The tombstone of Jäger Lieutenant Väinö Alasmaa
The tombstone of Jäger Lieutenant Väinö Alasmaa was unveiled in Eura at the Lauhianmäki Cemetery on 15 November 1925. The monument, designed by architect Gunnar Wahlroos, bears the inscription: Jäger Lieutenant The monument was erected by brothers in arms Jäger Major Gunnar von Hertzen took part in the opening ceremony. Väinö Alasmaa was the commander of the legendary Vyborg machine gun company of the Olonets expedition. In 1934, Gunnar von Hertzen recalled the battle for Olonets: On the morning of May 4, the enemy launched an offensive with large forces. One column advanced along the road from Megrega to Olonets. Strong detachments also appeared to the north and south of the city. Another enemy detachment intercepted the road to the west. The city was surrounded, and at ten o'clock in the morning the battle flared up with renewed vigor. There were not enough defenders to guard all directions. Lieutenant Heimolainen's machine guns and cannons supported the defense. The fiercest fighting took place on the southeastern side of the city. The enemy's main attack came from this direction. Alasmaa oversaw the defense here. He had at his disposal ten men, two machine guns, and his brother-in-arms Helin1 with one gun. I check the battle line and ride to Alasmaa's sector, a few kilometers southeast of the city. The defenders have suffered heavy losses. Helin died near his gun, and Alasmaa has literally just fallen by his machine gun in a roadside bell tower. His few men are shaken by the death of their commander, and as a result the defense is weakening. I climb the steps of the bell tower to the top floor. There is Alasmaa's machine gun in position, a pile of tens of thousands of empty cartridges, bullet holes in the wall and a pool of blood below, indicating that the jäger’s last day of work was difficult. 1. Jäger Vänrikki (Second Lieutenant) Matti Sakari Helin (01.03.1897 – 04.05.1919). Translated by Margarita Matthew, 2024 |
