Tuomas Gerdt
You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Finnish. (May 2020) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Tuomas Gerdt | |
---|---|
Birth name | Kaiho Tuomas Albin Gerdt |
Born | Heinävesi, Finland | 28 May 1922
Died | 1 November 2020 Helsinki, Finland | (aged 98)
Allegiance | Finland |
Service/ | Finnish War |
Rank | Captain |
Battles/wars | Winter War Continuation War |
Awards | Knight of the Mannerheim Cross |
Kaiho Tuomas Albin Gerdt (28 May 1922 – 1 November 2020) was a Finnish soldier and Knight of the
Military career
When the attack phase of the Continuation War started, Gerdt was serving as the runner of the chief of the machine gun unit. Gerdt had to maintain contact with the chief of his company in severe artillery fire during the Pääsiäisvaara battle on 1 July 1941. He was wounded in the head on the same day, but returned to his unit as a junior envoy officer in August.
During the Mensuvaara battles in August 1941, Gerdt had to maintain contact with the chief of the machine gun unit and the chief of the rifle company in severe conditions and repeatedly had to act independently. Gerdt's exemplary action allowed the rifle company to proceed across a plain that was being heavily bombarded by the enemy. When the enemy made a surprise attack, Gerdt voluntarily went to seek help from the artillery. During the trip, Gerdt was forced to cross a difficult spot of terrain, which was under enemy fire from 10 machine guns, over 10 light machine guns and a submachine gun, while at the same time being bombarded by heavy mortars. With this action, Gerdt saved his company from heavy losses.
During the Sevastopol base battles on
Gerdt participated in reclaiming the Sevastopol base from the enemy. During the third conflict on 21 July, Gerdt found his superior officer, Captain Caj Toffer, lying severely wounded on a spot of terrain that had been bombarded with grenades. Gerdt carried the mortally wounded Toffer to safety, ignoring the severe and continuous artillery fire. Finnish Commander-in-Chief Mannerheim appointed Gerdt as one of his knights on the same day. Gerdt returned to battle, but was wounded in the face by a bullet the size of a fingertip. In military hospital, Gerdt received news that he had been promoted to Sergeant and awarded the Mannerheim Cross.
Gerdt was sent to
A proposal to award Gerdt the Mannerheim Cross, signed by the chief of the Kannas Group, Lieutenant General Harald Öhquist on 24 July 1942, was sent to the military headquarters as a Creed message. A written proposal, signed by the chief of the 2nd Division, Major General Armas-Eino Martola and confirmed by the chief of the division staff, Lieutenant Colonel Adolf Ehrnrooth, was registered at the military headquarters on 27 July 1942. During the presentation given by the chief of staff, Öhquist's proposal to award Gerdt the Mannerheim Cross was supported. Commander-in-Chief Mannerheim awarded Gerdt the Mannerheim Cross, appointing him as Knight of the Mannerheim Cross #95, on 8 September 1942.
During the Continuation War, Gerdt was promoted from junior sergeant to second lieutenant. He was finally promoted to captain in 1968, serving in the reserve.[2]
After the war
Gerdt married Lea Marjatta Kosonen (1925–2013) on 9 June 1946. They had two children.[4][5]
Gerdt worked as the office manager of Oy Kaukas Ab and Kymmene Oy in
President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari started the tradition of inviting all living Knights of the Mannerheim Cross to the Independence Day Celebration in 1994, and since then, the Knights have been the first to arrive to shake hands with the president. In the last few years, Gerdt has been the only Knight in the Celebration, because since 2006, fellow Knight Heikki Nykänen (fi; 1920–2011) could no longer attend the Celebration, because of health problems. In 2008, 2009 and 2010 Gerdt was the only Knight to attend the Independence Day Celebration. Gerdt and his wife Lea were the first to shake hands with President Tarja Halonen.[7] In 2010, Gerdt attended the Celebration without his wife, who was suffering from back pain.
Gerdt intended to attend the Celebration as the only Knight of the Mannerheim Cross also in 2011, but he had to cancel his attendance one day before the event, on 5 December, because his wife had suffered an accident.
Gerdt died in a hospital in Helsinki on 1 November 2020, at age 98.[10] On 28 November, a military funeral was held for him and Gerdt was buried in Lappeenranta.[11]
Sources
- Hurmerinta, Ilmari; Viitanen, Jukka: Suomen puolesta, Mannerheim-ristin ritarit 1941–1945. ISBN 951-20-6224-0.
- Hurmerinta, Ilmari (ed.): Mannerheim-ristin ritarit: Ritarimatrikkeli. Mannerheim Cross Knight Foundation, 2008. ISBN 978-952-92-3268-0.
References
- ^ Hurmerinta, Viitanen 2004, p. 73.
- ^ a b c Hurmerinta 2008, p. 62.
- ^ Heikki Nykänen on kuollut – Vain yksi Mannerheim-ristin ritari jäljellä[permanent dead link] Aamulehti 7 December 2011. Accessed on 15 December 2011.
- ^ Ilta-Sanomien erikoislehti Marskin ritarit (ollut myynnissä 3.11.2011 alkaen) sivu 9
- ^ Kuolinilmoitus, Helsingin Sanomat 10.2.2013 sivu 32
- ^ Pesäpalloilija Tuomas Gerdt, 86, kättelee ensimmäisenä presidenttiä, pesis.fi 5 December 2008. Pesäpalloliitto. Accessed on 6 December 2011.
- ^ Linnaan vain yksi Mannerheimin ritari. Keskisuomalainen, 27 November 2008. "Online version". Archived from the original on June 9, 2009. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) accessed 4 December 2008. - ^ Mannerheim-ristin ritari Tuomas Gerdt ei pääse Linnan juhliin. Helsingin Sanomat 5 December 2011. Accessed on 5 December 2011.
- ^ Pietiläinen, Jari. Kansallinen veteraanijuhla kokosi sukupolvet Barona-areenalle Archived 2014-06-07 at the Wayback Machine helsinginuutiset.fi 27 April 2012. Vantaa: Suomen Lehtiyhtymä. Accessed on 23 May 2012.
- ^ Karjalainen, Antti (2020-11-01). "Viimeinen Mannerheim-ristin ritari Tuomas Gerdt on kuollut" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
- ^ Turunen, Petri (2020-11-06). "Viimeinen Mannerheim-ristin ritari Tuomas Gerdt siunataan sotilaallisin kunnianosoituksin Lappeenrannassa" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved 2020-11-29.