Battle of Tehumardi The battle of Tehumardi was one of the most brutal engagements during the fighting on the Estonian island of Saaremaa ( Osel ) in 1944 . Background . The Soviet Moonzund Landing Operation on the 29th of September 1944 had quickly gained ground . The smaller island of Muhu ( Moon ) was given up with little organized resistance , as was Hiiumaa ( Dago ) . On the 5th of October , the Russians landed on Saaremaa . In a reversal of the fighting in 1941 , the Germans conducted a quick fighting withdrawal , and planned to make a stand on the easily defendable peninsula of Sõrve ( Sworbe ) . German forces . Two infantry battalions from the German 67th Potsdam Grenadier Regiment from the 23rd Infantry Division ( Germany ) had occupied a defensive position on the Nasva river , just West of the city of Kuressaare ( Arensburg ) . They were a part of " Kampfgruppe " Eulenburg , most of which already had taken up positions on the Sõrve peninsula . The first and second battalions were commanded by " Hauptmanner " ( Captains ) H . Ulrichs and K . Ritter , respectively . Together , the reduced battalions mustered about 700 - 750 men . As they were unable to communicate with their parent unit and they felt increasingly isolated , towards midnight on the 8th the order was given to retreat to Sõrve . Russian forces . Meanwhile , bypassing the German position on the Nasva , Russian units moved south to occupy positions astride the main road leading to the peninsula . These were elements of the 307th anti - tank Battalion from the Russian 249th Rifle Division , about 370 men commanded by Major V . Miller . Later that evening , they were joined by the 1st battalion of the 917th regiment , approximately 300 men commanded by Major G . Karaulnov , advancing down a secondary road leading to the small village of Tehumardi , right before the bottleneck of the peninsula . Many of the soldiers in the Russian units were forcibly conscripted Estonians . Due to lack of reconnaissance , the Russians were unaware of the withdrawing German units , and the stage was set for a confused night battle when the forces met head - on . The battle . The Germans ' fear of being stragglers soon proved correct , as the only road already had been cratered by other withdrawing German units . Bypassing this obstacle took some time , the vehicles were slowly pulled across with the help of a recently captured US - made M3 Stuart light tank . Suspecting an enemy presence , the soldiers were ordered to keep as silent as possible , breaking through the enemy positions with a sudden attack . The two battalions split up , the 1st moving along the waterline , the 2nd moving along the main road in parallel , about 200 m distant . Soon the 2nd found themselves marching along a Russian unit , who believing them to be fellow Russians , gave way . Flares fired gave the game away , and battle was joined . The Russians , the 1st battalion of the 917th was quickly overwhelmed , but the Germans then ran into the anti - tank positions of the 370th . The battle degenerated into chaotic hand - to - hand combat in the darkness with heavy losses on both sides , but the Germans broke through . Their actions kept the Russians occupied , however , and the 1st battalion moving along the waterline took no part in the fighting and suffered no losses . Aftermath . The majority of the Germans were able to break through to join the defence of the Sõrve peninsula , but almost 200 men had been lost . Captured German soldiers were shot , as happened consistently during the fighting on the island . Most of the vehicles were also left behind , including the light tank and a self - propelled FlaK gun . The Russians also suffered about 200 men killed , with an unknown number of wounded . The killed included the commander , Major V . Miller . At least one tank and several guns were also knocked out . The action delayed the Russian attack on the peninsula , giving the Germans more time to improve their defences . But the hard - pressed German forces could ill afford losses in equipment and manpower at this stage of the war . After several weeks more of bitter fighting , the Sõrve peninsula , and thereby the entire island of Saaremaa , was evacuated by the Germans on the 23 / 24 November . After the war . To commemorate the battle , in 1967 the Russians raised a gigantic , typical Soviet - style , monument , sword - shaped and made of concrete and dolomite . Several massive concrete slabs with names of the fallen Russians are mounted nearby . Most Russians were buried on the site . Little care was given to the fallen Germans ; as a consequence , most remain missing . References . " Halten bis zum letzen Mann ; Der Kampf um Osel " , Interessengemeinschaft " Osel 1941 - 1944 " , Busum 2004