Finnish Forces

Major General Winell

Erkki Viitasalo /SA-kuva 75322

Major General Claës Winell (1892-1943), commander of 8th Division. Savujärvi, 25 February 1942. He served in machine gun company of the Finnish volunteer battalion in German army 1915-18, became platoon leader there in 1917 and commanded a White Army machine gun company in the Finnish Civil War of 1918. Winell served in Finnish Army Headquarters in 1920's and was involved in choosing of the standard light machine gun and standard winter equipment for the Army. On the side he wrote a manual about proper behaviour of an officer. During WWII he commanded the Finnish 8th Division in both conflicts against USSR. Winell was promoted from Colonel to Major General 31.12.1941 and was awarded the Mannerheim Cross 12.12.1942 for his success in capture of Viipuri and later operations in the east. His 22-year-old elder son, a First Lieutenant, was killed in action just 10 days later. Major General Winell suffered heart attack in the funerals and passed away on 9 January 1943.