Battle of Porkuni ( et, Porkuni lahing) was the largest engagement between

Estonians Estonians or Estonian people ( et, eestlased) are a Finnic ethnic group native to Estonia who speak the Estonian language. The Estonian language is spoken as the first language by the vast majority of Estonians; it is closely related to other ...

serving in the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...

and Estonian pro-independence and Waffen-SS units. It took place on 21 September 1944 between

Lake Porkuni Lake Porkuni is a lake in Porkuni, in northern Estonia. It's the source of the Valgejõgi River. See also *Battle of Porkuni (1944) Porkuni Porkuni (german: Borckholm) is a village in Tapa Parish, Lääne-Viru County, in northern Estonia. T ...

and the Sauvälja village about seven kilometres northeast of the town of

Tamsalu Tamsalu is a town in Tapa Parish, Lääne-Viru County, Estonia. History The town was first mentioned in 1512, but remained an insignificant village until 1876. After that it was on the railroad line from Tartu to Tallinn. It was given town statu ...

location of the lake during the

Leningrad Front The Leningrad Front (russian: Ленинградский фронт) was formed during the 1941 German approach on Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) by dividing the Northern Front into the Leningrad Front and Karelian Front The Karelian Front ...

's Tallinn Offensive Operation (17 September 1944 – 26 September 1944). The 249th Rifle Regiment of the

8th Estonian Rifle Corps The 8th Estonian Rifle Corps (2nd formation) (russian: 8-й Эстонский стрелковый корпус, et, 8. Eesti Laskurkorpus) was a formation in the Red Army, created on 6 November 1942, during World War II. An 8th Rifle Corps ( ...

had heavy machine guns and mortars and were supported by

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

and

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...

s. Soldiers of the Estonian Waffen Grenadier Division had only light arms and antitank weapons in the form of German

panzerfaust The ''Panzerfaust'' (, "armour fist" or "tank fist", plural: ''Panzerfäuste'') was a development family of single-shot man-portable anti-tank systems developed by Nazi Germany during World War II. The weapons were the first single-use light an ...

s. The 8th Rifle Corps surrounded about 1,500 Estonians retreating from the Tannenberg line in the

Sinimäed Hills The Sinimäed Hills (or Blue Hills; et, Vaivara Sinimäed) are three linked hills in northeastern Estonia. The heights which are aligned west–east, consist of Tornimägi, Põrguaugu mägi (also known as Grenadierimägi) and Pargimägi (also kno ...

. In the ensuing battle, more than 500 surrounded Estonians were killed. Around 700 were captured. Several groups of Estonians led by ''Obersturmführer'' Hando Ruus managed to break out the Soviet encirclement and escape towards west. However, on September 22, the largest group was taken by surprise in a forest near

Ambla Ambla is a small borough ( et, alevik) in Järva County, in Järva Parish, in central Estonia. It was the administrative centre of Ambla Parish. As of 2011 Census, the settlement's population was 299. Gallery Ambla vallamaja 2008. aastal.jpg ...

and most of the men were taken prisoner or killed. Villagers buried 273 dead Estonians in German uniform. The Soviet Rifle Corps lost 73 men killed, of whom 57 had Estonian names.

References

Battles involving Estonia Battles and operations of the Soviet–German War Generalbezirk Estland Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Tapa Parish 1944 in Estonia September 1944 events {{Estonia-hist-stub