Monument to the memory of those who fell in the Latvian War of Liberation in Bozova, Ludza region
Memorial site

In Kārsava, Ludza municipality, in the Brothers' Grave section of the Bozova cemetery, a concrete monument designed by architect P. Pavlovs has been erected in memory of those who fell in the Latvian Liberation War. A black granite memorial plaque is attached to the monument with the inscription: "In memory of those who fell in the Latvian Liberation Struggle from November 1918 to August 11, 1920. I put my head on a hedgehog, To protect my father's land, It was better to take my head, Than my father's land. 1928."

The monument was unveiled on September 9, 1928 and cost 700 lats. A 75 cm high fence and gate were built around the cemetery according to the project of Capt. Ž. Birznieks, and an entrance to the monument with a terrace was installed.

Buried in the cemetery: Zaņķe Alma, Vidz. division; Zamurs Jānis, Vidz. division; Kurmis Jānis 5th C. k. regiment; Klētnieks Pēteris, 5th C. k. regiment; Apinis Augusts, 6th R. k. regiment, Drāvers Osips, 5th C. k. regiment; Dzenis Jānis Kārļa d. 6th R. k. regiment; Stekergatefs Atis, Vidz. division and six unknowns.

Memories of the liberation of Latgale from the publication "Lāčplēsis" of the Cavaliers' Society of the Lāčplēsis War Order, 1934

During the War of Liberation, Ludza County was one of the last regions of the country to be liberated – at the beginning of 1920.
As soon as Bermont-Goltz's forces were crushed in Courland, the High Command, under the command of General J. Baložs, began moving troops to Latgale to clear it of the Red Army. In the New Latgale - Rēzekne, Daugavpils and Ludza regions, the Red Army had considerable forces, rich in artillery, machine guns, armored trains and other technical means.
Of our troops, which were still very poorly supplied with clothing and with very different and worn-out weapons, the following units took part in the liberation of Ludza County: the 1st Liepāja, 2nd Ventspils, 3rd Jelgava, 4th Valmiera, 9th Rēzekne, Latgale partisan regiments and the Landeswehr, as well as the relevant artillery and other units. The Šķaune district was cleared of Bolsheviks by units of the Polish army.
The difficulties of our troops are characterized by the fact that at 26 degrees Celsius, the soldiers were dressed in thin coats, summer hats, and without warm shoes.

Various memoirs about the course of the Liberation Struggle:

The first to be liberated was Nautrēni parish. The 11th battalion of the 1st Liepāja Infantry Regiment, under the command of Captain Ērglis, operated here. On the 14th of the 8th I. piiks, the 5th company occupied Laigali, after which, due to difficulties in other areas, the battalion was forced to stay for a few days.

11. I. The 6th Company reached the Pilniki-Mikitān-Rekļevka line, and the 5th Company reached the Karānī-Meikali line. (The overview is given from north to south.)

3. I. at 19 o'clock the battalion had already reached the line:
Lazdova–Dekteri–Desetniki Maigļi–Rogovka (which was occupied by the 8th company). Drikaški–Stropici–Dranki; the 5th company near Zaļmuiža obtained trophies: 10 horses. At night, the enemy, supported by armored trains, tried to counterattack the 5th company from Grivdinis, but without success.

14. I. at 13 o'clock our units have already taken the line: Grivdinieši–Strodi–Meikulāni–Blisēni.
The L Battalion of the Latgale Partisan Regiment (about whose activities little information is available), coming from Kokoreva, occupied Kārsava and its surrounding settlements.

The battle at Kārsava was fierce and lasted several days. The enemy could not accept the return of the Rēzekne district from traffic with Pliskava, which happened with the capture of the Kārsava station. Therefore, large Red forces were gathered around Kārsava: parts of four different regiments, an armored train and others.

A participant in the fighting, res. First Lieutenant Tālivaldis Lepše, who was the commander of the 1st Company of the Latgale Partisan Regiment, recounts the events as follows:

