Съобщение

**dibo** · 02-01-2006, 22:55

The Estonian national Army was born in 1917 when after the Russian Revolution an Estonian national division was formed within the Russian Army. On February 24, 1918 Estonia was declared an independent republic and the Estonian division became the Estonian Army.
The total number of Estonians serving in the former Russian Army may be estimated at 100,000 men. The infiltration of Estonian officers from the former Russian Army into the Estonian national Army rose to 2,132 men, 13 of whom had received higher military education, while 177 belonged to the peace time regular Army.
At the beginning of 1918 the Division consisted of 4 infantry regiments, one cavalry regiment, a brigade of artillery and company of engineers.
After the break-down of the German-Russian peace negotiations at Brest-Litovsk in February 1918, the German Army began to press forward. The process of occupying Estonian territory lasted from February 20 until March 5. Authorities of occupation tolerated the existence of the Estonian Army for a month. Orders of disarming were then issued and all weapons and other supplies had to be handed over to the German authorities.
The Estonian Provisional Government resumed its interrupted activity on November 11, 1918 and on November 28 Soviet Russia attacked Estonia.The Estonian War of Independence began.
As the first armed force to be formed, the Estonian Defence League placed itself at the disposal of the Provisional Government. The Defence League was a voluntary, armed organization composed of citizens and led by officers. At the beginning of the war general mobilization was proclaimed, but the results were not apparent until the end of December.
From the enlisted men the following units were formed: one infantry division consisting of six infantry regiments, one artillery regiment, one cavalry regiment and one pioneer battalion. In support of the infantry a number of armoured trains were organized. The office of Commander-in-Chief was created in the Higher Command on December 23, 1918. General Johan Laidoner with General Jaan Soots as Chief of Staff was appointed to this post. In order to facilitate the leading of the armed forces a 2nd Division was created. The 1st Division was fighting on the Northern Front, and the 2nd Division on the Southern Front. Later, since the beginning of April, the 3rd Division was created to cover Estonian-Latvian border, and armoured trains were organized into one division.
In January 1919, the Estonian forced liberated their country from the enemy and in May 1919, the Estonian Army had reached a stage where on all fronts it could take up the offensive in order to carry military activity beyond the borders of the country.
By the end of May 1919 there were altogether 9 infantry regiments, 6 independent battalions, 2 cavalry regiments, 33 artillery batteries with 102 guns, 9 armoured trains and 6 armoured cars. Altogether the Estonian Army consisted of 74,500 officers and servicemen. On April 22 a Military School was opened for the training of officers. For replenishing N.C.O. cadres training companies were established.
The general organization of the Army and the Defence League had already taken shape in the first half of 1919 and only smaller additions were made later that year. A frontier guard battalion was added to every division. The total number of front line troops in the regular army on December 31, 1919 amounted to 85,000. There were 119,000 men in the Defence League of whom 46,000 had recived military training and were fit for service in front line units. In three infantry divisions and in one armoured train division there were altogether 13 infantry regiments and 15 independent battalions, 2 cavalry regiments and 3 independent squadrons (with 1,550 machine-guns and 130 trench-mortars), 3 artillery regiments and 3 artillery battalions with 39 batteries (altogether 190 guns), 10 armoured trains, 8 armoured cars, 6 tanks and 28 aeroplanes. Towards the end of the war, Soviet Russia was forced to bring two armies with total of 160,000 men to the Estonian front.
During the War of Independence the basic structure of military forces was established. On the eve of World War II the Estonian military forces consisted of the Ministry of War, which included Ordnance, Medical and Judical boards, General Staff and Military Training Centre. There were three army divisions, Naval Forces, which included the Fleet and Coastal artillery, and the Air Defence, including the Air Force and AA-artillery. The twelve independent infantry battalions would become regiments after the mobilization as before they were actually cadre units that merely trained soldierds. After four months of training, the soldiers were directly sent to full strength regiments. Normal strength of a regiment was 1,200 – 1,300 officers and men.
The cavalry regiment (800 officers and men), the armoured trains regiment (600 officers and men), the armoured car and tank regiment (450 officers and men), the signal (780 officers and men) and the pioneer (650 officers and men) battalions were in full-strength, training their own recruits, but would also expand as part of the eight brigades formed by the Military Districts HQ. In each of the four antitank companies there were about 100 officers and men. In addition to the Military School, step-by-step, Technical Military School, Higher Military School and School of NCOs, later reorganized into Battle School, were established. The Military School set up a class to train reserve officers. All these schools were united into the Military Training Centre. Between the two World Wars 2,000 men obtained the education of a professional officer, 10,000 men were trained as reserve officers and about hundred men became engineer-officers. The number of NCOs trained was about 15,000.
The Chief of air defence had its own staff. Under its command was the AA-Battalion in Tallinn and the three ‘wings’ of the Air Forces – one in Rakvere, one in Tartu and the third one in Tallinn. Also the Air Force School where about 150 men obtained the pilot's profession and where 30 became observers and 220 aviation mechanics was situated in Tallinn.

