Estonian Reservist Mobilization Staff, 1929.

This is a photograph of a group of Estonia soldiers—Linde, Strezeletsky, Kuusmann, Siigur, and the rest of the boys. I first thought they might be from the cavalry, but reader T.B. kindly corrected me. In fact, these are infantrymen, and the "R" on the tunic collar stands for "Rahvaväe ülema asutused". This was the structure responsible for mobilization of reservists in 12 Military Regions. In the front center of the group is an officer is flanked by non-commissioned officers. Some of the men in the back are in civilian clothes or have just come out of the shower. The officer has sword slings on his belt but no sword at the moment. I do not know what his arm brassard could be. Note that two types of tunics are being worn: one with larger buttons and open all the way down the front, and another with three smaller buttons on the front neck opening that does not go all the way down the front.

Page by Mark Conrad, 2020.