▁Winter ▁War ▁( Nov ember ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁– ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 0 ) ▁against ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁as ▁past or ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment , ▁which ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁military ▁operations ▁in ▁Sum ma . ▁ ▁When ▁fighting ▁broke ▁out ▁again ▁with ▁the ▁Cont inu ation ▁War ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁past or ▁to ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁K are lia , ▁and ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁military ▁action ▁in ▁East ▁K are lia . ▁ ▁Later ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁Kur k ial a ▁joined ▁the ▁Finn ish ▁Vol unte er ▁Battalion ▁of ▁the ▁W affen - SS ▁as ▁its ▁chap lain , ▁succeed ing ▁SS - Un ter st urm f ii hrer ▁Ens io ▁P ih k ala , ▁who ▁had ▁died . ▁This ▁was ▁an ▁unusual ▁appointment , ▁since ▁the ▁SS ▁ide ology ▁was ▁decided ly ▁anti - Christ ian . ▁As ▁a ▁former ▁inf antry man ▁Kur k ial a ▁was ▁well - su ited ▁to ▁the ▁job . ▁Fl uent ▁in ▁German , ▁he ▁was ▁designated ▁a ▁" lia ison ▁officer " ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁SS - H aupt st urm fu hrer . ▁Later ▁he ▁became ▁Ober st ur mb ann führ er ▁( equ ivalent ▁to ▁lieutenant ▁colon el ). ▁ ▁The ▁volunte er ▁batt alion ▁had ▁ 8 3 4 ▁soldiers , ▁and ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁Nord land ▁SS ▁regiment . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1