Army strength (September 1939)

1,500 officers (inc. 19 general)

2,400 cadre NCOs

1,100 civilian employees

12,000 soldiers

Defence League strength

43,000 men

17,000 women auxiliaries

(70 Army Cadre Officers assigned to Defence League)

The Estonian Frontier Guard was under the administration of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs. Still it was a military organization commanded by the C-in-C. The commander of the Frontier Guard had the rights of a general of a division. There were about 100 officers and 1000 NCOs in the Frontier Guard.

Mobilization strength

6,500 officers

15,000 NCOs

80,000 soldiers

Total reserve was 147,000 men

130,000 rifles (50% Russian 7.62 and 50% Lee-Enfield)

3,300 machine-guns (1,600 Maxim 7.62 and 1,700 Madsen 7.70)

500 sub-machineguns Eesti 9.00

The reserve of ammunition (about 100 million cartridges) was calculated for one month.

250 guns (98 Russian 76 mm, 59 British 84 mm, 20 Schneider-Creuseot 107 mm, 23 British howitzers 114 mm, 8 German howitzers 150 mm, 29 Schneider howitzers 152 mm etc)

The reserve of ammunition (about 250,000 shells) was calculated for one month.

**dibo** · 02-01-2006, 22:58

Armoured Trains

Hannes Walter, PhD, Director of Laidoner Museum

Armoured trains attained their greatest glory in the wars that followed World War I, especially the Civil War in Russia and associated warfare between Soviet Russia and its neighbouring countries. In contrast with WWI, fronts were thinner and the role of field smaller. There were almost no air attacks. At the same time, railways and telegraph lines that had been built concurrently played a critical role in transportation and communication. Russia lacked a westerntype read network. Those who were in control of railways, controlled the entire territory. The number of armoured trains grew with explosive speed. In 1917 the Russian army had only 7 trains, and by 1920 the Red Army owned as many as 101 armoured trains. The Estonian army had 10 trains at its disposal during the Independence War and they played a crucial role in securing a victory during the mobile warfare. An Estonian invention was the addition of an assault landing force to armoured trains. These company-size landing parties, equipped with automatic weapons allowed the armoured trains, wicht had broken through the enemy’s defence wiht fire power, to hold the conquered areas until the arrival of the infantry. Otherwise Estonian armoured trains resembled the armoured trains in Soviet Russia or other countries, being usually armed with 4 light artillery guns and 16 heavy machine guns on two armoured carriages and two machine gun mountings, wiht wagons for landing troops. The armoured locomotive was in the middle of the trains and, if necessary, a regular flat car with a long-range artillery gun could be coupled with the train. The train crew normally consisted of 20 officers and 250 to 300 men.
Most of the armies kept their armoured trains between the two world wars. Estonia had 3 armoured trains and planned to have 10 for war time action. However, the importance of armoured trains in the military plans of the countries continued to decline, because armoured trains on tracks were big and difficult to camouflage, and they were an easy target for the rapidly developing air force. Germany concentrated on armoured trains more than the other countries and had the largest number of them in WWII — altogether 80 trains. They were used successfully for securing the occupied eastern territories where there was danges of partisans, and when reinforced with AA defence capabilities, they were also used for air defence of railway junctions in the East and West.

