Touko Laaksonen (1920–1991) is better known under his professional name, Tom of Finland. During the Finnish Continuation War, Laaksonen served as an artillery battery leader and received military recognition. Before the war was over, he had risen to the rank of a lieutenant. Laaksonen has said that it was during this time that he developed a special interest in uniforms.
Although the matter has been generally kept quiet in public, stories gathered from those who served at the front show that many men had sexual relations with one another during their service in the Continuation War. On the front, military personnel formed sexual relationships especially with those who were of equal rank. A prerequisite for this was that both parties were sure that the interest was mutual. Touko Laaksonen has said that he had sexual relations with several different men during his years on the front. He was known as very sociable and a good mixer.
