Latvian Riflemen
The Latvian Riflemen (Latvian: Latviešu strēlnieki; Russian: Латышские стрелки, romanized: Latyshskie strelki) were originally a military formation of the Imperial Russian Army assembled starting 1915 in Latvia in order to defend Baltic governorates against the German Empire in World War I. Initially, the battalions were formed by volunteers, and from 1916 by conscription among the Latvian population. A total of about 40,000 troops were drafted into the Latvian Riflemen Division. They were used as an elite force in the Imperial and Red armies.
| Latvian Riflemen | |
|---|---|
| Latviešu strēlnieki Латышские стрелки | |
1916 uniform of the Latvian Riflemen | |
| Active | July 1915 – 1920 |
| Country | Russian Empire (1915–1917) Soviet Russia (1918–1920) White Movement (1918–1920) |
| Branch | Imperial Russian Army Red Army White Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | ~ 40,000 |
| Part of | Russian 12th Army |
| Engagements |
|
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Augusts Ernests Misiņš Andrejs Auzāns Jānis Francis Frīdrihs Briedis Jukums Vācietis Mārtiņš Peniķis Roberts Dambītis |
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.