**dibo** · 02-01-2006, 23:02

Estonian Aircraft Industry

Raul Juursoo, PhD

The study deals with the activities and the role of aviation societies (1930-1936), their association (Estonian Air and Gas Defence Association, 1932-36) and Estonian Aero Club (1937-1940) in the national air defence system. Although their primary tasks and activities were defined by the government, these organisations were formed on civic initiative as independent legal entities with a voluntary membership. Although statutory activities of aviation societies and their association included both flying and civil protection, they concentrated primarily on aeronautics. The Estonian Aero Club operated only in the field of aviation. Therefore the term “aviation clubs” is used as a collective name for the above organisations. In the performance of their main functions, these clubs maintained as close contacts as possible with the Estonian Air Force.
The aviation clubs were successful in in promoting aeronautics and, as a result, quite a number of civilians who were interested in flying joined and participated in the work of the 17 societies that had developed rather fast and spread all over Estonia, incl. major towns, were terminated in mid-1936 due to the reorganisation of the cibil protection system under the civil air defence law. The Estonian Aero Club, founded in 1937, was primarily a Tallinn centred organisation. The nationwide expansion as foreseen in its development plan was never carride out, because Estonia lost its independence in 1940.
Aviation societies were initiators of local airfield projects in the early 1930s in Tallinn, Viljandi, Narva, Paide and Perchory. This led to the drafting of the national civil aerodromes construction plan and launched theri building in Tallinn and other towns. It was project of national defence importance and resulted in the creation of a network of alternate airports for the air force.
Thanks to the aviation clubs, a new branch of industry developed in Estonia in the 1930s — aerospace industry which, besides stocking flying clubs with necessary aircraft, produced for the defence force pilot trainers and planes for instruction. The specifications and flight characteristics of prop aircraft designed and built in Estonia were quite comparable to the foreign made ones. Thus the results of test flights made in 1938-1939 showed that the characteristics of the PTO-4 trainer, especially in acrobatics, were better than those of the Magister trainer usued by the British air force since 1935. In 1939, the Aero Club completed the last prototype of the single-engine two-seater closed cockpit monoplane PN-3, which had been designed by local aircraft designers. In principle, it was a modern combat aircraft with the designed maximum speed of more tha 500 km/h. This prototype facilitated the transition from basic trainers to combat planes. It was also used as a model to design and launch the production of single- and twin-engine fighter planes that could fly with the speed of 550-650 km/h. In the years 1933 – 1940, the 21 aircraft built in Estonia received their airworthiness certificates and aviation licences, 18 of them had been built accordint to the prototypes created by local aircraft designers (pilot-engineers V. Post, O. Org, R. Neudorf/Toomla). In the spring of 1935, Latvia acquired one of the biplanes made in Estonia (type ÕGL-1/PON-1) and built more than twenty specimens (type approval KOD-1).
As many as 33 people, including one woman, attended flying courses and acquired the propeller aircraft pilot qualifications in 1932-38. At least four individuals were sent for training aboard. Thus the air force got a pilot reserve pool that needed only a short retraining period. It amounted to almost half of the pilot corps in the Estonian air defence active service and accounted for onethird of all propeller aircraft pilots enlisted at the Ministry of Road, many of whom belonged to military reserve pilot ranks.
In addition to flying instruction, the aviation clubs organised training flights for reservists. Until the beginning of 1938, training opportunities for reservists were rather limited, unless they were members of a society or a club. In February 1938 training of reservists was reorganised and funded by the armed forces, allowing up to 32 pilots to use aeroplanes of the Aero Club for training flight purpose. That number was almost half of the pilots who had valid pilot licence.
Gliding and modelling possibilities offered by the aviation clubs were meant primarily to attract the youth and nurture their interest in aeronautics. Gliding gave the first flying experience and encoureged those who had acquired a glider pilot’s qualification to take an interest in engine driven aircraft.
Despite their short existence and the adverse impact of the termination of their activities in 1936-37, the contribution of the aviation clubs to the national defence capability was significant, and most importantly for the following reasons: first, they prepared a relatively numerous reinforcement to the military pilot reserve, by providing training possibilities for pilots, who had been transferred to the reserve and thus helped them to maintain their flying skills; secondly, the development of aircraft design and building led to the emergence of the aviation industry in Estonia which, in turn, allowed to stock the aviation clubs and the air force with up-to-date and technically improved, domestically manufactured training and instruction planes and, thereby, reducing the dependence of the Republic of Estonia on foreign aircraft manufacturers. By the end of the 1930s, the Estonian aviation industry had reached the threshold for designing and launching the production of modern fighter aircraft.

