On 28 November 1918, the Red Army crossed the Narva River. This date marks the start of Estonia’s War of Independence. After capturing Narva, the Red Army continued its rapid advance. At the beginning of January 1919, the Bolsheviks were only 40 km from Tallinn. However, the tide of the war soon turned against them with defeats in the battles at Valkla, Priske and Kehra. This was followed by an offensive of the Estonian forces in which the armoured trains often played a decisive role. On 24 February 1919 (first anniversary of the Republic of Estonia), the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Johan Laidoner, was able to report that the enemy had been driven out of Estonia. Estonia was liberated in less than two months.
To commemorate the centenary of those events, the Estonian War Museum – General Laidoner Museum has, in cooperation with the EV100 Programme of the Government Office, AS Eesti Raudtee and AS Operail, built the broad-gauge armoured train no. 7 “Wabadus” ("Freedom") featuring an exhibition of the War of Independence and the armoured trains.
In January 2019, the train will drive from Kehra to Valga, tracing the movement of the front line in 1919. In cooperation with local authorities in railway stations, it will provide an opportunity to recall the breakthrough battles of January 1919 and other events of that time.
VISITING INFORMATION
