Lithuanian Dragoon Half-Regiment
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| Lithuanian Dragoon Half-Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Lietuvių dragūnų divizionas | |
| Active | December 9, 1917 – March 3, 1918 |
| Country |  Russian Republic |
| Branch | Russian Army (1917) |
| Type | Dragoons |
| Size | 1 officer, 3 NCOs fulfilling officer duties, 200 soldiers (February 1918)[1][2] |
| Part of | 12th Army |
| Commanders | |
| First and only commander | Juozas Mikuckis |
The Lithuanian Dragoon Half-Regiment (Lithuanian: Lietuvių dragūnų divizionas) was a Lithuanian unit of the Russian Army that operated in Valka/Valga (now Latvia and Estonia, respectively) from late 1917 to early 1918 and which was also one of the first 20th-century Lithuanian military units, together with the Lithuanian Reserve Battalion.[1] It was two squadrons strong.[1][3]
Formation
Many Lithuanian served in the cavalry of the Russian Army during World War I.[3] In November 1917, the officer Juozas Mikuckis learnt at the 12th Army's Lithuanian Soldiers' Congress that there are 100 Lithuanians in the 20th Finnish Dragoon Regiment.[3] He offered to organize them into a Lithuanian dragoon squadron.[1] Throughout the unit's existence, its commander was Juozas Mikuckis.[1] Mikuckis was originally an infantry officer and thus commanding a cavalry unit proved challenging, but he was helped by the cavalry wachtmeisters and non-commissioned officers.[3]
At the initiative of Mikuckis and others, the request to form a Lithuanian dragoon squadron was approved by the command of the 12th Army of the Russian Army's Northern Front in late 1917.[1] Organizational work began after the permission and Mikuckis put in a lot of effort, even going so far as utilizing his acquaintances from his days in the Kaunas gymnasium.[3] Mikuckis was also aided by the doctor general V. Gintala, who considered himself a Lithuanian.[3]
December 1917 – Spring 1918
On December 9, permission was obtained from the 12th Army's command to form not only a squadron, but a larger unit - a half-regiment (divizion) that was two squadrons strong.[3] Then, the command of the 12th Army sent telegrams to all its units that they were inviting Lithuanians to the half-regiment.[3]
On December 16, Wachtmeister Jonas Eidukaitis arrived in Valka (now Latvia) with 50 dragoons.[3] The squadron was formed in December 1917 from roughly a hundred Lithuanians in the 20th Finnish Dragoon Regiment as well as other units.[1] A total of 120 soldiers and 83 horses were assembled and so, the formation of a second squadron began.[1][3] A second squadron was quickly formed, and J. Ruškys was appointed as its commander.[3]
The half-regiment's provisions were taken care of by the 12th Cavalry Division.[3] In February 1918, the half-regiment contained more than 200 soldiers with horses.[1]
On 18 February 1918, after the end of the Russo-German armistice and the German Empire's Operation Faustschlag against Soviet Russia, the Lithuanian Dragoon Half-Regiment retreated with the 12th Russian Cavalry Division towards Pskov.[3]