Armored Train Regiment (Estonia)

The Armored Train Regiment (Estonian: Soomusrongirügement) was an armored regiment of the Estonian Defense Forces from 1934–1941. In 1939, the strength of the regiment was 544 men.[1] The symbol of the regiment was a skull with wings on train wheels, symbolizing how armored trains fought in the Estonian Independence War. The symbol was nicknamed "Flying death on the railway" (Estonian: "Lendavaks surmaks raudteel").[2]

Armored Train Regiment
Soomusrongirügement
Collar tab of the Armored Train Regiment, showing wings, a skull, and train wheels.
Active1934–1941
Country Estonia
RoleArmored warfare
Size544 men (1939)
Part of1st Division
Garrison/HQTapa, Estonia
ColorsBright Red  
AnniversariesNovember 29
Equipment3 armored trains
16 artillery wagons
3 long-range artillery
Commanders
CommandersColonel Voldemar Karl Koch (1936–1940)
Colonel Erich Johann Friedrich Toffer (1940–1941)

History
Conscripts of the Armored Train Regiment in 1938 or 1939

Creation

The Armored Train Regiment was created on November 30, 1934, when the 1st Armored Train Regiment in Tapa was merged with the 2nd Armored Train Regiment into the Armored Train Regiment in Tapa.[2][3]

Sports
The regiment's football team in 1935

In 1938, the regiment participated in 27 sports competitions, including 16 football matches, of which the regiment won 11. The regiment was also involved in shooting sports.[2][4]

20th Anniversary

On November 29, 1938, the Armored Train Regiment celebrated the 20th anniversary of the armored trains of Estonia, which date back to 1918 during the Estonian Independence War.[5] Major General Aleksander Pulk, commander of the 1st Division spoke at the regiment's sports field. Around 100 veterans who were personnel of the armored trains during the Independence war attended. A parade was held on the regiment's sports field. Lunch was offered to the veterans after the parade. Colonel Karl Parts, who led and organized armored trains during the Independence War, gave a speech about Rear Admiral Johan Pitka, who is often called "the father of the armored trains".[6] Parts ended his speech by remembering the fallen personnel of the Armored trains in the Independence War and the actions of Captain Anton Irv, who died in 1919. Other military figures, including General Johan Laidoner, Lieutenant general Paul Lill, and Lieutenant general Nikolai Reek sent telegrams. The celebration continued until the next day on November 30, 1938.[2]

Disbandment of the regiment

In June 1940, the Soviet Union invaded and annexed Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The Estonian army was formed into the 22nd Rifle Corps and the 22nd Territorial Rifle Corps of the Red Army.[7] The regiment was dissolved and it's artillery cannons were transferred to Russia.[2] During the June Deportation, the regiment's commander from 1936 to 1940, Voldemar Karl Koch (later Koht), was arrested and deported to Siberia in June 1941. Koch was executed in Norilsk in September 1942.[8][9] The regiment's commander from 1940 to 1941, Erich Johann Friedrich Toffer, was arrested and deported by the NKVD. Toffer died later in 1945.[3]

Organisation
Headquarters building of the Estonian Armored Train Regiment

The regiment was located in Tapa, and it consisted of two divisions, each with their own machine gun and infantry companies:[1][2]

First Division

The First Division consisted of 2 armored trains, a machine gun company, and infantry company.[3]

Armored Trains

The armored train(s) of the First Division was Broad-gauge armored train "Kapten Irv" (nr. 1) and Broad-gauge armored train nr. 2.

Second Division

The Second Division consisted of 1 armored train, a machine gun company, a heavy long-range artillery company, and infantry company. The Chief of Staff of the Second Division was the former commander Voldemar Karl Koht from 1940 to the occupation of Estonia during the Second World War.[2]

Heavy Long Range Battery

The Heavy Long-Range Battery (Estonian: Raskekauglaskepatarei) was a long-range artillery unit, which included three artillery wagons. The cannons came from former naval artillery pieces.[10] These artillery wagons were used for long range bombardment and could fire two times as farther than the cannons of the artillery wagons.[3]

Armored Trains

The armored train(s) of the Second Division were Broad-gauge armored train nr. 3.

