Knights of Mannerheim Cross of the Artillery
Knight No. 61 Osmo Laakso (1916–2004)
Knight No. 61, 19 May 1942, Captain,
battery commander 1./RaskPsto 24
During the Winter War, Laakso served as a forward observer and battery officer in KTR 8. During the Continuation War, he served as battery commander and battalion staff officer in Heavy Artillery Battalion 24 from 1941 to 1944 and as battalion commander in 1944.
Knight No. 101 Paavo Paajanen (1917–1999)
Knight No. 101, 6 November 1942, Corporal, combat messenger 3./KevPsto 11
During the Winter War, Paajanen served as a combat messenger in KTR 1. During the Continuation War, he served as a combat messenger in Light Artillery Battalion 11 from 1941 to 1943, as a combat messenger and scout in the Jaeger Company of the 6th Division from 1943 to 1944, and as a combat messenger in Light Artillery Battalion 11 in 1944.
Knight No. 113 Leevi Moisander (1907–1997)
Knight No. 113, 4 June 1943, Warrant Officer, observation NCO 1./KevPsto 14
During the Winter War, Moisander served as a platoon leader in the 29th Anti-Tank Company and JR 5. During the Continuation War, he served as an observation NCO in Light Artillery Battalion 14 from 1941 to 1944.
Knight No. 184 Vilho Nenonen (1884–1960)
Knight No. 184, 8 January 1945, General of Artillery, Inspector of Artillery, General Headquarters
During the Winter War, Nenonen was the head of the Finnish procurement delegation in the United States. During the Continuation War, he served as Inspector of Artillery at General Headquarters.
Before Finnish independence, Nenonen served in numerous artillery officer positions in the Imperial Russian Army. In independent Finland, he founded the Pietarsaari Artillery School and served as Inspector of Artillery at General Headquarters and as Chief of the Weapons Staff in 1918. Nenonen served as Commander of Coastal Artillery in 1919, as head of artillery officer refresher courses from 1919 to 1920, and as Inspector of Artillery almost continuously from 1920 to 1937. Nenonen also served as Minister of Defence from 1923 to 1924, as Acting Commander of the Defence Forces, and as Director of the War College from 1924 to 1925.
Knights of the Mannerheim Cross with an Artillery Background
Knight No. 132 Carl-Birger Kvikant (1912–1944)
Knight No. 133 Olli Aulanko (1921–1964)
Knights of Mannerheim Cross of the Engineers
Knight No. 67 Reino Lukkari (1908–1951)
Knight No. 67, 5 July 1942, Major, head of the Fortification Office AunRE
During the Winter War, Lukkari served as an office officer in the Fortification Office of General Headquarters and in fortification planning duties on the Karelian Isthmus. During the Continuation War, he served as Engineer Commander of Group Oinonen in 1941, as head of the Engineer Office at the Headquarters of the Army of Karelia from 1941 to 1942, as head of the Fortification Office at the Headquarters of the Aunus Group from 1942 to 1943, and as office chief at the Fortification Department of General Headquarters from 1943 to 1944.
While serving as Engineer Commander, he participated especially in the development and leadership of combat engineer operations and was wounded twice at the beginning of the war.
Knight No. 81 Paavo Koli (1921–1969)
Knight No. 81, 23 August 1942, Lieutenant, platoon leader 3./PionP 15
During the Continuation War, Koli served as an engineer officer and platoon leader in Engineer Battalion 15 from 1942 to 1942, as deputy company commander in Engineer Battalion 11 from 1943 to 1944, as a platoon leader at the Engineer Training Centre in 1944, and as intelligence officer and company commander in Engineer Battalion 12 in 1944.
Knights of Mannerheim Cross of the Signals Branch
No personnel who served in actual signal units were appointed Mannerheim Cross Knights during the Continuation War. However, effective communication links between long-range reconnaissance patrols and their own forces were extremely important, and the citations for several long-range reconnaissance soldiers also mention skilled and successful service as long-range patrol radio operators.
Knight No. 87 Arvo Mörö (1914–1980)
Knight No. 87, 31 August 1942, Staff Sergeant, long-range patrol commander Detachment Vehniäinen
During the Winter War, Mörö served as a combat messenger in the 3rd Border Company. During the Continuation War, he served as reconnaissance and long-range patrol commander in Detachment Vehniäinen from 1941 to 1943 and in Separate Battalion 4 from 1943 to 1944, as well as platoon leader in Infantry Training Centres 32 and 28 in 1944.
Knight No. 88 Paavo Suoranta (1917–2002)
Knight No. 88, 31 August 1942, Staff Sergeant, long-range patrol commander Detachment Vehniäinen
During the Winter War, Suoranta served as a scout in the 7th and 6th Border Companies. During the Continuation War, he served as a long-range patrol soldier in Detachment Vehniäinen from 1941 to 1943 and as a long-range patrol commander in Separate Battalion 4 from 1943 to 1944.
Knight No. 99 Antti Vallebro, formerly Vorho (1912–1991)
Knight No. 99, 6 November 1942, Staff Sergeant, long-range patrol commander Detachment Hartikainen
During the Winter War, Vallebro served as a scout in Detachment Kuismanen. During the Continuation War, he served as a long-range patrol soldier in Detachment Marttina from 1941 to 1942, as a long-range patrol commander in Detachment Hartikainen in 1942, as a sergeant at the Air Force Signal Depot from 1942 to 1944, and as a training NCO at the Air Force Signal School in 1944.
Knight No. 119 Onni Määttänen (1908–2010)
Knight No. 119, 1 August 1943, Warrant Officer, long-range patrol commander 2./ErP 4 (Detachment Kuismanen)
During the Winter War, Määttänen served as an observer and observation NCO in Separate Battalion 11. During the Continuation War, he served as company quartermaster in Infantry Regiment 9 in 1941 and as a long-range patrol commander in Detachment Kuismanen from 1941 to 1943 and in Separate Battalion 4 from 1943 to 1944.
Knight No. 120 Mikko Pöllä (1916–1994)
Knight No. 120, 1 August 1943, Staff Sergeant, long-range patrol commander 2./ErP 4 (Detachment Kuismanen)
During the Winter War, Pöllä served as a scout in Detachment Kuismanen. During the Continuation War, he served as a long-range patrol soldier in the General Headquarters Radio Battalion in 1942 and in Detachment Kuismanen from 1941 to 1943. From 1943 to 1944, Pöllä served as a long-range patrol soldier and long-range patrol commander in Separate Battalion 4.