Volunteers found a sailor who had been reported missing in Russia. The soldier is buried in the hero’s cemetery almost 80 years after his death.
Hietaniemi a soldier who disappeared almost eighty years ago will be laid to rest in the hero’s cemetery on Thursday.
Metal worker from Helsinki Vilho Erik Ronkainen was just 20 years old when he left for the Continuation War in 1941. A loved one who was waiting for a family addition stayed at home.
For the next three years, Ronkainen was a soldier around the front. The son was born during the war in 1941, and while his father was at the front, Ronkainen’s mother began to take care of him.
First, Ronkainen served for more than two years as a Gunner and participated in numerous battles. Later, he participated with the 80th Fighter Company in the decisive fighting battles of the Continuation War through the Helsinki Naval Station. With that, his military rank changed to sailor.
In summer 1944, in the last months of the war, Ronkainen fought his last battle on Teikarsaari, part of Säkkijärvi.
The fighting on a small island in the Vyborg Bay started right at the beginning of July and continued for many days. Finally, on July 5, the remaining Finnish troops withdrew from the island.
The same day is marked as the date of Ronkainen’s disappearance in a letter that was delivered to his mother on Helsinki’s Vaasankatu. That’s when the young man was found missing.
Russian artillery fired from the barricade onto the shore of Teikarsaari on July 5, 1944.
any more Not much was known about Vilho Ronkainen’s life.
His mother, who stayed in Helsinki, took her grandson in to raise her. The boy had children of his own, life and the family continued.
Ronkainen’s fate did make his descendants wonder from time to time. Sometimes they wondered if Ronkainen had disappeared after all, or if he could have ended up as a prisoner of war. In the absence of better information, the relatives were satisfied with the little information they received from the authorities.
In summer In 2021, one hundred years after Ronkainen’s birth and 77 years after his disappearance, a search team headed to Teikarsaari.
The group known as the Karelian rampart consists of volunteers who search for the remains of soldiers. Over the years, the Russian-oriented group has found a total of hundreds of soldiers, and thanks to them, many Finns have also been brought back for burial.
A cartridge comb was first found in a hole caused by a grenade explosion on the island. The stamps said it was made in Finland. Soon additional cartridges, a lion button, a rib and a feeler plate were found. The markings on the plate confirmed that the deceased had fallen in the continuation war.
With the help of the Suomalainen Sotavainajie miisto valimamisyhdistys ry, information was found about the deceased and living relatives for DNA tests.
finally in January of this year, the Department of Health and Welfare confirmed the information: the deceased found in Teikarsaari is Vilho Erik Ronkainen, a soldier who disappeared in 1944.
Death announcement in Helsingin Sanomat.
Soon, the grandchildren and their families will lay Ronkainen’s grave to rest in Helsinki.
April 6 was chosen as the funeral date, because it was the birthday of Ronkainen, who was born in Suomussalmi in 1921.
The funeral of the hero’s deceased is held with military honors.
Vilho Ronkainen’s grandchild has been interviewed for this story. Ronkainen’s official papers have also been used in the background.
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