**dibo** · 02-01-2006, 23:05

Pistols

Toe Nõmm, Ministry of Defence

The police and armies of many countries used the pistol FN Browning Model 1903 (hereafter the Browning 1903), but only in Sweden and in Estonia was it used as a primary standard weapon by the military forces.
In the early days of the Republic of Estonia, during the War of Independence, 1918-1920, the Estonian Army used mainly Russian revolvers Nagant 1895 and 100 Webley. 455 calibre revolvers were received in 1919 as British aid, but in general, there was a great need for pistols.
Right after the war, in 1921the problem was addressed when Browning 1903 was selected as the primary standard weapon for the military forces. The Versailles treaty allowed 7,65mm calibre pistols to be purchased from German manufacturers and the manufactures of more powerful military pistols (USA, Spain) too far for Estonia. The Estonian Army and Defence League (National Guard) ordered 4522 pistols from the Belgian company Fabrique Nationale dureing 1921-1925, and approximately 100 more after that. Browning 1903 pistols constituted almost 80 percent of all pistols used in the Estonian Army and Defence League (a total of about 5800 pistols). The second most numerous pistol in the Estonian Army was the Russian Nagant 1895 (up to 900 revolvers), but these weapons were mostly stored in warehouses.
Estonia bought all Browning 1903 with wooden stock-holster together with two types of magazines; weapon’s frame back had the marking “SÕM” (abbrevation for Sõjaministeerium, “Ministry of War”) Cartridges 9x20SR were bought on a regular bases from Belgium. Smaller parts of Browning 1903 (barrel bushings, springs etc.), calibre 22 barrels and also 9mm barrels were produced in Estonia. Around the year 1930, the harness workshop of the Estonian Army produced hundred of leather holsters for Browning 1903.
The cartridge 9x20SR was the main pistol cartridge in military forces. National military factory “Arsenal” in Tallinn produced all its serial-production submachine guns A.T. (up to 630 units) to use cartridge 9x20SR and dureing 1934-1936 about 140 military 7,65mm pistol themselves for personal use.
Estonia and many other European countries sold arms to the Spanish Civil War combatants during 1936-1938. In May 1937, Estonian’s Ministry of War sold most of its old armament (combat aircrafts Bristol “Bulldog” and H. Potez 25; ammunition; and all pistols Browning 1903, submachine guns produced by “Arsenal” and also 9mm revolvers Nagant), which probably went to the Basque region. Therefore, in 1937 all of the 9x20SR armament system was eliminated in Estonia.
To replace the sold weapons, already in summer of 1937 5338 new military pistols Browning FN 1935 from Belgium and 485 submachine guns “Suomi” from Finland were ordered for the Estonian Army and Defence Laeague. That wary 9x19 became the new pistol cartridge of the Estonian Army. Pistols Browning 1935 (called in Estonia by the name Browning Model 1937) were brought without shoulder stock-holsters. During 1938-1939, 5500 shoulder stock-holsters were procused in “Arsenal” (leather parts were produced in the army harness workshop) and about 800 leather holsters of Browning 1903, which remained in Estonia, were rebuilt to be used with Browning 1935. “Arsenal” also produced during 1939-1940 in small quantities various spare parts for Browning 1935 (sights, triggers, hammers etc.). Plans existed in the spring of 1940 to start a full production of Browning 1935 in “Arsenal”, but this plan didn’t materialise due to the loss of statehood.
At the beginning of World War II in 1939, the Estonian Army and the Defence League had 6600 pistols, including more than 5300 Browning 1935, 923 old revolvers Nagant, 96 Parabellum 9x19 and 7,65x22,59 Colt .45ACP, 40 revolvers Webley .455.
Between two World Wars, the Republic of Estonia (population 1 million, peacetime army 12 thousand men) had military pistols of higher quality than some big countries. In case of war, the number of pistols would have been increased. In Estonia there were almost 16 thousand privately owned pistols and revolvers, including thousands with calibre 7,62 and 7,65mm.

