| This unit had its origins in the Estonian SS Legion which was first formed on the 28th of August, 1942. Wikipedia: Division - Battles at Narva In January 1944, the 20. Estnische SS-Freiwilligen-Division began formation. The majority of the troops were drawn from the 3. Estnische SS-Freiwilligen Brigade, however elements from Ost Battalions Nr. 658, also known as Pups of Rebane (="Fox") and Nr. 659, the 287.Polizei-Füsilier-Bataillon and the returned Estonian volunteers of the Finnish army unit Infantry Regiment 200 were also absorbed into the division. On 8 February 1944, the division was attached to SS-Gruppenführer Felix Steiner's III SS (Germanic) Panzer Corps, currently defending the heavily pressured Narva bridgehead. The division was to replace the remnants of the 9. and 10.Luftwaffe-Feld-Divisions, which were struggling to hold the line against a Soviet bridgehead near Siivertsi. Upon arriving at the front on 20 February, the Estonians were immediately ordered to eradicate the threatening Siivertsi Soviet bridgehead. In nine days of heavy fighting, the division had pushed the Soviets back across the river, and restored the line. The division remained stationed in the Ssivertsi sector, being engaged in heavy combat. In May, the division was pulled back and reformed as the 20. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (estnische Nr.1), and the returned Narwa battalion was absorbed into the division as the reconnaissance abteilung. By that time active conscription of ... |
