Kuperjanov Partisan Battalion

Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion
Kuperjanovi jalaväepataljon
Insignia of the Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion
Active	1918–1940 1992–present
Country	Estonia
Branch	Estonian Land Forces
Type	Infantry
Size	Battalion
Part of	2nd Infantry Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Taara Army Base, Võru
Nickname(s)	Kupp kuperjanovlased ("Kuperjanovans") partisanid ("Partisans")
Anniversaries	23 December
Engagements	Estonian War of Independence Battle of Tartu Battle of Paju Battle of Cēsis Krasnaya Gorka operation
Commanders
Current commander	Lieutenant Colonel Toomas Tõniste
Notable commanders	Julius Kuperjanov

Estonian War of Independence

The Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion (Estonian: Kuperjanovi jalaväepataljon) is a battalion of the Estonian Land Forces. It is a part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade. Battalion headquarters is at Taara Army Base, Võru, and is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Toomas Tõniste.

Julius Kuperjanov was a school teacher who was commissioned into the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and served as a commander of partisan and reconnaissance units. In 1918, he joined the Estonian Army at the beginning of the Estonian War of Independence. On 23 December 1918, Kuperjanov received permission from Colonel Ernst Limberg, commander of the 2nd Division, to form a special purpose partisan unit. Kuperjanov's unit initially consisted of 37 volunteers and was based at Puurmani manor. New volunteers continued to arrive and the unit soon grew to 600 troops, becoming Tartumaa Partisan Battalion. On 13–14 January 1919, the battalion took part in liberating Tartu from the Red Army. After taking back Tartu, the battalion began moving south towards Valga. On 30 January 1919, the battalion reached Paju manor, where they met strong resistance from the Red Army. Tartumaa Partisan Battalion won the ensuing Battle of Paju, but Kuperjanov was badly wounded during the battle and died shortly after on 2 February 1919. Following his death, the battalion was renamed Kuperjanov Partisan Battalion in his honour.