**dibo** · 02-01-2006, 23:07

Arsenal sub-machine gun

Toe Nõmm, Ministry of Defence

Estonia is a country where already in the 1920s the military was seriously interested in sub-machine guns. In1926, using Bergmann MP 18 as a model, Estonia designed its own sub-machine gun A.T. (Arsenal-Tallinn) and launched its industrial production in 1927 at Tallinn War Factory ARSENAL. The Estonian armed forces and the Defence League ordered 537 guns. Altogether ARSENAL Factory built 630 A.T. sub-machine guns, including smaller lots for the police force, border guards and Latvia.
A.T. was not a copy of Bergmann sub-machine gun. The Estonian sub-machine gun like the Estonian standard military pistol Browning 1903 used 9x20SR cartridges. The gun had the magazine for 50 cartridges and the sight for 600 m. The most unique feature of the design was the trigger mechanism. It was suitable both for single shot and cyclic fire. The firing mode was set with a small selector lever in trigger guard, just like in Madsen light machine gun.
In the spring of 1937 War Ministry sold all of the 565 A.T. sub-machine guns available in Estonia, all Browning 1903 pistols and the rest of the weaponry to Spain. Instead the government bought in 1937-1938 caliber 9x19 Suomi sub-machine guns (485 guns) and FN 1935 pistols.
In 1938 Arsenal Factory designed a completely new sub-machine gun with a retarded blowback system which was successfully tested. Production was planned to begin in 1940 but the loss of national independence disrupted the project.

**dibo** · 02-01-2006, 23:09

Estonian anti-tank defense before World War II

Toe Nõmm, head of armament section, Ministry of Defence

The Estonian army recognized the significance of the anti-tank defence already in its early days. As early as in 1929-1933 Lieutenant Theodor-Nikolai Tomson developed a very modern anti-tank mine TM-34 and 12000 mines were manufactured. TM-34 was a waterproof polyfunctional mine with adjustable ignition pressure. The use of a special arming key rendered laying and recovering safe. Later, an upgraded model TM-37 was made. In 1935, he constructed an anti-tank off-route mine with antitank range of 15 m and anti-personnel range of up to 100 m.
The Estonian army received for testing the first four Swiss 20mm antitank rifles Solothurn S18-100 and four Austrian 47mm antitank guns Böhler VV with ammunition in March-June 1936. Immediately the training started. Choosing a standard antitank gun type, primarily two models were under discussion: 47mm Böhler and 37mm German Rheinmetall L50. Ultimately the latter was preferred and Estonia bought 44 Rheinmetall 37mm antitank guns L50 from Germany in 1937-1938. Also 7.62 mm armour piercing cartridges and bullets SmK for rifles and machine guns were bought from Germany.
The Estonian military really liked the 20mm Solothurn anti-tank rifles. It was decided to manufacture them in Estonia instead of buying from Switzerland. The first rifle S18-100 for cartridges 20x105B was manufactured at the military factory Arsenal in Tallinn without a licence illegally in 1938 and another 20 in 1940. Arsenal started the production of 20 and 37mm antitank ammunition also in 1940.
By the beginning of World War Two in September 1939 Estonia had 48 antitank guns (47mm Rheinmetall L50 - 44 and 47mm Böhler VV - 4) and 5 antitank semiautomatic rifles Solo S18-100 and had set up three antitank companies with 37mm guns. 47mm Böhler guns and antitank rifles were deployed in the 1st and 7th Infantry Regiments on the Estonian-USSR border.
Estonian antitank companies were to be subordinated to war-time infantry brigades, fully motorised and equipped with radio transmitters, just like in Wermacht. This was very expensive for Estonia. Cross-country vehicles Stoewer R180 Special, Steyr 640, etc reached antitank companies only after World War II had broken out, in 1939-1940.
Considering the small size of the country and lack of funds, Estonia achieved in antitank defence about as much as the other small countries but vis-à-vis the scale of imminent Soviet and German threats, it was inadequate. In September 1939, the Red Army intended to send 1300 tanks against Estonia, should the latter refuse to surrender to the provisions of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. In 1939, Estonian antitank weapons were modern and the range for antitank defence was adequate. The Estonian Rheinmetall antitank gun compared to Wehrmacht standard gun had a longer barrel length and faster muzzle velocity of armour piercing projectile (barrel length L50 and muzzle velocity 810m/s). The rapid development of wartime tanks and guns made European antitank weaponry of the 1930ies rapidly obsolete.

**dibo** · 02-01-2006, 23:10

Estronian military intelligence service

Ivo Juurvee, MA

Like every independent state has its army, every military has its own intelligence service. Before World War II in Estonia this service was named II osakond – the Second Department (of the General Staff). The Latvian military intelligence service was called the Information Department (Informacijas dala). The structure of the Second Department consisted of four sections: Section A – information exchange and the problems of military attaches; Section B – counter-intelligence; Section C – intelligence; and Section D – radio-intelligence (after 1936). In the 1930s there were only ten people working in the central apparatus of the Second Department. Its structure was rather similar to the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service. Personnel of the Latvian Information Department was also not numerous (14-18 persons), in its structure there were only three sections and in addition to its main tasks the intelligence section had to deal with information exchange and the problems of military attaches. According to its planned wartime structure it was similar to the Polish intelligence service. Although the military intelligence services of Estonia and Latvia were small, they followed the general trends in the field and had to fulfil the same tasks as their counterparts among the Great Powers.

