Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Karelia Brigade

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Country
  
Finland

Type
  
Combined arms

Garrison/HQ
  
Vekaranjärvi, Finland

Branch
  
Finnish Army

Role
  
Readiness brigade

Karelia Brigade

Size
  
Wartime size unknown, peacetime size 600 career personnel, 2,400 conscripts

Karelia Brigade (Karjalan Prikaati) is one of the three Finnish Army readiness brigades. It is located at Valkeala. With some three thousand soldiers it is the second largest brigade in Finland. Karelia Brigade is currently commanded by Brigadier General Jari Kallio. Timo Kivinen served as commander until July, 2014.

Contents

Composition

  • Kymi Jaeger Battalion (Kymen Jääkäripataljoona)
  • 1st Mechanized Jaeger Company (1. Panssarijääkärikomppania)
  • 2nd Mechanized Jaeger Company (2. Panssarijääkärikomppania)
  • 3rd Mechanized Jaeger Company (3. Panssarijääkärikomppania)
  • Karelia Artillery Regiment (Karjalan Tykistörykmentti)
  • 1st Field Artillery Battery (1. Kenttätykistöpatteri)
  • 2nd Field Artillery Battery (2. Kenttätykistöpatteri)
  • 3rd Field Artillery Battery (3. Kenttätykistöpatteri)
  • Artillery NCO School (Tykistöaliupseerikoulu)
  • Salpausselkä Air Defense Battalion (Salpausselän Ilmatorjuntapatteristo)
  • 1st Air Defense Battery (1. Ilmatorjuntapatteri)
  • 2nd Air Defense Battery (2. Ilmatorjuntapatteri)
  • 3rd Air Defense Battery (3. Ilmatorjuntapatteri)
  • Kymi Engineer Battalion (Kymen Pioneeripataljoona)
  • 1st Engineer Company (1. Pioneerikomppania)
  • 2nd Engineer Company (2. Pioneerikomppania)
  • East Finland Signal Battalion (Itä-Suomen Viestipataljoona)
  • HQ Company (Esikuntakomppania)
  • 1st Signals Company (1. Viestikomppania)
  • 2nd Signals Company (2. Viestikomppania)
  • Karelia Logistics Battalion (Karjalan Huoltopataljoona)
  • 1st Supply Company (1. Huoltokomppania)
  • 2nd Supply Company 2. Huoltokomppania)
  • Materiel Centre (Materiaalikeskus)
  • Maintenance Centre (Kunnossapitokeskus)
  • Transportation Centre (Kuljetuskeskus)
  • Driving School (Autokoulu)

    • History

    Karelia Brigade was founded on January 1, 1957 when the 5th Brigade was renamed. 5th Brigade itself was the successor of the Infantry Regiment 8, which became famous by Väinö Linna's novel The Unknown Soldier. Karelia Brigade maintains the traditions of the Karelia Guard Regiment, which used to lie in Vyborg. The anniversary day of the Karelia Brigade is May 6, as on that day in 1618 the king of Sweden, Gustav II Adolf, gave the order to renew the Finnish military and when the Karelia Regiment was founded.

    References

    Karelia Brigade Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA