Commander Hugo Helmanis's reconnaissance mission of November 14, 1919

Our left neighbor, the Latgale partisan regiment, was in a very uncomfortable position. Communication with the rear was greatly hampered by forests and swamps. Their regiment commander decided to advance and took up previously designated positions in order to improve the position of his regiment. Unable to carry out this intention without the participation of our 2nd battalion, the partisan commander contacted our then battalion commander, Captain Ērglis. Considering the swampy area, the position of our battalion was also not enviable; therefore, Captain Ērglis promised, on his own responsibility, to support the partisans, in order to give us the opportunity to leave the swamps behind and take up more advantageous positions. This happened on October 31. In fierce clashes with the numerically stronger enemy, ours threw the Bolsheviks across the Iča River and strengthened along it. This step of personal initiative later turned out to be absolutely correct.

The unpleasant, previously described swamp gap was now left behind. At the beginning of the liberation of Latgale, our battalion had already been brought forward and was in advantageous positions. The situation of our front: the front line runs along the Ķeibe and Iča rivers. Since the fields between Sola and Zvidzieni were open, the latter were guarded by cavalry patrols, because the swamp and lake were frozen.

The day before, I received an order to come with the company to the battalion. From Āboliņi itself, we again walked with all the machine guns through the half-frozen swamp to Sola. Sola was taken from us without a fight, because the Bolsheviks had already left it. The next day, we took a new guard area, first along the Iča River in the village of Saksmaļi, and later along the Ķeiba River in Zosoļi. The company headquarters was located in Starija Zamok. The Reds retreated a good distance back. Their nearest guard post was in Kvapani. Even further, the "revkoms" of Domopolje and Bykovo, the militias and other bands of lykeži went into the leaves.

It was completely understandable that, having lost almost the entire Domopolje parish, they, together with the Red Army, would double their never-satisfied demands on those residents who were destined to find themselves in the new Red Front zone.

On the morning of November 14, the soldiers brought several Ivdinis to the company headquarters, who were very eager to talk to me. On behalf of the inhabitants of Ivdinis, they asked for help and with tears in their eyes told about the oppression of the Reds. In the coming days, they were going to requisition many cows and sheep, motivating their actions by the fact that Ivdinis was a "white gyrevna". Having thoroughly inquired about the enemy's situation, I dismissed the worried peasants, promising help, for which they were sincerely grateful. Not wanting to leave the unfortunate inhabitants subject to all kinds of abuse, I decided to organize a punitive expedition even today. Thought - done.

At 20:00, 20 soldiers arrived at the company headquarters in Starij Zamok, and some time later Sola remained behind. We froze in the neutral zone. Winter was already in full force. Heavy snowflakes,

Driven by the howling wind, we wrapped ourselves in cool white sheets, and, catching our breath, pressed our eyes to the sad natural scenes of Latgale for a short moment, when the storm subsided a little. Soon the snow clouds came up again and covered them again.

Moving forward quietly, 1 1/2 kilometers from Kvapanie we turned off the road and went left, crossing the snow-covered fields, passing Kvapanie and Ivdiņi. The gusts of wind reached us less often: we walked between trees and bushes. We sank up to our knees in soft snow; we waded among the silent fir trees. One by one they bent down and, covering the nearest disturber of peace with their white winter burden, slowly, as it were, raised their relieved branches; everything was quiet around. Thanks to the big blizzard, — this time our best ally, we surprised the red post near Ivdiņi, who, after questioning, showed us in which house the Red Army men were. Having reached the indicated house, we quietly surrounded it. Together with the great soldier Vitkovski (a native of Liepaja), we slowly opened the door and went inside. Some of the Red Army men were lying on their backs at the back of the room, snoring, while others were sitting around the table, passing the time with cards, playing "eyes". A lamp embedded in the wall gave off a faint light. Weapons stood stacked in the right corner of the room. The players were so engrossed that they did not notice our presence. The dealer, with trembling hands, opened the card, looking at its edge. He won and asked what else was going on. On the table was a pile of "kerenki" and "soviet" money. No one had the courage...

I suddenly approached and said in a raised voice: "I was in a bank!" The clap of thunder could not have made a greater impression, - the silence of the grave was the answer. The "Choms", having turned into pillars of salt, looked at me with open mouths. like a ghost. One of them said with trembling lips: "Bieliye!" Recovering from the first fear, some were about to jump to their feet, but I shouted: "Ni s miesta, ruki vverch!" The soldiers came in and seized all the weapons. Having called the red elder, I got the Bolshevik password from him: then, having learned that two red army men were still standing at the posts, I ordered him, together with two of our soldiers, to "replace" them. We captured 17 red army men without firing a shot. From the prisoners I learned that their company commander had gone to the nearby village of Mytiva, and it was not known when he would return. Excited by the success and knowing the area well from the previous reconnaissance, I decided to visit Kvapani as well, which was guarded by 22 "choms". The soldiers enthusiastically said: "The more, the better!" Besides, we wouldn't have to make the excessive detour, but go straight home. However, we had to act very carefully, quietly and quickly. Having removed the telephone, we moved with all the prisoners to Kvapani. I left the Reds under the supervision of 10 soldiers at the Rēzekne River, but told the rest to approach Kvapani carefully. "Stoi, kto idjet?" someone called out in the darkness. We were already close. We stopped. I went forward and answered: "Svoji!" "Propusk?" — "Žnur!" — "Proehodji!" Soon I found the speaker himself at the barn and snatched the rifle from the stunned Red Army soldier's hands. We learned that there were 17 people standing in Stary Dvor, and four in Kvapanos.

We woke the sleeping Reds without any disturbance and invited them to follow us. Hearing the signal, the remaining unit also arrived. I asked the deputy commander of the Bolshevik company if everyone was there; he replied that, except for the commander himself, the company was full. When we counted the prisoners, we found a considerable number - 39 men.

We collected trophies, headed back to "our white Latvia". We arrived in our company at 10:00. A little later I arranged the prisoners in a marching column. I placed one soldier behind the line, in the place of the sergeant major. I mounted my horse and gave the command: "March on," after which I rode forward. I ordered the prisoners to sing, which they tried their best to do. "Chubariki, chupchik, kalina" echoed in the walls of the houses on the side of the road. Passers-by were amazed to see this strange company. We stopped at the battalion headquarters. It didn't take long for a crowd of curious soldiers and local Latgalians to gather. Having instructed the Red Army men to receive the battalion commander with dignity, I entered the headquarters. The battalion commander had just left for the front, which is why his deputy, Senior Lieutenant Mednit, came out. He shouted: "Zdrovo krasnoarmeici!" One greeted better than the other: "Zdravija želajem tovarišč komandir, visokoblagorodije, gospodjin oficer!"

The nobles were already ready to go to the regimental headquarters when the soldiers brought a newcomer. It turned out to be the company commander himself. After a fun night spent returning the next morning and seeing that the company entrusted to him had been "stolen" by the whites, he immediately went after the company, "what good is it if my own people shoot me like a dog!" he said during interrogation.