Finnish Forces

Another survivor of 50mm hit

Nurse and medical captain checking the wound on the back of Private Turunen, sometime after surgery. Another one of the two known Finnish survivors of 50 mm direct hit, Private Turunen, who served in 5th Company, 10th Infantry Regiment, 14th Division, at Rukajärvi. He was wounded two times before the third time on July 8, 1944, when the 50 mm mortar round entered his back undetonated. He crawled hundreds of meters to the first aid post where he had to wait transportation to field hospital for couple of hours due to intensive artillery fire. After the mortar round was removed in surgery he spent rest of the war in military hospital. He was classified only 30% invalid and worked with his torn back as logger until his retirement.