Estonian Independence Day Celebrations 2020 - Part 2

Tiger331 · February 25, 2020

Not sure if this is the right place to put these photos but thought they may be of interest to some military minded types.

As part of last weekends commemoration of Estonia's 102nd Anniversary of Independence the National War Museum hosted a re-enactment event in the grounds of the Museum, which is actually located in an old Manor House on the outskirts of Tallinn. This is the fifth year that a group of societies have staged a re-enactment of a significant battle or action that took place in Estonia during the War of Independence that took place between 1918-20 and culminated with the Treaty of Tartu in February 1920. This years event focused on an action that took place in March 1919 at Sanna Manor, near Voru in South Eastern Estonia so the venue was entirely appropriate. Almost 100 players took part in the re-enactment, replicating the recently formed Red Army, the so-called Red Army of Estonia that supported continued Russian dominance of Estonia on one side and the Estonian Army, with its Danish and Finnish volunteers on the other side. Groups from Belarus, Finland, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine and, of course, Estonia came together to re-enact the battle which also featured the use of a replica Armoured Car for the first time. The rapidly growing Estonian Army, taking advantage of disarray in Russia during the revolution, ultimately resisted Russian advances in Southern Estonia during the Spring of 1919 and gradually established a strong position from which to eject the Red Army throughout the rest of the year before the Peace Treaty was signed in Tartu the following February.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the photographs. I am not an expert on 1919 vintage military equipment but I was reliably informed that most of it (especially the uniforms) was genuine, so they should provide some good reference material.

Having completed one successful mission elsewhere, some Red Army of Estonia troops mix it with a motley bunch of Red Army irregulars, including some Cossacks and Naval Infantry outside Sanna Manor as they prepare to get ready for a party....

until they are rudely interrupted by a surprise attack from Estonian Army factions....

At least one Maxim machine gun is brought into action......The Red Flag is representative of the Red Army of Estonia hence the small Blue/Black/White Estonian Flag in the corner.

As it becomes clear that the Estonians are launching a concerted attack, a second Maxim Gun is brought into action to repel the incursion....

The Red Army factions have been reinforced by more naval infantry and the odd German Landswehr that remained behind in the Baltic States following the defeat of Germany in 1918.

........Eventually the Estonian Army element gather in numbers and their second attack against the Manor meets with more success, particularly as they have introduced an Armoured Car into the fray....

Its not long before they gain the upper hand

Historical Note: Although Great Britain did not get involved in the Land Campaign during the war, they did provide a considerable amount of material and weapons including Lewis Guns like that shown above. The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force (in probably their first action as an Independent Air Force) were, however, actively involved in the Estonian War of Independence and were recognised as key to its successful outcome, a fact that still resonates here in Estonia. After the cessation of hostilities the embryonic Estonian Air Force received Sopwith Camels as some of their early equipment and Mk V tanks were also donated to the Estonian Army.