Battle of Bey (Babeck) I Wars of Independence

The Battle of Beja, or the Battle of Babecka, was a battle during the Latvian War of Independence on February 22, 1919, at Beja Parish House and Parish School in Kolbergis Parish between the Finnish Volunteer Regiment "Northern Boys" and the soldiers of the Soviet Latvian Army. Known in Finnish history as part of Operation Aluksne (Finnish: Marienburgin operaatioon).

Finnish volunteers, together with the Kuperjanov Battalion of the Estonian Army, liberated Valka on February 1, 1919. Before the liberation of the city, the Finnish-Estonian combined forces fought a heavy battle near the manor of Paju on the territory of Estonia, where parts of the Latvian Red Rifle members of the Soviet Latvian Army fought against them. 40 Finns were killed and 90 injured in these battles. On January 31, the Estonians, together with Finnish volunteers, occupied the city of Valka and entered the territory of Latvia. During the implementation of the operational plans of the Estonian Army Command, Estonian and Finnish units continued their attack in February 1919 to reach the line Ainaži-Sedas-Ape-Irboska. Contrary to the intention and strategic plans of the Commander-in-Chief of the Estonian Army, General Juhan Laidoner, the Commander of the Finnish Volunteer Hans Kalm (1889-1981) 19. in February gave an order from Valka to go to Aluksne. On the morning of February 21, the Finns captured Aluksne, losing three officers and 15 soldiers in battle. On February 22, an Estonian armored train arrived on the Valka-Alūksne railway.

On February 22, Finnish volunteers from Aluksne headed for the Russian border, but a collision with Red Army soldiers took place near Bay. 10 Finnish soldiers fell in the Battle of Beja: Ahola Lauri, Hillilä Erki, Kattainen Aatu, Kaakinen Paul, Kejonen Juho, Kuttinen Toivo, Murto Leo, Nieminen Vihtori, Schöneman - Soriola Eino, Eino General. They are almost all buried in the cemetery of the Finnish soldiers in the Bay of B ..

Finnish soldiers returned to Alūksne and on February 24 took part in the parade of the first anniversary of the proclamation of Estonia's independence, but on February 26 returned to Valka.

More information sources

Juris Ciganovs. Finnish "Northern Boys" fights in Latvia. SARGS.LV, 10.01.2015: https://www.sargs.lv/lv/ Tarpkaru-periods/2015-01-10/somu-ziemelu-zenu-cinas-latvija#lastcomment

Cemetery of the Finnish Soldiers' Brothers in Baja: https://timenote.info/en/Somu-karaviru-Bralu-kapi-Beja

Related objects

Memorial stone to the Finnish Volunteer Regiment "Boys of the North"

Located in Alūksne, Jāņkalna Street 52, near Alūksne Narrow Gauge Railway Station.

On February 23, 2019, to mark the centenary of the Latvian War of Independence, a special memorial was created at the initiative of the Association of Independence Fighting Traditions (Finland) to honor the fallen Finnish volunteers, with a special boulder and information board. The memorial stone to Alūksne was removed from the Salpa line in Finland, which was built in 1940-1944. to protect the eastern border of Finland. The 1,200 km long Salpa line is one of the most important lines of defense in independent Finland, as well as one of the strongest and best-preserved defenses of its kind in Europe since World War II.

The stone brought to Aluksne symbolizes the struggle for independence of two nations - the Finns and the Latvians. A group of Finnish volunteers "Northern Boys" went to help Latvians protect the freedom of the new Latvian state. On February 21, 1919, the "Northern Boys" took part in fierce battles around Alūksne (Marienburg). After a five-hour battle at Alūksne railway station, the Finns occupied Alūksne. 23 Finnish volunteers were killed and many injured in the fight.

Related stories

Battle of the Finnish Boys' Regiment "Northern Boys" in Beja

On February 23, 1919, an intelligence unit of the Finnish Volunteer Regiment "Northern Boys", hoping to obtain additional armaments and ammunition, reached the cliff of the river Beja School, where a collision with the Bolsheviks took place (Battle of Babeckas). 10 soldiers of the Finnish regiment fell in this battle.