**dibo** · 02-01-2006, 23:12

Estonian national units in World war II in the German and Finnish armed forces

Hannes Walter

During World War II Estonian soldiers in the German and Finnish Armed Forces fought against the Soviets for the restoration of the Republic of Estonia and for the freedom of the Estonian nation.
During the start of military conflicts at the outset of WW II Estonia had declared her neutrality in order to avoid being drawn into the hostilities on either side. Historical conditions prior and during WWII made this neutrality impossibile.
In the Summer of 1940 the Soviet Union presented ultimatums to the three Baltic States and occupied Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. On August 6, 1940 Estonia was formally annexed by the Soviet Union. During one year of Soviet occupation Estonia lost 60,000 persons murdered, arrested and deported to the concentration camps of the NKVD.
Estonians had no oppurtunity to choose their side in WW II - NKVD made the choice for them and forced the Estonian nation to fight for the Red Army.
When Germany launched its invasion on the Soviet Union on June 22,1941 large numbers of men (about 25 to 35 thousand), escaping capture, formed units of partisans called the metsavennad - brothers of the forest. Sothern Estonia was in fact liberated by these Estonian partisans before the arrival of German troops. Partisans lost 800 men killed but eliminated 3,000 enemy soldiers and NKVD-men.
Forcibly mobilized Estonian soldiers deserted the Red Army in mass when brought to fight German forces on the Eastern front. From the 5,500 Estonians in the Red Army about 4,500 deserted. It is understandable after the red terror during 1940/41.
The first Estonian national military organization covering the whole territory of Estonia after the front had moved towards East was the Omakaitse - Home Guard or Self-Defence. It was based on territorial system like the Kaitseliit (the Defence League) before 1940 and was orientated to guarantee peace and order behind the front line. In the very beginning - in Autumn 1941 - there were more than 40,000 men in the Omakaitse. During the "search and destroy" operations in late 1941 the Omakaitse lost 600 men killed and captured.
Later, when more and more men joined Estonian front-units, the Omakaitse decreased. In September 1944 there were about 37,000 men and youths. From the 10,000 Omakaitse men Self-Defence front battalions and regiments were formed. However, they were so ill-equiped that they were practically powerless against Soviet tank-masses.
While the Home Guard arouse spontaneously, all other Estonian military units were only formed with permission of the Germans. In August 1941, the Commander of the 18th Army gave the order to form Estonian Battalions for security and guard duties. These units were subordinated to the Commander of the 18th Army Rear. These Battalions were widely known as Estonian Eastern Battalions - Ostbattaillon - of which 6 were formed (5 front-and one reserve-battalion). The average strength of the battalions was about 770 men. During the Soviet offensive in Winter 1941 some of these served in the front line and established a good reputation in combat. The most famous of these units was the 658th Ostbattaillon, led by major Alfons Rebane, who won the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross as the first Estonian.
In the middle of April 1944 the Battalions were withdrown from the front and transported to the training camp in Estonia for the 20th Estonian Waffen-SS Division. That was the end of Estonian Eastern Battalions.
The German Army was not the only one to enroll Estonians into service.The Police also went about recruiting for Estonian Police Detachments. The formation of the Estonian Police Units was initiated as early as August 1941. The Police Battalions were supposed to consist of 460 men. At the end of July 1942 a new title was introduced for the Police Battalions - Schuzmannschaft. On December 22, 1942 the Estonina Schuma Bns were renamed to Estonian Police Battalions. In total 26 Police (Schuma) Battalions were formed. When the Estonian Legion was formed in the Autumn of 1942 many members of the Police Battalions departed to join. Thus 5 Battalions were eliminated. During the battles in 1944 most of the Police Battalions were temporarily united into two Police Regiments. All of the Police Battalions that were dispatched to the Front, suffered heavy losses. Only three Police Battalions withdrew to Germany as units and were transferred to the 20th Estonian Waffen-Grenadier Division.
In the Summer of 1942 there were about 15,000 Estonians in different battalions of the German Armed Forces out on the front.
The capital of Estonia - Tallinn - was liberated from the Red terror on August 28, 1941. A year later the permission to create the Estonian Legion was given. The first legionnaires were men who had been fighting during the Winter of 1941 with the East Battalions. The volunteers were transported on October 8, 1942 to the Legion training camp of Heidelager in Poland near Debica.
