Jaunmuiža and the 1st Latvian Separate Battalion
Battle site

Nowadays Jaunmuiža, formerly Jaunāmuiža, is a populated place in Kuldīga Municipality and is located on the road Skrunda - Ezere, 7 kilometres. The settlement was established on the site of the former half-manor house of Jaunā manor (Neuhof).

On 3 March 1919, an intense battle took place for this place between units of the 1st Latvian Separate Battalion led by Colonel Oskars Kalpaks and units of the 2nd Soviet Latvian Rifle Regiment.

On 3 March 1919, Operation Tauwetter (Thaw), the liberation of Courland, began, in which the VI Reserve Corps of the German Army, with the Landeswehr and its 1st Latvian Battalion, launched an offensive across the front with the intention of pushing the Bolshevik units back to Lielupe. In the early morning of 3 March, units of the 1st Latvian Separate Battalion - Cēsis Company, Student Company and Cavalry Division, reinforced by the artillery battery of German Hauptmann Müller, crossed the Venta at Lėnai and attacked the Jaunai Manor, defended by the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Soviet Latvian Rifle Regiment. During the several-hour-long battle, gradually occupying the houses in the vicinity of Jaunā muiza, Kalpaka's commanded units reached Jaunā muiza and intercepted the Skrunda-Pampali highway, interrupting the enemy's movement and pushing the enemy eastwards. In Jaunāmuiža the battalion received stationery and ammunition as trophies. Taking up positions in nearby houses the battalion fortified itself. On 5 March the Bolshevik counter-attack began, which was stopped by the evening. On 6 March the battalion resumed the attack, taking the Skrunda school and advancing towards the Airite - Aizupji area.