Memorial stone for Latvian riflemen in Plakanciems
Memorial site

In Plakanciem, Latvian riflemen won their first victory in the historic night battle of October 29, 1915 - only a week after the 1st Daugavgrīva Latvian riflemen battalion had left Riga and started operations at the front. The successful battle of Plakanciems began the heroic struggle of our archers. The night attack near the Misa River also had an invaluable moral significance - no one questioned the fighting abilities of the Latvian archers, they quickly became popular and many Latvians from the Russian regiments joined our national units.

The commemorative stone was made by order of the Ķekava district municipality by the Ķekava district stone processing and restoration company "Akmens prāvaškas centrs "AKM"" - stone craftsmen Guntis Pandars and Pēteris Zvaunis.
Success in the Battle of Plakanciems was ensured by careful continuous four-day reconnaissance, the sudden attack plan prepared by the commander of the 1st company, Friedrich Briež, and the heroism of our soldiers.
The situation at the front at that time was very tense, as German soldiers in several places continued to slowly approach Riga. Near Plakanciems, they recently crossed the river Misa and started to set up a front bridge position, deploying the 2nd battalion of the German 376th infantry regiment and 4 machine guns.
The attack of the Latvian archers was based on surprise, quick action and coordination of various actions. Four hand grenades were issued to each rifleman of the 1st company, 60 soldiers put on their white coats because a thin snow had just fallen. When the attackers crept close enough to the German positions, at 22.00 the signal was given and the strike began. Both of our machine guns fired at both flanks of the enemy so that the Germans could not bring up reserves. Throwing hand grenades, Latvian riflemen quickly stormed the German trenches, Russian artillerymen fired at the bridge over the Misa river and the enemy's main defense line. The enemy soldiers were confused - suffering heavy losses, they retreated across the river and left the bridgehead in the hands of the attackers. One of our companies had defeated an enemy unit four times larger!
Latvian archers lost six fallen - Juri Buteniek, Frici Ārmani, Rudolf Hofmani, Kristaps Krūmiņa, Jānis Nauri and Kirijana Šnurov. They are all buried in the Riga Brothers' Cemetery. Of the eight wounded, two later died - Jāzeps Brūveris (buried in the Pleskodāle cemetery) and Jānis Skuja (buried in the Riga Brothers' cemetery). German losses – 31 soldiers killed, 34 captured and 45 wounded. The attackers received a machine gun and 35 rifles as trophies.