At the end of 1942 the formation of the First Battalion - The Narva Battalion - was complete. On July 15 1943 the order to go to the front was recived. As a unit of the 5th SS-Armoured Division "Wiking", the Narva Battalion was in the focus of the Red Army's attack near Izjum, Ukraine. The battle of Izjum is the most heroic episode in the whole history of Estonian soldier. The unit entered the battle with 800 men, and only one third were left able to fight. The Red Army, however, suffered heavier losses as they lost over 7,000 men killed and wounded. Plus the fact that over 100 tanks were lost.
In the same time training in Heidelager continued. The Legion became a Brigade (3rd Estnische SS-Freiwillige Brigade) on May 5, 1943 with 2 full Regiments which with all necessary support units consisted of more that 5,000 men.
In November 1943 the Estonian Brigade reached Riga and was sent against Soviet partisans to the Rosona forests and swamps. But when the Soviets made a major penetration near Nevel, they soon found themseleves in the foremost lines. During the Autumn and Winter of 1943 additional 5,000 men joined the Brigade through half-compulsory mobilisations (s.c. musswillige)
On January 24, 1944 Reichsführer SS ordered the Estonian Brigade to be enlarged into a division - the 20th Estnische Waffen-SS Divison. The Estonian Division arrived on the Narva River Front in February 1944, just in time to eliminate a dangerous Soviet bridgehead. The fortunes of war had changed and Soviet invaders were once again threatening the borders of Estonia. The last Prime Minister of Estonia prof Jüri Uluots then broadcasted his famous radio appeal to all Estonia men to mobilize in defence of their country. On the basis of his call-up, conscripts outnumbered the weapons that were available. A headquarters staff was organized under Major General Johannes Soodla to coordinate these efforts. 6 Border Guard Regiments and one reserve regiment were formed - altogether 38,000 men. The Estonian Divison increased to 15,000 men and with separate battalions there were about 75,000 Estonians in the front line in late Summer 1944 defending their homeland against Soviet agression.
During the Summer and Autumn 1944 three Estonians won the Kngiht's Cross - Lt.Col. Harald Riipalu, Major Paul Maitla and Sergeant Harald Nugiseks. The latter is still alive in Pärnu, Estonia after the hell of the NKVD concentration camp.
During the German occupation about 3,500 Estonians went to Finland and joined the Finnish Armed Forces. There was an Estonian Infantry Regiment 200 in the Finnish Army. When Soviet troops again invaded Estonia, these men came back to fight with their comrades in the German Army. On August 16, 1944 the Regiment 200 was struck from the annals of Finnish Army and three days later the men sailed to the Estonian Port of Paldiski.
There was also an Estonian unit in the Luftwaffe (1,000 men and 100 planes) and about 3,000 very young man in AA-artillery.
During the struggle to death against Soviets in September 1944 about 100,000 Estonians were at arms.
On September 20, 1944 the Estonian Divison began to march through Latvia and Lithuania to East Prussia. In October 1944 the division began rebuilding at Neuhammer, Silesia. All the other units and men who were able to retreat from Estonia were amalgamated to the Division.
In January 1945 the Estonian Divison, now Grenadier, was again in action along the Silesian frontier. Bloody and costly defensive fighting followed as the division sacrificed itself around Breslau and in the Oppeln Pocket in March 1945 where commander Brigadeführer Franz Augsbereger was killed. Estonian Division finally retreated to Hirschberg and participated in even more violent engagements throughout April 1945. In the end some fortunate elements fought their way to the allied lines in the West, other began a one-way trip to the Gulag death camps. During this final battle temporary commander of the division colonel Rebane got oakleafs to the Knight's Cross as the only Estonian to receive such honour.
During WW II about 14,600 Estonians were killed in German and Finnish uniforms and 10,000 were imprisoned. Cheque terrorist murdered at least 1,300 Estonian POW and no less than 1,500 did not came back from the Soviet camps.
At the same time from the 33,000 men who had mobilized by the Soviets 10,700 lost their lives in "labor battalions" before they were able to go to the front. About 8,000 were killed in action, mostly because of the disregard of the commanders.
Estonia lost at least 36,000 men in foreign uniforms. Finland lost 23,000 men during the Winter War and ensured her freedom. Who can seriously declare that surrender in 1939-40 saved lives? Is'nt it also the case of Latvia and Lithuania?