In order to capture the Kārsava station, where, according to local residents who were favorable to us, there was a Bolshevik railway battalion with several armored cars, as well as about one company of Bolsheviks and a brigade of railwaymen at the disposal of the station commandant, I divided my forces into two battle groups. The first group, consisting of a half-company and a reconnaissance team (180 riflemen, 2 heavy machine guns and 2 light mortars), under my command, launched a frontal attack in the direction of the Kārsava station, while the second half-company (150 riflemen and 2 heavy machine guns), under the command of Lieutenant Jaeger, moved from the first to the left, making a bypass maneuver with the aim of stopping the movement of trains towards Jaunlatgale and helping the first half-company with fire and a flanking attack.
On the way from Saļņeva farm to Kārsava station, we relatively easily managed to clear all the villages and farms of the Bolsheviks, and they hastily retreated with requisitioned barns towards Kārsava station and the town.
At the railway embankment, a natural obstacle that could be used as a position for riflemen, the Bolsheviks put up serious resistance. Approaching the station, several train sets, as well as individual freight cars, could be seen through the telescope. One train had a smoking locomotive at the front. As our forces approached, this train began to move and headed in the direction of Jaunlatgale. Shortly after, increasing machine-gun and rifle fire could be heard behind the station; occasionally, the thunder of artillery was also heard - there our second group attacked the approaching
for the Bolshevik train. The station was crowded with Bolshevik soldiers: they hurried to take up positions along the many buildings of the station, in the windows of the houses and on the railway embankment. Since another maneuvering locomotive could be seen at the station, which could take a train at the last moment, perhaps even in the direction of Rēzekne, I instructed the reconnaissance team leader with two minelayers to move along the railway embankment, reach the railway, and damage it with mines.
When the half-company was no more than 8-900 steps from the station, the Bolsheviks opened machine-gun and rifle fire, which at first forced the partisans to stop for a moment. After a small reorganisation, we continued the attack with great vigor and the fierce battle continued for a couple of hours. We approached the station step by step.
step by step, until finally, in a swift blow with loud battle cries, we knocked the Bolsheviks out of the station.
The second half-company had already reached the railway line and was moving towards the station. However, it had not managed to stop the departing Bolshevik train; a couple of lowered telegraph poles did not stop the train.
At Kārsava station, in addition to prisoners and weapons, we also obtained large trophies: 110 wagons, 4 locomotives, several large tanks and barrels of kerosene, wagons with ammunition, coats and shoes, which were especially useful for the poorly dressed partisans, then another 24 telegraph and telephone sets and more.

By then evening had arrived. Immediately established communications with the battalion headquarters reported that the attack
The city of Kārsava had not succeeded. Our cavalry had suffered losses in the attack and been forced to retreat.
In order to find out the situation in Kārsava itself, I decided to conduct an intensified reconnaissance at night. When entering Kārsava, everything was quiet. On the way and even near the city itself, the partisans did not encounter a single guard post, but on Malnavas Street they were met with heavy rifle fire from both sides of the street.
While returning to Kārsava station late at night, heavy rifle fire suddenly began. The Lithuanians attempted to attack the station, but they failed, as the partisans quickly repelled the attack.
The next morning, the Bolsheviks repeated the attack on the station, but in a much more organized manner. Behind the forest adjacent to the station, in the direction of the village of Kaskāni, a battle broke out; when the partisans counterattacked, the enemy was thrown back with losses. In this battle, we found that private residents of Kārsava, several Jews, had also participated in the battle on the Bolshevik side.
Having regrouped our forces, a new attack on the city of Kārsava was made as follows. South of Kārsava, over the railway line, the 11th Company went, an infantry squadron attacked the city frontally, while two platoons of the 1st Company with the assigned reconnaissance team attacked from the direction of the Kārsava station. This half-company, under my command, also managed to knock the Bolsheviks out of the city and was the first to enter it. The second half-company, under the command of Lieutenant Jaeger, led the attack from the station in the direction of Kaskāni. This day's attack was crowned with good success, because by evening the 1st Company
occupied the line Kaskāni—Malnava. North of Kaskāni was the 3rd partisan company under the command of Capt. Lāčis, which had also reached the highway, south of Kārsava – the 11th company, and in the city was the battalion headquarters.

The units operating in the Kārsava–Malnava sector had another day of severe trials, as the Bolsheviks, having gathered large forces, went on the offensive again. In Kaskāņi, where one platoon of the 1st company was located, the enemy's superior force broke through and the platoon was forced to retreat towards the station. In order to level the front, it was also necessary to withdraw the 1st company from Malnava to Kārsava, although its three platoons withstood and repelled repeated attacks by the Bolsheviks.

The 11th Company was also pushed back to the railway. In order to restore the previous position and regain the strategic points, a counterattack was prepared. To the commander of the 3rd Company, Lācis
was ordered to advance with half a company from Michalčenki to Kaskāni and knock out the Bolsheviks from there. At the same time, the entire 1st company and the 11th company went on the counterattack. After fierce fighting, as darkness fell, the Bolsheviks were knocked out of Kaskāni and Malnava for the second time and the situation was restored along the entire line.

The following characteristic episode occurred during the battles around Kārsava. On January 20, the commander-in-chief of our army, General J. Balodis, visited the front, that is, the very first lines, accompanied by the division commander, General K. Berķis, some of his closest employees, some superiors, and the heads of military missions of France, England, and the United States.

Arriving in Malnava, the commander-in-chief led his companions to the edge of the manor park, from where a wide view of the Red Army positions opened up, which surrounded our position, which was pushed far forward. The confident action of our commander-in-chief provoked fierce enemy fire,
and from different sides, as the frontline observers got caught in the crossfire.

