What are the Estonian Defence Forces?
Compulsory military service
Military education
Reserve Force
International co-operation
Chronology of the Defence Forces
Chronology of the Defence Forces
The period of national military units - 1917-1918
1917
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| Estonian armoured vehicles. |
19 April - To create Estonian national military units, the Bureau of
Estonian Military Personnel headed by Arnold Jürgens was established
in Tallinn.
22 April - The mobilisation department of the Russian General Staff issued
an order to concentrate Estonian military personnel in their homeland.
20 May - The Russian Minister of War gave his official permission to
form the First Estonian Regiment. The regiment comprised 32 officers and 3372
soldiers.
23 May - Colonel Aleksander Tõnisson was appointed the commander
of the First Estonian Regiment.
24-26 May - The formation of the First Estonian Regiment was transferred
to Rakvere where the unit achieved its maximum numbers - 118 officers and 10
151 soldiers. Throughout its existence 216 officers and 11 538 soldiers served
in the regiment. The regiment was the base for the creation of national military
units and officers and NCOs from it were commandeered to start new units.
1-5 July - In Tallinn the First Congress of Estonian Military Personnel
was held, representing 50 000 Estonian members of the military, the Supreme
Committee of Estonian Military Personnel headed by Ensign Päts was elected
as the highest representative body.
16-18 October - The First Estonian Regiment was sent to counter the German
landing at the island of Muhu. Because of the anarchy in the Russian army, the
operation was a catastrophe. On the islands the Germans imprisoned 1000 Russian
officers and 20 000 soldiers, including 16 Estonian officers and 1582 soldiers.
Of Estonians 20 officers and 150 soldiers were killed.
21 November - Second Lieutenant Juhan Järver started the formation
of the Second Estonian Regiment at Paide.
6 December - Commissioned by the Supreme Committee, Lieutenant Colonel
Jaan Soots started the formation of the Estonian Division and issued the first
day's order as the acting commander of the division. On 5 January 1918 command
of the division was assumed by Lieutenant Colonel Johan Laidoner who had been
appointed commander of the division by the Supreme Committee, Soots started
to serve as the chief of staff. In the division an infantry brigade commanded
by Colonel Tõnisson was created, Lieutenant Colonel Rudolf Reiman was
superintendent of stores, Lieutenant Colonel Kiiker was in charge of transport
and Dr Hans Leesment served as the doctor.
6 December - The official anniversary of the Staff of Estonian Armies
(the Staff of the Defence Forces). The Fourth Estonian Regiment was formed in
Rakvere on the order of the Commander of the Estonian Division. Nearly 100 officers
and 3000 soldiers served in the regiment.
15 December - The Estonian Engineer Company was formed in Tallinn, comprising
combat engineer and signal units with 30 officers and 400 soldiers.
1918
7 January - Formation of the Estonian Cavalry Regiment. The cavalry
regiment included 500 men.
16 January - Formation of the Estonian Artillery Brigade. The brigade
grew to five batteries with 28 guns. It included 50 officers and 1500 soldiers.
20-26 January - The Second Congress of Estonian Military Personnel was
held in Tallinn, representing 80 000 Estonian military. The congress adopted
a resolution demanding that the independence of Estonia as a state be immediately
proclaimed.
20-24 February - The units of the Estonian Division assumed control everywhere
in Estonia.
24 February - The Rescue Committee proclaimed Estonia independent. The
Estonian Division became the Estonian Army. The division included 750 officers
and 35 000 soldiers, together with men not belonging to the division 1000 officers
and 50 000 soldiers stood in arms in Estonia. The Rescue Committee set up the
Provisional Government of Estonia and Colonel Andres Larka was appointed its
first Minister of War.
28 February - The first day's order to the Army of the Republic of Estonia
was issued. Colonel Larka became the Commander of the Army, Captain Nikolai
Reek was appointed Chief of Staff. Most of the unit commanders retained their
posts, Captain Karl Tiitso became the new commander of the Artillery Brigade,
Captain Kann started to command the Third Regiment and Lieutenant Colonel Rosenberg
assumed command of the Cavalry Regiment.
4 March - To organise Estonian navy personnel, the Navy Battalion under
the leadership of Second Lieutenant August Schönberg was created.
25 March - The first promotion in the Estonian Army took place. Andres
Larka, Ernst Põdder and Aleksander Tõnisson became Major Generals.
15 May - Due to the pressure of the German authorities, the Estonian
Army was dissolved. The creation of the Defence League was started by officers
underground.
The War of Independence - 1918-1920
1918
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| Estonian soldiers in the War of Independence |
11 November - In connection with the capitulation of Germany the Provisional
Government of Estonia resumed work. In this government the Minister of War was
Major General Larka. The first military power at the disposal of the government
was the Defence League commanded by the Minister of War. The league started
its legal activities under the leadership of Major General Põdder, from
14 April the Defence League was headed by Eduard Alwer and from 30 October until
the end of the war by Colonel Juhan Unt. As of 23 December 1918 the Commander
of the Defence League became subordinated to the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence
Forces. By the start of the War of Independence on 28 November 1918 the Defence
League comprised 14 500 men, on the day of the armistice on 3 January 1920 the
organisation included 119 000 men, of whom 46 000 had received military training.
11 November - Official anniversary of the Defence League.
12 November - Decision of the Provisional Government to create a regular
army.
16 November - The Provisional Government declared voluntary mobilisation
of soldiers and compulsory mobilisation of officers. Servicemen of the national
military units were to report to units with respective numbers.
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| Armoured trains in the War of Independence |
21 November - The Provisional Government decided to create a force of
the size of one division, comprising 6 infantry regiments and the necessary
central institutions.
