Hello, forgive me if this is the wrong part of the forum. I’m trying to find details about my grandfather, Kristjan Loogus and thought this community might offer some assistance.
From stories that I was told, Kristjan Loogus served as part of a volunteer force of Estonians at Stalingrad where he was injured. He managed to evade Soviet capture and eventually made his way to Britain.
I’ve determined that the only known unit to have served with Estonians primarily was the 36th Police Battalion - however I was unable to find further documents to verify whether he was indeed a part of this unit.
If anyone has any documents or advice for tracking down military records of this nature that would be greatly appreciated.
I can do my best to translate any responses via Google which is what I have been doing.
Kristjan Loogus
Re: Kristjan Loogus
Hi,
i didn't find any info about a soldier with this name. Do you have some additional information, like date/place of birth? Are your sure about the spelling of the name?
Best regards
Christian
i didn't find any info about a soldier with this name. Do you have some additional information, like date/place of birth? Are your sure about the spelling of the name?
Best regards
Christian
Re: Kristjan Loogus
Probably this one:https://www.geni.com/people/Kristjan-Lo ... 9171406857 - mentions Narva batallion without any links to source
Document links in geni: birth record:
Another document linked in geni is from Estonain archive in Lakewood, USA
Some keywords about his background: primary education, agricultural worker, unmarried. No mention of his militarty service. Another document I found is his "seaman record":
Keywords: unmarried, beginner seaman, speaks german and estonian Checked postwar Estonian newspapers abroad, only mention of him was from 1972, when he visited Toronto
No results from Estonian Archival Information System (https://ais.ra.ee/) or any other publicly accessible domestic database I could think of
http://sakala.ee/kogume-pärandit
Re: Kristjan Loogus
The first Geni link you have found is indeed him. He died in Huddersfield, in Britain. He was born in 1918, in Estonia. It is likely he would have also known German as he married a German wife and brought her to the UK, which is how I ended up here.
We have documents and pictures of him in the UK but his service history is patchy and he did not recount many stories of the war - though service at Stalingrad was one of them as well as capture by the Allies. He had other Estonian friends whom he had served alongside also in the UK.
The spelling could indeed be different in records I’ve seen on the Geni record he could have been born Logus and / or Kristian.
I am named after him, so I am fairly sure the first name spelling would have been Kristjan.
We have documents and pictures of him in the UK but his service history is patchy and he did not recount many stories of the war - though service at Stalingrad was one of them as well as capture by the Allies. He had other Estonian friends whom he had served alongside also in the UK.
The spelling could indeed be different in records I’ve seen on the Geni record he could have been born Logus and / or Kristian.
I am named after him, so I am fairly sure the first name spelling would have been Kristjan.
Viimati muutis kdaniel, N Apr 20, 2023 5:12 pm, muudetud 1 kord kokku.
Re: Kristjan Loogus
Actually that last newspaper clipping must have been him, he never returned to Estonia but he did visit Canada once when he was young to visit relatives and friends.
Re: Kristjan Loogus
I did find a mention of Johannes Loogus which according to Geni is a potential brother of his?
I’m not familiar with what this DB is or how to access the data it contains.
https://ais.ra.ee/en/description-unit/v ... 9100000557
I’m not familiar with what this DB is or how to access the data it contains.
https://ais.ra.ee/en/description-unit/v ... 9100000557
Re: Kristjan Loogus
I sent that info with private messagekdaniel kirjutas: ↑N Apr 20, 2023 2:04 pm I did find a mention of Johannes Loogus which according to Geni is a potential brother of his?
I’m not familiar with what this DB is or how to access the data it contains.
https://ais.ra.ee/en/description-unit/v ... 9100000557
http://sakala.ee/kogume-pärandit
Re: Kristjan Loogus
Thanks all for your help, I deeply appreciate it.
I’m guessing individual records from Battalion Narwa and such units are fairly limited? I’ve reached out to the person who manages the Geni profile to see if they can provide any documents and evidence as suggested on the profile.
I’ve determined Kristjan was born somewhere south of Tartu I believe, around Võru County. It appears there is a trail of documents as you have found that links him to joining the merchant navy of some kind after the war.
The ship on the Naval record, is the S.S “Patrick M” which was a British cargo vessel for a while, this would explain how he eventually came to live in the UK.
https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?156319
I’ve been unable to locate any documents from his service, only the stories I have been left with. However, I do remember meeting him before he passed away. He had bad shrapnel injuries across his entire body, particularly his leg that left him unable to walk properly and an injury from a mortar that left him without proper sight in one of his eyes.
This would confirm he must have been part of some sort of military unit given the injuries he sustained.
I’m guessing individual records from Battalion Narwa and such units are fairly limited? I’ve reached out to the person who manages the Geni profile to see if they can provide any documents and evidence as suggested on the profile.
I’ve determined Kristjan was born somewhere south of Tartu I believe, around Võru County. It appears there is a trail of documents as you have found that links him to joining the merchant navy of some kind after the war.
The ship on the Naval record, is the S.S “Patrick M” which was a British cargo vessel for a while, this would explain how he eventually came to live in the UK.
https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?156319
I’ve been unable to locate any documents from his service, only the stories I have been left with. However, I do remember meeting him before he passed away. He had bad shrapnel injuries across his entire body, particularly his leg that left him unable to walk properly and an injury from a mortar that left him without proper sight in one of his eyes.
This would confirm he must have been part of some sort of military unit given the injuries he sustained.