This visit to the front gave our soldiers and also foreigners new proof of the outstanding soldierly qualities of our Commander-in-Chief.

On the 20th of January, parts of the 1st Liepāja Infantry Regiment occupied Rogokalns near the Rēzekne–Rītupe railway.

The 1st Battalion of the Latgale Partisan Regiment, moving forward again after capturing Lemesheva, Rudneva, and Zastenskije, positioned itself on the line: Buznikova–Zelcheva–Banderi–Kabilova, after which it was replaced by units of the 4th Valmiera Regiment.

21. I. col. 8. 4. Valmiera kp I. battalion, under the command of captain Spulģis-Spulģis, arriving from Jaunlatgale at Kārsava station, began unloading from the wagons. Beep. 12. battalion (accompanied by an armored train) began an attack along the railway in the S.-W. direction, and beep. 15. took Apanasi and Dzirkalavu with a battle, but beep. 16.30 — Mičuri. Arriving here, I encountered i. Liepāja kp, the Valmiera battalion turned to Martužani, on the way to Livzinieki
withstanding the battle with the Reds. Then the battalion split up: the 1st company went to Kabilova, but it turned out that it had already been taken by the Latgale partisan regiment. The remaining companies moved towards Stiglav and at 9 p.m., together with the 5th company of the 1st Liepāja kp, occupied the town. Continuing the advance, the battalion knocked out the enemy from the Skrituli and Pudanova farms. In the evening, the battalion units were positioned: the 4th company in the Pudanova and Kapacheva farms, the 2nd company in Slobodki and the Skrituli (Skritrivki) half-manor, and the 3rd company in the battalion reserve in Stiglav.

The 4th company found out late at night that the enemy had also left Michalova, so the company moved there on the 24th, parts of the 1st Liepāja Infantry Regiment reached the area today: the 5th company followed Stiglav, the 6th company Stiglav village and the 7th company – Ūdrenieki to Ječupe, the 10th, 11th and 12th companies (3rd bat.) under the leadership of Capt. Vaivodas withstood the Red attack on Śesteri.

After Rēzekne was also captured on January 21, the 2nd Ventspils Regiment (Captain Ezeriņš of the Regiment) L Battalion under the command of Captain Audze and the 111th Battalion under the command of Captain Grosvalds approached the borders of Ludza County. On January 22, they almost reached the borders of Ludza County: Cirmas Lake
western edge, but due to the strong frost (25 degrees Reamur) they were forced to remain passive until January 26th.

The Lenaidnieks meanwhile retreated towards Zilupe. German guards were also operating south of Ludza.

22. I. 4. Valmiera Infantry Regiment beeps. 8 launched an attack again. The 5th company of the 11th battalion (capt. Kažociņš) leaving Zelčeva and not encountering the enemy, went through Kalnasala and Zabarovje. Near Kostigovka, the company encountered an entire enemy battalion, with 4 heavy machine guns, which after the battle was driven over the current state border and beeps. The 17th occupied Poroškis on the other side of the border. The enemy retreated, abandoning the fallen.

The 6th company also left Zelčevo along the Goliševa highway. A clash broke out near Pokuli, but it was over. At 12.15 it took Pokuli, after which (behind the 8th company) it took Goliševa without resistance and crossed the Lža (Ludza) River – the current state border.

The 8th Company, passing through Banderi, encountered Red Army resistance near Baranovka and Antonovka, which was broken. A small firefight also broke out near Golisheva, but the enemy retreated everywhere. The 1st Company advanced towards Trupi and also Antonovka. When it reached Baranovka behind the 8th Company, it turned out that the latter had been taken by the Reds again. After a short battle, the enemy retreated.
The 4th Company reached the Lielbati–Mazbati–Dektereva line in the evening.
1. Liepāja kp also started moving beep. 8. 5th and 6th companies under the command of Lieutenant Bergmanis from Stiglav through Pirogova reached Mērdzeni (parish district). 7th and 9th companies under the command of Lieutenant Sērdiķis went along the road Ūdrenieki, Pušmucova to Staupinka. 8th and cyclists under the command of Captain Helmanis went through Yakulinska–Pušmucova to Šmati. The squadron is already beep. 7th, moving through Stiglav–Mērdzeni–Staupinkai–Lāči, reached Lielmediševa, where they took the roads to turn back the red retreat.
23. I. 1. In the Liepāja kp area, the enemy fiercely attacked Šmati and temporarily took them from us. After capturing Smati, the 2nd battalion, led by Capt. Ērgļis, reached: Rūzari–Ceri–Kausinieki–Lāči–Smati–lvdri, but the 1st battalion, led by Capt. Grīnbergs, occupied the line: Ciganovka, Kaziniki, Aizpuri, Rekova, Ūdeņi. The enemy suffered significant losses.