really would be:
Sissiryhmä=Guerrillasquad
Partio=Patrol/subsquad
Our squads were divided to three subsquads and commander of third subsquad was usually second in command.

Turre

In military terminology finnish sissi is best translated as ranger. Guerilla is a whole different thing, similar to terrorists like Che Guevara already mentioned earlier.

Partio is translated better as team. Patrol is also partio too but means more patrol like foot/vehicle patrol.

"Randomrokottaja,can i ask,in what troops you are serving?"

Which of them? :>

[Turre]

In military terminology finnish sissi is best translated as ranger. Guerilla is a whole different thing, similar to terrorists like Che Guevara already mentioned earlier.

In some cases our behavior was quite terrorizing!
Heh,just kidding..

OK,let`s further call us rangers.

"Which of them? :>"

Air,land or sea?I´m just curious..

Turre

[Turre]

Thanks again for pics,Ravenum!

As a part frontierguard structure,did you received specialized training for that kind of tasks(putting up checkpoints,etc.)?

Turre

[Ravenum]

Yes we did, putting up checkpoints, patrolling the border etc. Anyone could do it, that "training" lasted for 1 week, nothing so special about it. Maybe i'm able to get pics about that from my friend.

[Caraway]

Sorry for the bump, but I've got one "official" photo of a Sissi. Taken from mil.fi site.

http://www.mil.fi/maavoimat/joukot/pkarpr/sissik2.jpg

[Lazarou]

"Sotamies (or jääkäri, tykkimies etc according to branch) - Private 2nd class"

Official is Private PTE. Private 2nd class etc. imaginary ranks don't exist.

Yes of course, I meant private. The reference number next to the word "private" on the Wikipedia article caused that silly mistake. Fixed it.


Fireteam is once again a US term

Not really, for example British and Canadian forces use it as well. A fireteam that consists of only two soldiers is usually called "pair" (taistelijapari in Finland).


1 US rifle sqd consists of 3 fireteams

No, a US Army squad consists of two fireteams. A marine squad usually has three.

[Randomrokottaja]

Yes of course, I meant private. The reference number next to the word "private" on the Wikipedia article caused that silly mistake. Fixed it.



Not really, for example British and Canadian forces use it as well. A fireteam that consists of only two soldiers is usually called "pair" (taistelijapari in Finland).



No, a US Army squad consists of two fireteams. A marine squad usually has three.


Sounds like you think we have here "in the firm" no clue about US Army/USMC or Nato armie's unit compositions, tactics and doctrines.

In Finland we don't officially use a term such fireteam as it is understood in other places. "Combat pair" you mentioned can be explained as somekind of fireteam but directly it is not the same concept, as well as sissi can't be explained as guerilla.

[Turre]

Hi!

Here`s link to interesting pages about our company radio-operators.
SiRad(Sissiradioaliupseeri)

http://www.sirad.net/

Site is in finnish language.
They have more than 1000 photos in their site and also a several videofiles.

Turre

[msnger]

great pictures, thank you for your contribution.

[Dalleer]

Thanks for the SiRad - link too , great pictures !