ORDER OF BATTLE // April 28, 1918
Battle of Syrjäntaka
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
1 sides catalogued · combined 4,000–5,000 estimated
Finnish Reds
4,000–5,000
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Battle of Syrjäntaka, fought on 28–29 April 1918 in Tuulos between the German Baltic Sea Division and Finnish Red Guards, was one of only two engagements the Germans lost during their month-long campaign in Finland, the other being the preceding action at Hauho. Thousands of Red refugees fleeing east forced a passage through a small German blocking unit at a highway crossing in the village of Syrjäntaka, breaking through after hours of fighting. The engagement and its predecessor stand as the last Red victories of the 1918 Finnish Civil War. Despite the tactical success, the battle had no effect on the outcome of the war: the Red fighters who broke through were captured within days, and neither side gained a durable advantage from the action.
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