21 November - The Air Half-Company was established at the Engineer Battalion.
By the end of the War of Independence on 22 February 1919 the force that had
become independent as the Air Force had 40 aircraft (28 in active service) and
a personnel of 476.
22 November - The first day's order to the Estonian Army was issued by
the Minister of War.
24 November - With Day's Order no. 2 the high command was appointed.
28 November - The Soviet Russia attacked the Republic of Estonia, the
War of Independence started.
29 November - The Provisional Government declared general compulsory
mobilisation.
7 December - Legal institutions of the army were established.
20 December - Official anniversary of the Estonian Navy. The first Estonian
man-of-war gunboat "Lembit" became ready for active service.
24 December - The Commander-in-Chief formed the Second Division under
the command of Lieutenant Colonel Viktor Puskar.
1919
23 February - Institutions of military command were joined into the
Staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armies under the command of Colonel Soots.
3 April - The Military School of the Republic was founded.
1920
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| Colonel Karl Parts, General Ernst Põdder, Colonel Nikolai Reek |
3 January - End of the War of Independence. The Estonian army lost 5000
men as killed, 14 000 men were wounded. Nevertheless it was the strongest army
on the east coast of the Baltic Sea after the Polish force. Its arsenal included
143 000 rifles, 2000 machine guns and 300 artillery guns, the ammunition stocks
amounted to 130 million cartridges and 300 000 shells.
2 February - The Tartu Peace was concluded.
7 February - Demobilisation started.
27 March - The position of Commander-in-Chief was abolished.
Years 1920-1928
12 September 1921 - The General Staff Courses were established.
29 August 1923 - All military training institutions were joined into
the Joint Military Training Institutions which encompassed the Military Academy,
the Military School with the Post-Graduate Class for training reserve officers,
the Military Technical School and the School of Non-Commissioned Officers, on
the basis of which the Battle School was subsequently founded.
15 March 1924 - The Engineering Battalion was split into the Signal Battalion
and the Pioneer Battalion.
Years 1928-1939
1 October 1928 - The two-year army service period was replaced by one-year
service. The structure of the army used until 1940 was established.
4 October 1930 - The air defence force was reorganised. The Air Defence
Staff was created with 3 single air defence battalions subordinated to it: the
Flying School, the Flying Base and the Air Defence Artillery Staff.
12 March 1934 - The Commander-in-Chief of the Armies was appointed.
1 April 1934 - The territorial principle of army organisation was adopted.
1940
The Soviet occupation started.
Restoration of the Defence Forces
3 September 1991 - The Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia decided
to form defence forces.
4 October 1991 - The government declared mobilisation to the Defence
Forces of men born in 1965-1973.
31 October 1991 - The General Staff of the Defence Forces was re-established.
29 June 1992 - Training of professional staff for the Estonian Defence
Forces was started in Finland.
27 July 1992 - Ants Laaneots is appointed Chief of the General Staff
of the Defence Forces.
4 May 1993 - The Parliament appointed Retired Colonel of the US Army
Aleksander Einseln Commander of the Defence Forces.
13 April 1994 - Staffs of the Air Force and the Navy were re-established.
23 January 1996 - The Parliament appointed Colonel Johannes Kert Commander
of the Defence Forces.
1 October 1999 - Lieutenant Colonel Aarne Ermus became Acting Chief of
the General Staff of the Defence Forces.
6 January 2000 - Lieutenant Colonel Aarne Ermus became Chief of the General
Staff of the Defence Forces.
20 June 2000 - The Army Staff was established.
21 September 2000 - The Parliament confirmed the appointment of Rear
Admiral Tarmo Kõuts as Commander of the Defence Forces.
This is how the units were born
General Staff of the Defence Forces - Government order of 31 October
1991
Officer Courses - directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the
Defence Forces of 9 December 1991
Kalev Single Infantry Battalion - Government regulation of 18 March 1992
Kuperjanov Single Infantry Battalion - Government regulation of 18 March
1992
Viru Single Infantry Battalion - Government regulation of 22 May 1992
Single Radiotechnical Air Defence Battalion - Government regulation of
22 May 1992
Battle School of the Defence Forces - directive of the Chief of the General
Staff of the Defence Forces of 14 December 1992
Single Guard Battalion - Government regulation of 22 January 1993
Orchestra of the Defence Forces - directive of the Chief of the General
Staff of the Defence Forces of 29 January 1993
Tartu Single Infantry Company - directive of the Chief of the General
Staff of the Defence Forces of 6 July 1993
Pärnu Single Infantry Company - directive of the Chief of the General
Staff of the Defence Forces of 6 July 1993
Põhja Single Infantry Company - directive of the Chief of the
General Staff of the Defence Forces of 29 July 1993
Single Signal Battalion - Government regulation of 29 October 1993
Logistic Company - directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the
Defence Forces of 29 June 1994
Estonian Single Peacekeeping Company - Government regulation of 8 July
1994
Defence Forces Training Centre - Government order of 19 September 1995
Navy Staff - Government order of 29 April 1997
Air Force Staff - Government order of 29 April 1997
Naval Base - Government order of 29 April 1997
Airbase - Government order of 29 April 1997
Reconnaissance Battalion - Government order of 13 March 1998
Defence Forces Central Depot - Government order of 13 March 1998
Artillery Group - Government order of 13 March 1998
Mine Countermeasures Division - Government order of 13 March 1998
Estonian National Defence College - Government regulation of 17 March
1998
Army Staff - Government order of 20 June 2000
Defence Forces Health Centre - Government order of 19 December 2000
Defence Forces Logistic Centre - Government order of 19 December 2000
Scouts Battalion (ESTBAT) - Government order of 29 March 2001
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