Formation
The Estonian SS Legion had by April 1943, increased its numbers enough to form a brigade sized formation and was even able to dispatch a battalion, the Narva Battalion, to the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking to replace the departing Finnish Battalion who's members had come to the end of their contracts.
The new 3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade had by November 1943, 5,099 men and was ready for active service. The Estonian conscripts had been promised that the brigade would only be used in the defense of Estonia. This promise was not kept; in October the brigade was first allocated anti-partisan duties in northern Belarus where it dealt a crushing blow to the Rossony Partisan Republic. At the end of October, the Red Army managed to break through the German lines after intense fighting in the nearby Nevel section of the front. Since the German command had no reserves in the area, the Estonian Brigade was rushed to the front-line where it managed to push the Soviets back 5-15 kilometers by 13 November.
The Brigade was put under command of the VIII Corps of Army Group North. The brigade suffered severe losses fighting against numerous Red Army assaults and was eventually forced back to Opochka and transferred to the I Army Corps. It was then decided to create an Estonian Division and use the Brigade to form the cadre of the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division der SS (Estonian Number 1).
Read more about this topic: 3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade
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