Study - Union of Defense of Estonia 1934-1940

Estonia

Union of Defense

Kaitseliit

1934 - 1940

 

 The Estonian defense system included the volunteer paramilitary organization " Kaitseliit " ("Defense Union"). The servicemen assigned to "Kaitseliit" wore military uniforms, only the emblem of the Union was attached to the collar - an eagle holding a shield with three lions in one paw, and a sword in the other. But for the members of the Union, their own special uniform and system of insignia were established. The Estonians began to form naval units of "Kaitseliit" quite late, only by the beginning of 1934 were naval units formed and in the summer of that year, all those listed in them (about a thousand people) acquired the appropriate uniforms.

The command staff and officers were issued a uniform for officers and long-term servicemen of the navy, which included the following items:

• a coat - black cloth, double-breasted with turned-down lapels, four buttons on each side, side slit pockets with flaps, a figured strap at the back, fastened with two buttons
• an open double-breasted jacket made of black cloth, four buttons on each side, with side slit pockets with flaps and a breast slit pocket, two small buttons on the cuffs
• a white shirt with a black tie
• trousers black cloth, straight cut, worn outside
• a single-breasted jacket, five buttons along the side, with a stand-up collar, two breast patch pockets with flaps and two side slit pockets with flaps
• a cap made of black cloth with a black fibre visor and a black chin strap, with an emblem on the front band
• black boots (low boots)

 

1. The uniform of the command and management staff (specialists) is in a double-breasted jacket.
2. The uniform of the command and management staff is in a double-breasted jacket.
3. Sailors' uniform
4. Sailors' light uniform
5. Summer uniform for command and officer personnel in a tunic.
6. Dress uniform for command and management personnel in a frock coat
7. Sailors' uniform in a pea coat.
8. Winter uniform of command and management personnel in a coat and winter hat.

 

Ordinary members of the Union were issued the uniform of conscript sailors:

• uniform shirts made of white and blue material with a turn-down light blue collar, along the edges of which were three yellow stripes (the shirts differed from the shirts of the Russian fleet in that the slit on the chest was fastened with two small buttons, and the cuffs were straight and did not fasten)
• black cloth, straight trousers with a lapel, worn loose
• a double-breasted pea coat of black cloth, six buttons on each side, a turn-down collar, side slit pockets with flaps. The pea coat was slightly different from the pea coat of the Russian Imperial Navy and in cut somewhat resembled a shortened coat
• black leather half-boots or shoes
• a peakless cap with a black ribbon, a bow on the left side, the name of the base (unit) or boat (motorboat) and an anchor on the ribbon, a three-color (blue-black-white) cockade on the crown, in the summer a white cover could be put on the peakless cap

For the command staff, there was also a dress uniform. This uniform included the following items:

• a peaked cap, as with the everyday uniform
• a double-breasted frock coat made of black cloth, with five buttons on each breast, vertical slit pockets with flaps at the back, two buttons on each flap, a turn-down collar and turned-down lapels, two small buttons on the cuffs
• trousers, as with the everyday uniform
• a white shirt with a black tie
• black leather half-boots or shoes
• white gloves
• a ceremonial belt 4 cm wide trimmed with gold braid with a herringbone pattern, on a gold buckle an emblem
• a laurel wreath in which an eagle holds a shield and a sword in its claws

 

The emblems on the caps were similar to those of the naval officers with some changes. For the command and command staff, the emblem was a pentagonal shield with an anchor, the shield was framed by eight oak leaves, and above the shield was a "Kaitseliit" eagle in a figured frame. The specialists had an emblem similar in composition, only the anchor was placed in a round shield, the shield was framed by two oak leaves, and in a simplified frame was a cockade with the territorial coat of arms of the detachment's location (in Estonian terminology - squad).

The insignia consisted of a combination of straight gold braid of varying width (narrow - 1 cm, medium - 2 cm), large gold and silver six-pointed stars and small silver hexagons, as in the ground units. The insignia were placed above the cuffs on the sleeves of the frock coat, coat, jacket, and also on the shoulder straps of the jacket.

Union of Defense rank insignia

 

For officials of special services and persons holding certain positions, special sleeve insignia were established - above the braid, in accordance with the position held, a yellow quadrangle 55 mm high and 40 mm wide with rounded corners, edged with a gold cord, was sewn on, and on the field of the quadrangle, a drawing of the emblem of the service or specialty was embroidered with blue thread
Union of Defense special insignia 

The author has no information about what changes were made to the uniforms and insignia of the naval units of the Defence League after its approval and up to 1940, when all paramilitary units of the Republic of Estonia were disbanded after Estonia became part of the Soviet Union.