Book Description

Between 1881 and 1901 Finland raised a small army that was uniquely separate from the armed forces of the Russian Empire to which Finland belonged as an autonomous grand duchy. This "old" Finnish army has been neglected by military historians because it has been overshadowed by the importance of the army of independent Finland. This book attempts to redress the balance. Although its focus is on the training of rifle battalions that constituted the bulk of the Finnish army of 1881-1901, it ranges widely over the character and purpose of the army as a whole. The book also provides information about the Russian army's training regime which formed the context of the Finnish army's work. As a competent and patriotic military force, the "old army" is shown to be as worthy of regard as the Finnish armies raised at other times.