From 1 July to 25 October, in the exhibition hall of the National History Museum of Latvia the visitors can get acquainted with an exhibition that depicts the brightest photographs, where Latvian riflemen battles and everyday life moments have been fixed, in such a way a hundred years after the founding of riflemen battalions honouring their achievements and commemorating them.
Volunteers after the application to Latvian riflemen batalions. Rīga, 1915
In the summer of 1915, when the World War I with its inevitable misery and destruction threats approached the territory of Latvia, the Russian State Duma (Council) deputies Jānis Goldmanis and Jānis Zālītis addressed the Latvian community with the appeal ”Gather under Latvian flags!” The German army was approaching Jelgava from Lithuania, where the Germans were suspended mainly due to militia (Home Guard) – recruited from almost only Latvians, the joint working companies of Daugavgrīva fortress battalions. In July, the Germans managed to occupy Kurzeme, Zemgale and Sēlija and reach the Daugava and the border of Rīga.
On 1 August 1915 the North-western front commander-in-chief general Mikhail Alekseyev issued an order to form battalions. The application of volunteers began in Rīga on 12 August, soon application points opened elsewhere. Men aged 17 to 35 years were invited to apply. In 1915 6292 people applied voluntary, from them the following battalions were created: 1. Daugavgrīva, 2. Rīga, 3. Kurzeme, 4. Vidzeme, 5. Zemgale, 6. Tukums, 7. Bauska, 8.Valmiera and reserve battalions. Although starting from 1916, riflemen battalions were supplemented with mobilized persons and Latvian soldiers from other parts of the army, the number of people who applied voluntary exceeded 8 000 people. On 3 November 1916 the battalions were transformed to regiments.
The Latvian Riflemen battalions went on their first fights already in October, 1915 to stop the German attack near Rīga. In summer and autumn of 1916 the riflemen fought in the so-called Island of Death, in January, 1917 at Tīreļpurvs near Ložmetējkalns took place the so-called Jelgava operation or the Christmas battles, where riflemen lost a third of their members, in autumn of 1917 resisted to the German superiority in the battle at the Mazā Jugla – these are the largest battles that riflemen have won.
The riflemen of the 1. Daugavgrīva Latvian riflemen batalion in the Huzar barracs, Rīga, 1916
On merit and heroism on the battlefield large number of Latvian riflemen received Russian military honours – the crosses of St. George and medals of St. George.
Various were the fates of the Latvian riflemen after the World War I. A part remained in Russia and fought in the Civil War on different sides of the front, some participated in the War of Independence in Latvia. In 1920, when peace time begun, many former riflemen, who had spent the last five years fighting, returned to Latvia.