Finnish gunboat Turunmaa Turunmaa was a Finnish gunboat , built in 1918 . She served in the Finnish Navy during World War II . The ship was named after " Turuma " , a type of frigate designed for use in shallow waters of the archipelago and served in the Swedish Archipelago fleet in the late 18th century . The frigates had in turn been named after the region of Finland . During construction while in Russian lists ( 1916 – 1917 ) the ship had been named both " Orlan " and " Tshirok " . " Turunmaa " was built in Helsinki for the Imperial Russian Navy but was taken over by Finnish troops in the Finnish Civil War . The ship was used as a training ship for Finnish sea cadets during peacetime and was nicknamed as " Surunmaa " ( land of sorrow ) . Interwar period . In the second half of 1919 , " Turunmaa " , amongst other Finnish naval vessels , was tasked with security and patrol duties in the Koivisto region where the British naval detachment was located . On 4 September 1939 , " Turunmaa " as part of the Coastal Fleet was moved to the Sea of Åland . However , for the rest of the autumn , " Turunmaa " patrolled the waters from Kotka to Koivisto together with " Karjala " . Winter War . On 1 December 1939 " Turunmaa " was covering the minelaying effort by auxiliary minelayer Suomi south - east of Isosaari . " Turunmaa " join to the Coastal Fleet near Åland in mid December 1939 . She participated in anti - submarine patrols which continued until the sea froze on 30 January . Continuation War . " Turunmaa " was tasked with escort duties at the start of the Continuation War . She was detached from that duty following the Soviet attack to Bengtskär and ordered to rejoin the rest of the Finnish gunboats . On 29 August " Turunmaa " together with , and escorted by and sailed through the main Soviet minebarrier south of Hanko to the eastern Gulf of Finland . After island of Sommers had been thought to be unmanned following the shelling of the island by on 9 October 1941 Finns prepared to occupy it . " Turunmaa " was escorting the landing force in its failed attempt to land on 11 October as the landing force turned back before reaching the shore when Soviets opened fire . On 29 October " Turunmaa " together with " Karjala " shelled the island . On 1942 " Turunmaa " like other Finnish gunboats was tasked with guarding of the minebarriers north - east of Hogland and performing anti - submarine patrols in the same region . On 8 August " Turunmaa " was sortied to fend of the Soviet attack to Someri but arrived several hours after " Hämeenmaa " and " Uusimaa " . " Turunmaa " shelled both the nearby Soviet vessels as well as positions of the Soviet landing force on the island . After the naval action had already ended " Turunmaa " was slightly damaged from a near - miss of a bomb and suffered some crew losses ( 2 dead , 8 wounded ) as overheated barrels of both of the 20mm Madsen guns aboard exploded . On 2 May 1943 while guarding the minebarriers north - east of Hogland " Turunmaa " was seriously damaged in an air raid and the sinking ship had to be beached to shallow water at Haapasaaret ( group of islands south from Kotka ) . Crew casualties were 1 dead and 9 wounded . The ship was immediately refloated and was fully repaired by 23 October 1943 . When Soviet summer offensive of 1944 started " Turunmaa " was first part of the flotilla evacuating the Koivisto region . And later took part in the fighting at Bay of Viborg on 4 July 1944 as part of the Battle Group Arho consisting of Finnish and German light naval units . While defending against repeated air attacks and attacks by motor torpedo boats two bombs exploded under the boilerroom of " Turunmaa " . " Turunmaa " started leaking and the aft gun was jammed and the ship was temporarily unable to participate to the action . This and other damages to the ships of the Battle Group Arho led to its withdrawal from action .