28

p Late October 1941

p Comrade Sailors of the Red Navy,

p We, Baltic Fleet sailors on Dago Island, in this critical hour, vow to our government and Party that we shall fight to the last man rather than surrender our island.

p We shall show the whole world that Soviet sailors know how to die having done their duty to their country with honour.

p Farewell, comrades.

p Avenge our death. Destroy the fascist scum.

p Centre. Dago Island, Takhkun Peninsula.

Signed on behalf of us all
Kurochkin, Orlov, Konkin

p For two months a small garrison on the Moonzund archipelago in the enemy’s rear defended the island of Soviet Estonia. The enemy had to divert considerable forces to deal with this handful of brave men who were killing so many enemy soldiers, sinking ships and shooting down planes.

p The last battles took place on the Takhkun horn, the most northernly tip of Khiuma (Dago) Island. It had fortified positions manned by a small garrison of sailors. On October 12, 1941, the Germans began large-scale landings on the island. Some 30 launches headed for the western beaches, near Nurst. Southwards near Terkma, 15 landing craft with an infantry regiment on board were hovering off-shore. The landings were covered by artillery from Sarem Island, from an enemy 29 cruiser and four destroyers, and by terrific bombardment from the air. The Khiuma defenders opened up on the enemy landing boats. The shore batteries sank about two dozen craft and launches. But the nazis brought up more and more reinforcements. Under cover of darkness they managed to get a landing party ashore and began to advance.

p Soldiers of the 33rd Engineers’ Battalion manned the defences of the southern bank. The battalion’s machine-gunners succeeded in pegging the enemy back. For several days fierce fighting went on all over the island. On October 17, the island garrison retreated to the last outpost of defence. It stretched from Tarest to the west, covering the Takhkun Peninsula.

p The Baltic Fleet Command decided to evacuate the island garrison to Hanko Peninsula. But stormy weather stopped the ships from putting in at the island. Only on October 19 did the launches succeed in taking the Khiuma Island defenders off.

Under constant fire and bombardment, a group of sailors covered the evacuation. Before the last decisive battle the Takhkun defenders wrote their letter of farewell, pledging to defend their native soil until their last cartridge, until their last drop of blood. Having sealed the letter in a bottle, they hurled it into the sea. At the beginning of the winter of 1941 the bottle was picked up in the open sea by sailors aboard a Soviet patrol vessel.