Equipment

In 1940, the regiment had 16 Maxim M1910 heavy machine guns.[1]

Cannons and Artillery

In the late 1930s, the Armored Train Regiment had a total of 16 artillery wagons, 8 light, 4 mixed, 4 heavy artillery.:[1] The regiment also had 3 naval artillery pieces[10]

Artillery wagon "Sabolotnõi" in 1919
Artillery wagon "Kalev" in 1919 during the Independence War
76mm M1902
152mm M1909/30
105mm 1913 Schneider
152mm M1910
Name[lower-alpha 1] Year of Construction Type Armament
"Hävitaja" 1925 Light two 76 mm M1902
"Vanapagan" 1925 Light two 76 mm M1902
"Maru" 1925 Light two 76 mm M1902
"Vapper" 1925 Light two 76 mm M1902
"Võitleja" 1933 Light two 76 mm M1902
"Tont" 1921 Light two 76 mm M1902
"Taara" 1931 Light two 76 mm M1902
"Uku" 1920 Light two 76 mm M1902
"Pikker" 1920 Mixed 76 mm M1902, 105 mm 1913 Schnieder
"Kõu" 1932 Mixed 76 mm M1902, 105 mm 1913 Schnieder
"Sabolotnõi" 1919 Mixed 76 mm M1902, 105 mm 1913 Schnieder
"Tasuja" 1933 Mixed 120 mm English, 76 mm M1902
"Onu Tom" 1930 Heavy two 152 mm M1909/30
"Lembit" 1931 Heavy two 152 mm M1909/30
"Kalev"[lower-alpha 2] 1929 Heavy two 152 mm M1910
"Tommi" 1928 Heavy two 152 mm M1910
"Suur Tõll"[lower-alpha 3] 1935 Long range artillery 152 mm Pattern 1892
"Müristaja"[lower-alpha 3] 1935 Long range artillery 102 mm Russian naval cannon
"Tapper"[lower-alpha 3] 1936 Long range artillery 102 mm Russian naval cannon

Armored trains
Artillery platform of the armored train "Kapten Irv" in 1919

There were 3 armored trains in the regiment:[1]

  • Broad-gauge armored train nr. 1 (Named 'Kapten Irv' after Anton Irv after his death in 1919).
  • Broad-gauge armored train nr. 2
  • Broad-gauge armored train nr. 3

Media
  • A postcard issued by the Armored Train Regiment.
    A postcard issued by the Armored Train Regiment.
  • The regiment's football team in 1935
    The regiment's football team in 1935

Notes
  1. Some of the artillery wagons names derive from Estonian military personnel (e.g Sabolotnõi) or figures in Estonian folklore (e.g Kalev, Vanapagan)
  2. 'W' was used as 'V' in older spellings. (e.g Kalev, Kalew) See Estonian orthography
  3. Part of the "Heavy Long Range Battery" (Estonian: Raskekauglaskepatarei). Former naval artillery piece.

References
  1. Salo, U (2005). Eesti kaitseväe valmisolek sõjaks ja vastupanuvõimalused 1939. aastal (PDF) (in Estonian). Tartu: University of Tartu.
  2. Allandi, Harri (2007). Tapal paiknenud soomusrongirügement sõnas ja pildis 1923–1940 (in Estonian). Tapa: Trükk Pakett AS.
  3. Õun, Mati; Noormets, Tiit; Pihlak, Jaak (2003). Eesti soomusrongid ja soomusronglased 1918–1941 (in Estonian). Tallinn: Sentinel. ISBN 9985945549.
  4. Soomusrongirügemendi elust ja tegevusest rahu ajal. Sõdur. 1938.
  5. "20 aastat Vabadussõja algusest Soomusrongi esimesi lahinguid". DIGAR (in Estonian). November 24, 1938.
  6. Pitka, Johan (1993). Minu mälestused 1914–1920: Suure Ilmasõja algusest Eesti Vabadussõja lõpuni. Tallinn: Olion. p. 191.
  7. Miljan, Toivo (2004). Historical Dictionary of Estonia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-4904-4.
  8. Kolonel Voldemar Koch VR II/3 25 aastat ohvitserikutses (in Estonian). Sõdur. 1939.
  9. Bloxham, Donald; Moses, A. Dirk (2010). The Oxford handbook of genocide studies. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-923211-6.
  10. Õun, Mati (2001). Naissaare Komandantuur. – Eesti merekindlused ja nende suurtükid (in Estonian). Tallinn: Tammiskilp.
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