page_title: Meredessantpataljon
section_title: Origins and creation
hierarchical_section_title: Meredessantpataljon / History / Origins and creation
caption_attribution_description: English: Estonian gunboat Lembit. Русский: Эстонская канонерская лодка Лембит.
context_page_description: The Meredessantpataljon, was a short-lived Estonian marine infantry battalion during the Estonian War of Independence of the Estonian Defence Forces subject to the Estonian Navy. The battalion was created from the crews of the Estonian surface warships, students and Finnish volunteer soldiers. The battalion was created and later disbanded in Tallinn after it had fulfilled its military objectives in 1919.
  As common marine infantry tasks include providing security in a warship whilst at sea and reflecting the pressed nature of the ships company and the risk of mutiny. Also other tasks include boarding of vessels during combat or capture of prize ships and providing manpower for raiding ashore in support of the naval objectives, the Estonian Meredessantpataljon was more focused on contributing to the campaign ashores, in supporting of the military objectives.
  Another difference from the usual marines is that the Estonian marines unit was only a temporary military formation. The unit was operational from March to June in 1919. Today there are no marine infantry or marine special force units among the Estonian Defence Forces.
context_section_description: The first pre-marine battalion unit was formed from the warship sailors in February 1919 which also took part in the restoration of order in Saaremaa during the pro-Soviet Saaremaa Uprising.
  On March 5, 1919 the first Estonian marine unit was created which was made up from the crews of the bigger warships, mainly from destroyers ENS Lennuk and ENS Vambola, gunboat ENS Lembit, minesweepers ENS Kalew and ENS Olew, which stationed in Tallinn. The battalion was strengthened further with the Peipus flotilla marines, volunteer students and also soldiers from the major Ekström Finnish volunteer Regiment "Sons of the North". On March 16 the battalion was transferred to Southern Front and had a strength of 293 marines. After arriving to the front the unit received another 28 sailors from the Peipus flotilla. 
  On March 23 the battalion was reinforced with the 4th company and the naval officers platoon along with a 130mm railway gun platform. In total the battalion battle strength was around 400 marines at its peak and it was intended to primarily play a support role in coastal warfare.
caption: Estonian Navy gunboat ENS Lembit.
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