Military Historian Hannes Walter delivered this speech at an international conference in Riga that focussed on Latvia in WW II on June 4, 1999

**agblume** · 05-08-2006, 21:23

Estonian Armored Trains 1918-1920

Hello Hannes Walter, Have you been able to identify the names and/or the designations and fates of the 10 Estonian armored trains used in 1918-1920??? I am attempting to compile a list of all armored trains used during the Wars of National Independence of that period. Thank you for any help.
Regards, agblume

Please visit my website www.Warchron.com about Russia before and during WWI and the chaotic period 1918-1922 in Russia and Eastern Europe. We hope to eventually present information on this topic.

dibo написа

Armoured Trains

Hannes Walter, PhD, Director of Laidoner Museum

Armoured trains attained their greatest glory in the wars that followed World War I, especially the Civil War in Russia and associated warfare between Soviet Russia and its neighbouring countries. In contrast with WWI, fronts were thinner and the role of field smaller. There were almost no air attacks. At the same time, railways and telegraph lines that had been built concurrently played a critical role in transportation and communication. Russia lacked a westerntype read network. Those who were in control of railways, controlled the entire territory. The number of armoured trains grew with explosive speed. In 1917 the Russian army had only 7 trains, and by 1920 the Red Army owned as many as 101 armoured trains. The Estonian army had 10 trains at its disposal during the Independence War and they played a crucial role in securing a victory during the mobile warfare. An Estonian invention was the addition of an assault landing force to armoured trains. These company-size landing parties, equipped with automatic weapons allowed the armoured trains, wicht had broken through the enemy’s defence wiht fire power, to hold the conquered areas until the arrival of the infantry. Otherwise Estonian armoured trains resembled the armoured trains in Soviet Russia or other countries, being usually armed with 4 light artillery guns and 16 heavy machine guns on two armoured carriages and two machine gun mountings, wiht wagons for landing troops. The armoured locomotive was in the middle of the trains and, if necessary, a regular flat car with a long-range artillery gun could be coupled with the train. The train crew normally consisted of 20 officers and 250 to 300 men.
Most of the armies kept their armoured trains between the two world wars. Estonia had 3 armoured trains and planned to have 10 for war time action. However, the importance of armoured trains in the military plans of the countries continued to decline, because armoured trains on tracks were big and difficult to camouflage, and they were an easy target for the rapidly developing air force. Germany concentrated on armoured trains more than the other countries and had the largest number of them in WWII — altogether 80 trains. They were used successfully for securing the occupied eastern territories where there was danges of partisans, and when reinforced with AA defence capabilities, they were also used for air defence of railway junctions in the East and West.

**dibo** · 06-08-2006, 12:45

agblume написа

Hello Hannes Walter, Have you been able to identify the names and/or the designations and fates of the 10 Estonian armored trains used in 1918-1920??? I am attempting to compile a list of all armored trains used during the Wars of National Independence of that period. Thank you for any help.
Regards, agblume

Please visit my website www.Warchron.com about Russia before and during WWI and the chaotic period 1918-1922 in Russia and Eastern Europe. We hope to eventually present information on this topic.

Try here:

http://www.laidoner.ee/

**agblume** · 06-08-2006, 22:48

Estonian Armored Trains 1918-1920

Hello dibo, Thank you for the reference, but I was unable to find anything about armored trains. I will keep looking. Kind regards, agblume

**kotkas** · 11-09-2006, 16:41

Hannes Walter is dead (+ 26.nov.2004)

Something about Estonian Military.Links:

history .http://www.estonica.org/eng/teema.html?kateg=43

(Armored trains in Liberation war http://www.mil.ee/index_eng.php?s=ajalugu)http://www.estonica.org/eng/lugu.htm...am=49&tekst_id

http://www.mil.ee/index_eng.php (Estonian Army)

Johan Laidoner (February 12, 1884 – March 14, 1953) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...n_Laidoner.jpg
was one of the seminal figures of Estonian history between the World Wars. His highest position was Commander in Chief of the Estonian army.