Coastal batteries of Estonia

Estonian Naval Fortresses

The flag of the Estonian Naval Fortresses
Active 13 November 1918 - 1 April 1940[1]
Country Estonia
Allegiance Estonian Navy
Branch artillery
Type coastal artillery
Role surface warfare
Size 656 peacetime strength
1183 combat strength
Garrison/HQ Aegna
Naissaar
Suurupi
Miiduranna
Leppneeme
Randvere
Anniversaries 13 November 1918
16 February 1919
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Major-General Johannes Orasmaa
Colonel Vladimir Janitz
Lieutenant-Colonel Karl A. Freimann
Captain-Major Vassili Martson
Captain Joan Masik
Captain Joan Masik
Captain Konrad Rotschild
Staff-Captain[2] Eduard Aindt

The coastal batteries presented itself as a powerful strike force of Estonian Navy between 1918 and 1940.

History

Since the end of the 19th century the Russian Empire began to build coastal fortresses and naval strongholds to Estonia which was annexed to empire after the Great Northern War in 1721. Tallinn having been historically an important trading center between the East and the West became one of the main naval bases of the Imperial Russian Baltic fleet.A systematic coastal defence network and naval gun installations were ordered and the construction works began at the end of the 1890s.

During the Republic of Estonia

Most of the coastal fortifications and fortresses were blown up by the retreating Russians units in October 1917 after the Germans had landed on the islands. During the Estonian War of Independence and after the Treaty of Tartu the Estonia Navy began to rebuild and develop the coastal defence network. During the period of independence from 1918 to 1940 Estonia invested millions of kroons into the renovation and development of the coastal defence. By 1939 the coastal batteries presented a considerable naval force and were considered among the Navy elite forces.

Estonian-Finnish naval defence cooperation

The end of the coastal batteries and the Soviet occupation

During World War II and later the Soviet occupation of Estonia, little has remained of the former coastal defence lines and fortifications. Today some buildings and firing positions can be seen at various places of which the best preserved ones are located on the island of Aegna.

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ http://www.raamatukoi.ee/cgi-bin/raamat?6539
    Military of Estonia:1920-1940. Mati Õun. Page 78.
  2. ↑ http://www.raamatukoi.ee/cgi-bin/raamat?7619
    Estonian Naval Fortresses. Mati Õun. Page 6.

External links

Wikimedia Atlas of Estonia

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