Taavetti Laatikainen

Taavetti Laatikainen
Laatikainen, pictured some time before 1945
Nickname(s)	"Pappa"[1]
Born	(1886-07-27)27 July 1886 Haukivuori, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire
Died	27 April 1954(1954-04-27) (aged 67) Mikkeli, Finland
Buried	Harju cemetery, Mikkeli
Allegiance	German Empire (1916–1918)  Finland (1918–1948)
Service / branch	Imperial German Army Finnish Jäger troops  Finnish Army
Years of service	1916–1948
Rank	General of Infantry (1948)
Commands	Reserve Officer School (1923–27) Officer Cadet School (1927–33) 1st Division (1938–40) I Corps (1940–41) V Corps (1941) II Corps (1941) Maaselkä Group (1941–44) IV Corps (1944)
Battles / wars	World War I Eastern Front Finnish Civil War Battle of Kämärä Battle of Viipuri World War II Winter War Continuation War Finnish invasion of the Karelian Isthmus Svir–Petrozavodsk offensive Battle of Tali–Ihantala
Awards	Mannerheim Cross #17 Order of the Cross of Liberty Order of the White Rose Order of the Star of Romania Iron Cross German Cross Order of the Dannebrog Order of the Cross of the Eagle

Taavetti Laatikainen (27 July 1886 – 15 April 1954) was a Finnish General of Infantry and a member of the Jäger movement. He fought in the Eastern Front of World War I, the Finnish Civil War, the Winter War and the Continuation War. During the last of these, he was awarded the Mannerheim Cross of Liberty 2nd Class. Before the Winter War, he commanded both the Reserve Officer School and the Officer Cadet School. He retired in 1948 from the position of Inspector of Infantry.