11. IN FINLAND
As mentioned in the chapter on Erna group, there were Estonians serving with the Finnish Army. At start they served spread in different units, but in time they were concentrated in a single unit battalion, which was later expanded to a regiment.
III/JR47
At the beginning of the Finnish Continuation War, many Estonians served with the mainly Swedish volunteer battalion in the Hanko front. When the Soviets evacuated Hanko the volunteer battalion was disbanded and many Estonians were placed in III/JR47 ( 3rd battalion, Infantry Regiment 47). This battalion was commanded by major Claes Gripenberg, a nephew of Marshal Mannerheim. major Gripenberg took interest in Estonians and in the autumn of 1942, after some lobbying, he managed to have all new Estonian volunteers sent into his battalion.
In Estonia, the Estonian SS-legion was immensely unpopular and only a small amount of men volunteered. To get more men the Germans declared in March 1943 a mobilization for all men born in 1919-1924. Another mobilization was carried out in October, this time for men born in 1925-1926. These illegal call-ups were disliked and many Estonians managed to avoid service. However, for many men the only way to avoid service in the detested German SS was to escape to Finland. By the end of the year 1943 nearly 3000 estonian men had made their way to Finlandand ca 75% of them volunteered for the Finnish army. In spite of German pressure the Finnish Government continued takin n Estonian refugees, some of whom had even deserted from German units in order to get to Finland.
In November 1943 III/JR47 was mainly Estonian and there were more Estonians than were needed for a single battalion. Therefore it was decided that a larger Estonian unit be formed. Estonians saw in this unit a nucleus for a reborn Army of the Republic of Estonia, a truly national force without any German or Soviet influence. Accordingly, volunteers were trained as officers, non-commissioned officers and in various specialist duties. The intention was to create a totally Estonian regiment.
JR200
The new unit, JR200 (Infantry regiment 200) was to have two battalions instead of the usual three. (Training)
The first battalion, I/JR200 or the former III/JR47 had more experienced personnel and therefore, when the Soviet attack commenced in June 1944 in the Karelian Isthmus, this battalion was immediately sent to the front line. After heavy fighting I/JR200 was ordered to man defensive lines near Viipuri, where it was hoped that the Soviet attack could be stopped. The second battalion, II/JR200was also sent to the same area, but the regiment did not fight as a whole, since I/JR200 was subordinated to the Cavalry Brigade. By the time II/JR200 reached the front, the main Soviet attack had lost its momentum, although the Soviets made frequent fierce attacks in order to outflank the main Finnish positions in the north and east of Viipuri.
By July 10th the Soviet attack was finally over and JR200 was stationed by the bay of Viipuri. There the regiment was attached to a German division, which was not helpful to the morale of Estonian soldiers. Luckily, JR200 was soon moved to another part of the front. With the situation more quiet, the regiment was partly reorganized and the men used time time in training and building fortifications. At this stage both of the battalions received Estonian commanders. Captain Voldemar Pärlin was to command the first battalion and major Joann Peiker was ordered to command the second.
Back Home
By the end of July 1944 the front had to moved to Estonia after the Red army had captured Narva. In this situation and with the front line stabilized in Finland, it was self-evident that most of the Estonian volunteers wished to return home and fight the common enemy there, in defence of their own country. The Finnish High Command agreed with the Germans that the Estonian regiment would be allowed to return with a full amnesty for all personnel, including those who were deserters in German eyes. Only four named men were excluded, including captain Karl Talpak, who had been active in the Estonian anti-German resistance and one of the initial activists in the matter of creating JR200. Also, it was agreed that the regiment would be joined to an Estonian formation as a unit.
When the terms had been agreed upon, the opinion of the volunteers was asked with the result that 1752 men decided to go back home and 239 men decided to stay in the Finnish army. Those who remained in Finland, where formed into a separate company and after the war most of these men emigrated to Sweden.
The ship with the main body arrived in Estonia on August 19th and the Germans sent the regiment by train to a camp near Tallinn. Word of the return of the Soomepoisid (Finland's boys or Boys from Finland) had spread and the regiment was welcomed by enthusiastic crowds shouting encouragement themselves encouraged by the existence of a true Estonian military unit.
Soon the feelings were damped. German officials separated the regiment and only I/JR200 was sent to the front where it was attached to the Estonian SS-division as the third battalion of IR46 (III/IR46). The first battalion was sent to training. This was in accordance with the German policy of avoiding Estonian units larger than a single battalion.
In Battle
III/IR46 was rushed to South near Tartu and ordered to attack the Soviet bridgehead there and after this continued fighting until forced to retreat to Latvia in the second half of September. Captain Pärlin, the battalion commander was wounded and had later died of his wounds, so lieutenant Pärnoja took over as a last commander of this battalion. Many of the battalion's soldiers refused to retreat from Estonia and chose instead to continue the fight as guerillas from the forest.
The second battalion was in training and its own officers had been separated from their men and sent to other Estonian units or to training in SS training centres. Some small groups of men were sent to the front as replacements and many more men escaped from the training centres and joined Estonian units, especially the former I/JR200 by own initiative. Just before the final German retreat II/JR200 was sent to Tallinn and left there without any clear orders. There were rumours of Estonian government taking over and some of the men abandoned their positions to go and protect the government buildings whereas others started confiscating arms from fleeing Germans which led to some fighting between the Germans and Estonians. The battalion soon melted away without officers and without orders. Few men of this battalion managed to escape from the advancing Red Army.
