Antti Isotalo (Jäger)

Rather than turning to crime at an early age like his father and grandfather, Isotalo was active in youth clubs and helped build a sports field in his home village.

[2] Isotalo was introduced to the Jäger Movement through his youth club activities in October 1915, became interested in it and decided to join the 27th Jäger Battalion, a Finnish volunteer battalion in the Royal Prussian Army consisting of young men intent on fighting for their nation's independence from Russia.

After a long shootout in which a policeman was wounded and the coastal guard was called in, Isotalo managed to escape, hid for a week, returned to Germany and was sent to the Eastern Front.

After a plan to bomb a house belonging to the military police in Jakobstad was canceled after the explosives were not delivered in time and the attempted murder of informant Nikolai Syynimaa failed,[9] Isotalo retreated to Sweden at the end of September.

[10] He returned to Finland in late November with a plan to assassinate Axel Fabian af Enehjelm, the governor of Oulu, whom the Jägers accused of wrongfully executing Taavetti Lukkarinen (a man who had assisted German prisoners of war).

The plan was called off, and Isotalo and another Jäger named J. W. Snellman instead shot and killed Matti Palomäki, a police officer from Tervola who had been involved in Lukkarinen's capture.

Governor-General Franz Albert Seyn had ordered a massive search for him known as the "Siege of Härmä"[13] and af Enehjelm convinced the Swedish authorities to treat Jägers as dangerous criminals.

Swedish police surprised Isotalo in Haparanda in late January, but he evaded capture by running off into the snow-covered woods without shoes.

[14] He returned to Germany in February, completed his training at Lockstedt, Libau and Polangen, and was promoted to hilfsgruppenführer (auxiliary squad leader) at autumn 1917.

Isotalo was on sick leave and unable to take part in the first tribal expedition in the summer of 1918 due to the wounds he received in the civil war.

[16] His actions during this time inspired a popular song (Kuularuiskulaulu), but his victories had no long-term impact as the expedition eventually ended in defeat, partly due to a lack of support from the Finnish government.

The guerrillas were successful at first, capturing much of White Karelia, but their lack of equipment and support forced them on the defence before they could reach what later became the Kirov Railway.

In late January 1922, the Red Army decisively defeated the heavily outnumbered, outgunned and demoralised guerrillas, many of whom deserted.