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COMMANDER // 1884–1918

Hugo Salmela

commander-in-chiefFinlandFinnish Reds1 battle1 war

Lifespan

1884 – 1918

1885189018951900190519101915Russian Civil War · 1917-1922Battle of Tampere — March 8, 1918 · Finnish Reds · Russian Civil War

Active service 1918 — 1 battle across 1 war; first command at age 34.

Profile

Hugo Salmela was one of the Red Guard military leaders in the 1918 Finnish Civil War. He was a saw-mill worker from the town of Kotka in Eastern Finland, without any military background. Salmela was also known as an enthusiastic amateur actor in the local workers' theatre. After the Red Guards were formed in the late 1917, Salmela became the leader of the Kymi Guard.

Source · Wikipedia · Q2470755

Battles (1)

Last verified June 2026
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