THE RIFLEMEN UNION IN THE INDEPENDANCE WAR

The Riflemen Union (RU) of Lithuania was established on the initiative expressed by the Military Intelligence of Ministry of National Defence and Lithuanian intelligentsia. The purpose of the organization was to consolidate society for a struggle against the enemies of Lithuania.

During the war against Bolshevik, gorillas detachments began to appear which, however had to be united, armed and employed expediently for the fight against the fighters of General Bermont Avalov and the approaching soldiers of Poland. The RU of Lithuania occurred to be the uniting power of the fight detachments to banish the Bermont soldiers out of Lithuania.

The Riflemen took the city of Šiauliai and kept it until own forces had come. It was the most successful operation of RU. During the fights against the soldiers of Bermont, the Union performed according the tactic of gorillas. They were involved in around 100 armed conflicts.

The fighter of Russian General Bermont Avalov had not been banished out yet when the Polish soldiers started robbing local population on the border of Lithuania – Poland. The newly created RU units performed the task to defend the Local inhabitants. When the war broke out with the Poland, RU established four field headquarters to coordinate the RU activities at the front as well as at the rear. There were Riflemen from a small town of Perloja in the Union who distinguished themselves particularly in many actions by beating off the Polish attacks in various parts of South – East Lithuania. Unfortunately, in the tightest point of the struggle, disagreements between the Ministry of National Defence and RU came out that were adjusted by applying the appropriate laws. Not withstanding deny for the need of RU and their patriotism expressed by most of the Officers, the members of constituent Seym acknowledged merits of RU in the struggle for independence. After the fights with Poles were finished, a neutral zone was appointed to be guarded exclusively by RU, led by officers – regional instructors.

For the participation in the fights for independence, members of RU and volunteer creators of the Army were granted a privelage to acquire land on favorable terms.