Battle of Tehumardi

The Battle of Tehumardi (Estonian: Tehumardi öölahing, Russian: Бой у Техумарди, German Schlacht von Tehumardi) was one of the most brutal engagements during the fighting on the Estonian island of Saaremaa (Oesel) in 1944.

The Soviet Moonsund Landing Operation on 29 September 1944 had quickly gained ground. The smaller island of Muhu (Moon) was given up with little organized resistance, as was Hiiumaa (Dago). On 5 October, the Russians landed on Saaremaa. In a reversal of the fighting in 1941, the Germans conducted a quick fighting withdrawal, and planned to make a stand on the easily defendable peninsula of Sõrve (Sworbe).

Two infantry battalions from the German 67th Potsdam Grenadier Regiment from the 23rd Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) had occupied a defensive position on the Nasva river, just West of the city of Kuressaare (Arensburg). They were a part of Kampfgruppe Eulenburg, most of which already had taken up positions on the Sõrve peninsula. The first and second battalions were commanded by Hauptmaenner (Captains) H. Ulrichs and Klaus Ritter, respectively. Together, the reduced battalions mustered about 700-750 men. As they were unable to communicate with their parent unit and they felt increasingly isolated, towards midnight on the 8th the order was given to retreat to Sõrve.

Meanwhile, bypassing the German position on the Nasva, Russian units moved south to occupy positions astride the main road leading to the peninsula. These were elements of the 307th anti-tank Battalion from the Estonian 249th Rifle Division, about 370 men commanded by Major V. Miller. Later that evening, they were joined by the 1st battalion of the 917th regiment, approximately 300 men commanded by Major G. Karaulnov, advancing down a secondary road leading to the small village of Tehumardi, right before the bottleneck of the peninsula. Many of the soldiers in the Russian units were forcibly conscripted Estonians. Due to lack of reconnaissance, the Russians were unaware of the withdrawing German units, and the stage was set for a confused night battle when the forces met head-on.

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