View source for 658th Eastern Battalion

{{Short description|Estonian military unit, part of Wehrmacht}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= Ost Bataillon 658
|dates=
|country= {{Flag|Nazi Germany}}
|allegiance=
|branch= [[German Army (Wehrmacht)|Army]]
|type=
|role= [[Front line|Front-line combat]]
|size= Battalion
|command_structure=[[18th Army (Wehrmacht)|18th Army]], [[XXVI Army Corps (Wehrmacht)|26th Army]]
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|patron=
|motto=
|colours=
|march=
|identification_symbol=
|battles=
|notable_commanders= [[Alfons Rebane]]
|anniversaries=
}}
The '''658th Eastern Battalion''' ({{langx|de|Ost Bataillon 658}}) was an [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]] [[World War II]] military unit of the [[Wehrmacht]] composed of [[Estonia]]ns. It was formed on 23 October 1942 from the merger of the 181st Security Group<ref>{{Cite book|author=Georg Tessin|title=Verbände und Truppen der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945. Band 12. Die Landstreitkräfte 631–800|ISBN=3-7648-1080-7|page=55|year=1975|location=Blissendorf|publisher=Biblio-Verlag}}</ref> and two companies each from both the 183rd  and 185th Security Groups, subordinated under the [[18th Army (Wehrmacht)]]. The 181st, 183rd  and 185th security groups were originally formed on August 21, 1941, for the purposes of securing supply lines and clearing the 18th Army rear area of remaining Red Army troops and partisans,<ref name=hiio/> but were committed to front-line combat duties from October 1941.<ref name=thomas>{{Cite book|author=Nigel Thomas|title=Germany's Eastern Front Allies (2): Baltic Forces|ISBN=978-1-7809-6794-3|page=11|year=2012|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing}}</ref> Captain [[Alfons Rebane]], a former Estonian Army officer, was appointed commander.<ref name = "Gordon Williamson">Williamson, Gordon. [https://books.google.com/books?id=7gv7yPIdQdsC&pg=PA127&dq=Rebane+SS+Hitler%27s+Instrument+of+Terror ''The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror''.] St. Paul, MN: Zenith Press, 2004. {{ISBN|978-0-7603-1933-8}}. P. 127.</ref>
<ref name=hiio>{{Cite book|author=Toomas Hiio|author-link=:et:Toomas Hiio|year=2006|pages=807–824|chapter=Estonian Security Groups and Eastern Battalions in German Army in 1941-1944|editor=Toomas Hiio|editor-link=:et:Toomas Hiio|editor2=Meelis Maripuu |editor3=Indrek Paavle |title=Estonia 1940–1945: Reports of the [[Estonian International Commission for the Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity]]|location=Tallinn}}</ref>
In February 1943 the Battalion was sent to the front near [[Krasny Bor, Tosnensky District, Leningrad Oblast|Krasny Bor]] southeast of [[Leningrad]] where participated in repelling a major Soviet offensive on 19 March 1943. This action resulted in eight Estonians being recommended for the [[Iron Cross]].<ref name=hiio/>  The Battalion was moved to the frontline near [[Lake Ilmen]] in the spring of 1943, then to the [[Volkhov (river)|Volkov River]] 18&nbsp;km north of [[Novgorod]] on May 18. When the Red Army launched the [[Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive]] the following year on 14 January 1944, the 658th Battalion was redeployed during the night to Syrkovo village located north west of Novgorod where it repelled an attacking Soviet division, blocking their advance to Novgorod.<ref name=hiio/> Fighting continued around the area until February 5. For these battles the Commander of the 658th Battalion, Major [[Alfons Rebane]], was awarded the [[Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross]].<ref name=hiio/>
On 15 February 1944, the 658th Battalion, along with the 659th and 660th, were deployed to the [[Battle of Narva (1944)|Narva front]] under the command of the [[XXVI Army Corps (Wehrmacht)|XXVI Corps]]. The Battalion was then subsequently dissolved and its personnel drafted into the 47th Waffen-Grenadier Regiment 2nd Battalion of the newly formed [[20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian)|20th SS Division]] in April 1944.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ost-Bataillon 658 (Estn.)|url=http://wehrmacht.flwgc.org/Gliederungen/OstBataillone/OstBtl658.htm|access-date=2010-04-22|archive-date=2011-09-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902054011/http://wehrmacht.flwgc.org/Gliederungen/OstBataillone/OstBtl658.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=hiio/>
==See also==
* [[Estonian Auxiliary Police]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1942]]
[[Category:Military history of Estonia during World War II]]
[[Category:Generalbezirk Estland]]