1st Division ( Estonia ) The 1st Division was one of the four Estonian divisions created during the Estonian War of Independence , which was active till the Soviet occupation of Estonia . Since the restoration of independence in 1991 there are no divisions currently among the Estonian Defence Forces . History . On 16 November 1918 , the Estonian Provisional Government made the decision to create an armed force of volunteers . It was decided that army would consist of a single division which would have six infantry regiments , one cavalry regiment , one artillery regiment , and one engineering battalion . Major General Aleksander Tõnisson was assigned commander of the division , with Colonel Jaan Rink as chief of staff . However , when the Estonian War of Independence started on 28 November 1918 with the Soviet attack on Narva , the Estonian Army numbered only 2 , 200 to 2 , 300 men , with the bulk of the fighting actually conducted by the paramilitary Defence League . Soviet forces included the 6th Red Rifle Division at Narva and the 2nd Novgorod Division south of Lake Peipus . After losing at Narva a period of retreat began for the 1st Division . Advancing against weak Estonian defences the Red Army captured Valga on 18 December , Tartu on 22 December , and Tapa on 24 December . In order to conduct a more flexible defence of South Estonia , a separate 2nd Division was formed on 24 December under command of Colonel Viktor Puskar . By the end of the year the Soviets had advanced to within of the capital , Tallinn . By the beginning of 1919 the Estonian Army had been increased to 13 , 000 men , with 5 , 700 on the front facing 8 , 000 Soviets . The strengthened Estonian Army stopped the 7th Red Army ' s advance on 2 – 5 January 1919 , and went on the counter - offensive on 7 January . Tapa was liberated two days later with the support of armoured trains , followed by Rakvere on 12 January . With the aim of capturing Narva , a 1 , 000 strong Finnish - Estonian force was landed at Utria on 17 January , in the rear of the 6th Rifle Division , cutting off the Soviet forces west of them . On 18 January Narva was liberated . Subsequently , the north eastern front stabilized along the Narva river . Over the course of 11 days the 1st Division had advanced . After repulsing the Soviet forces in North Estonia the 1st Division was involved in active combat near Narva . During spring the Red Army made several unsuccessful attacks against 1st Division positions . By April 11 , 000 Estonians of the 1st Division were facing 16 , 000 Soviets near Narva , during which the main Soviet effort was concentrated in South Estonia . After the White Russian Northern Corps ' ( later renamed to Northwest Army ) offensive against Soviet forces began to fail in June at the hands of the 7th Red Army , the front was stabilized on Luga River and Saba River with support of the 1st Division . In July and August the 1st Division was involved in heavy fighting with Soviet forces in that area . At the end of September 1919 , the Northwest Army had initiated a new attack on Petrograd , but was repelled by the Red Army in November . The 7th and 15th Soviet Armies advancing behind the collapsing White Russian forces continued to attack fortified positions along the Estonian border near Narva . The first clashes took place on the Luga River on 16 November , starting the final battles of war with 120 , 000 Soviets facing just 40 , 000 Estonians . After repeated attacks on the fortified Estonian positions , the 7th Red Army managed to achieve limited success . At the end of November the situation on front calmed as the Soviets needed to replenish their forces . In order to exert pressure on Estonia in the peace talks , intensive Soviet attacks resumed on 7 December . On 16 December there was critical breakthrough , with the 15th Soviet Army crossing the Narva River , however the Estonian counter - attack the following day successfully pushed the Soviets back . The Estonian high command actively reinforced the 1st Division at Narva during the fighting , dispatching the 3rd Division command , while general Tõnisson became commander of whole Viru Front . He was replaced as 1st Division commander by Colonel Otto Heinze . After suffering 35 , 000 casualties in the heavy battles , the Red Army was completely exhausted by the end of December . A ceasefire came into effect on 3 January 1920 . Post war 1st Division staff was based in Rakvere . Since 1 February 1940 , the division was made up by the Narva Military District and Viru - Järva Military District . Order of battle . The unit order of battle in 1918 : The unit order of battle in 1939 :