Battle of Porkuni

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Porkuni


caption=
partof=World War II
place=Porkuni, Virumaa County, Estonia
date=September 21, 1944
result=Estonian forces came out from the pocket.
combatant1= (Estonians)
combatant2=
commander1=
commander2=
strength1=1,500
strength2=10,000
casualties1=~500
casualties2=~1,000|

Battle of Porkuni or Porkuni battle (in Estonian: Porkuni lahing) was the largest engagement between Estonians serving in the Red Army and Estonian volunteers in Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS units. It took place in 21 September 1944 between the Lake Porkuni [http://www.maplandia.com/estonia/laane-viru/tamsalu/porkuni/] and Sauvälja village about 7km north-east of Tamsalu [ [http://www.maplandia.com/estonia/laane-viru/tamsalu/porkuni/] location of the lake] during the Leningrad Front's Tallin Offensive Operation (17 September 1944 - 26 September 1944).

The Red Army's 8th (Estonian) Rifle Corps surrounded about 1500 Estonians in German uniforms, retreating from Tannenberg line in the Sinimäed area.

In the following battle above 500 surrounded men got killed, around 700 were captured. The reds had machine guns and mine-throwers supported by artillery and tanks. The Estonians in German uniforms had only small arms and panzerfausts.

The villagers buried 273 killed Estonians in German uniform. In the Red Army Corps lost 73 men killed, of which 57 had Estonian names.

References