Battle of Bey (Babeck) I Wars of Independence
The Battle of Beja or Battle of Babecka was a battle during the Latvian War of Independence on February 22, 1919, near Beja parish house and parish school in Kolbergi parish, between soldiers of the Finnish volunteer regiment "Northern Boys" and the Soviet Latvian Army. It is known in Finnish history as part of the Alūksne Operation (Finnish: Marienburgin operatsässa).
Finnish volunteers, together with the Kuperjanov battalion of the Estonian army, liberated Valka on February 1, 1919. Before the liberation of the city, the combined Finnish-Estonian forces fought a heavy battle near Paju Manor on Estonian territory, where they were fought by units of the Latvian Red Riflemen of the Soviet Latvian Army. In these battles, 40 Finns died and 90 were wounded. On January 31, the Estonians, together with the Finnish volunteers, occupied the city of Valka and entered Latvian territory. Implementing the operational plans of the Estonian army command, Estonian and Finnish units continued their offensive in February 1919 to reach the line Ainaži-Sedas River-Ape-Irboska. Contrary to the plan and strategic plans of the commander-in-chief of the Estonian army, General Juhan Laidoner, the commander of the Finnish volunteers, Hans Kalm (Hans Kalm, 1889-1981)19. On February 21, the Finns took Alūksne, losing three officers and 15 soldiers in the battle. On February 22, an Estonian armored train arrived along the Valka-Alūksne railway.
On February 22, Finnish volunteers from Alūksne headed towards the Russian border, but a clash with Red Army soldiers occurred near Beja. 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 Kenraali. Almost all of them are buried in the Finnish soldiers' fraternal cemetery in Beja.
Finnish soldiers returned to Alūksne and participated in the parade marking the first anniversary of the proclamation of Estonian independence on February 24, but returned to Valka on February 26.
More information sources
Juris Tsiganov. Catfish “Northern Boys” fights in Latvia. SARGS.LV, 10.01.2015.: https://www.sargs.lv/lv/interwar-periods/2015-01-10/south-north-zenu-china-latvia#lastcomment
Finnish Soldiers Brothers Cemetery in Bay: https://timenote.info/en/Finnish-soldiers-Brothers-Cemetery
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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 Volunteer Regiment "Northern Boys" in Beja
On February 23, 1919, a reconnaissance unit of the Finnish volunteer regiment "Boys of the North", hoping to obtain additional weapons and ammunition, arrived at the Beja School ravine, where a clash with the Bolsheviks took place (Battle of Babecka). 10 soldiers of the Finnish regiment fell in this battle.