74 V i s i t www.theculturalexperience.com C a l l 0345 475 1815 XXX XXX Second World War FINLAND THE WINTER WAR This tour follows the fortunes of the Ninth Soviet Army attempting to cut Finland in two at its narrowest point in time for Stalin’s 60th birthday. Ex Parachute Regiment colonel and historian Robert Kershaw uses his Arctic training background and broad military experience to explain the nature of this amazing victory against seemingly insurmountable odds. Both he and local guides help to explore numerous off-road conflict areas, where Finnish ski troops cut and blocked these roads, and show evidence of old and renovated bunkers and trench networks where both sides dug in, and explain what it is like to fight and live in sub-zero conditions. All this is conducted amid the stunning scenery of the land of the ‘midnight sun’, where little has changed in over 75 years. You will appreciate the myriad of lakes and fast running rivers, which aided the Finnish defence. This is wild Taiga land with much evidence of reindeer, elk and wild life. 15 – 22 July 2019 15 – 22 July 2019 15 – 22 July 2019 15 – 22 July 2019 15 – 22 July 2019 15 – 22 July 2019 15 – 22 July 2019 15 – 22 July 2019 15 – 22 July 2019 15 – 22 July 2019 8 Days with Col Bob Kershaw with Col Bob Kershaw with Col Bob Kershaw with Col Bob Kershaw with Col Bob Kershaw Activity Level 2 Activity Level 2 ESSENTIALS Return flights from London, 4 star hotels, buffet breakfast, 6 lunches, 3-course dinner with drinks each evening, all entrance fees and expert guides throughout. Tour Price: £2975 Single supplement: £215 Deposit: £300 Price without flights: £2800 WhenStalinsignedtheSovietnon-Aggression PactwithHitler’sNaziGermanyinAugust1939, Eastern Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania were annexed within the Soviet sphere of influence. Finland realized she would be next and prepared. At the end of November five Soviet armies invaded Finland from north to south. Temperatures dropped to as low as -40° as road-bound Soviet mechanized troops were sliced up into isolated segments by Finnish ‘motti’ ski-borne detachments. These attacked like a ‘white death’ from the fir forests on either side of the roads and, aided by the cold, hunger and fear, the Finns harried the Russian columns to extinction. David won this particular Goliath contest and the Russian 44th , 163rd and 54th Divisions virtually ceased to exist. Although they would lose the subsequent war of attrition, the Suomussalmi and Kuhmo victories were an iconic morale, as well as physical, uplift for the Finns. Day 1 - O utward travel. Fly London to Helsinki from where we catch a domestic flight to Kajaani and transfer to our hotel in Suomussalmi for two nights. Day 2 – Suomussalmi. After an introduction tothebattlesintheregionwevisitJuntusranta battlefield where the Soviet 163 Division was defeated on the Palovaara road. Lunch at Arola, the place where the Russians first attacked in November of 1939. Returning to our hotel you may wish to avail yourself of a Finnish Spa before dinner at nearby Wanha Kurimo, an old, unique, Finnish farmhouse. Day 3 – Battle of Raate Road. Drive to Raate where the Soviet 44th Division suffered ffered ff entrapment and annihilation along the Raate road. We visit the Russo- Finnish frontier post on the border with its Winter War Museum, original and restored trench and bunker systems and monuments dedicated to both sides. Continue to Kuhmo and check in to our hotel for two nights. Day4 – BattleofKuhmo.Todaywearejoined by a local Finnish military historian with whom we tour the Kuhmo battlefield including restored and original battle positions and museum. We enjoy a forest picnic lunch. Day 5 – K ajaani and Helsinki. We visit the impressive ruins of the northernmost stone castle built in the world, at Kajaani, en-route to the airport for our flight to Helsinki. Check in to our central Helsinki hotel for three nights. Day 6 – Suomenlinna sea fortress. We catch the20minuteferrytoexplorethismagnificent UNESCO world heritage site, one of the largest maritime fortresses in the world. There a number of museums of interest which trace the history of the islands, their fortification and contain a wealth of military equipment including Vesikko submarine from WW2. Day 7 – Helsinki. We take a guided tour around Helsinki old city centre and visit the Mannerheim Museum dedicated to Baron Gustaf Mannerheim, the one-time president of Finland and leader of their successful defence against Russia. This afternoon we visit Helsinki’s Military Museum with its Winter War exhibits. Day 8 - Home. Return flight to London. "Bob is like a walking guide book, painting pictures in the mind of what is would have been like to be involved in the events" Abandoned Soviet tanks