Devintasis pėstininkų Lietuvos kunigaikščio Vytenio pulkas

• LKA leidinių archyvas: knygos tekstas

LTGarbingoje tarpukario Lietuvos kariuomenės pulkų istorijoje išskirtinė vieta tenka Devintajam pėstininkų Lietuvos kunigaikščio Vytenio pulkui, kuris 1940 m. birželio 15 d. SSRS okupuojant Lietuvą vienintelis, paklusęs Lietuvos Respublikos prezidento nurodymui, bandė priešintis okupacijai. Skirtinga buvo ir šio pulko kūrimo istorija. Jis pradėtas kurti ne Krašto apsaugos ministerijos įsakymu, o Joniškėlio apskrities visuomenės pastangomis. Tai – vienintelis Lietuvos kariuomenės dalinys, kurio ištakos buvo partizaninis pasipriešinimas, vykęs dar prieš susikuriant reguliariosios kariuomenės vienetams. [iš teksto, p. 5].

ENThe history of the formation of the 9th Infantry Regiment of the Lithuanian Duke Vytenis is radically different from other regiments of the Lithuanian Army. The beginnings of the regiment were formed by the efforts of Joniškėlis county society at the end of 1918 in the Bolshevik-occupied land without any order or instruction from the Lithuanian Government, without any state appropriations, first as militia and later as partisan units. Even the most basic combat tools - weapons were purchased by partisans from their enemies. It was the only unit of the Lithuanian Army, the origins of which were the partisan resistance that took place even before the establishment of the units of the Lithuanian Regular Army. Until the Joniškėlis partisan battalion was incorporated into the Lithuanian Army, they were maintained not from the funds of the Ministry of National Defence, but from the funds of the county municipality and through public support. Since the beginning of April 1919, when the Panevėžys group of the Lithuanian Army approached with the battles nearing Joniškėlis, Joniškėlis partisans recognized the Lithuanian military leadership and a “separate partisan death battalion” was formed and included in the regular army. It defended the Mūša-Lėvuo river front line in larger or smaller battles against the Red Army. Under the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of 10 July 1919 the battalion was named Joniškėlis Battalion from 20 June, and was incorporated in the Second Brigade of the Lithuanian Army. The same order as in other units of the Lithuanian Army was gradually established in the battalion. The battalion became an ordinary unit of the Lithuanian Army, ending the period of partisan struggle. The formation of the regiment into a regiment of 3 battalions was not finished until mid-April 1920, during a relatively quiet period at the front.This circumstance reveals the difficult conditions under which the Lithuanian Army was rebuilt. Fighting for the freedom of Lithuania, the regiment fought against the Red Army and the Poles in 1919–1920. After a successful attack at the end of August 1919, the battalion occupied the front line along Dauguva and defended it until the beginning of 1920. Since 20 January 1920, already being the 9th Infantry Regiment, it was transferred to positions against the Poles in the positions of Kalkūnai-Turmantas and along the border with Latvia. During the attack on Lithuania by the Polish Army group of general major L. Želigovskis, two battalions of the regiment defended Vilnius, under the pressure of overwhelming forces, withdrew from the positions of Bajorai-Didžioji Riešė, covering the entire northern part of Lithuania. The regiment also took part in the legendary battles for Giedraičiai and others, showing a lot of perseverance and dedication. After the end of the Strugles for Independence, the regiment continued to exist in war conditions until May 1923 - guarded the location of the demarcation line with Poland with the forces of one battalion. Although the regiment suffered losses in carrying out this task, in general it performed the task well. After the regiment transitioned to peacetime conditions in May 1923 and relocated to a permanent location in Marijampolė, the main task of the regiment was to train, teach, and educate soldiers and non-commissioned officers in the event of extreme conditions. Here the regiment was no different from the other regiments. The training of soldiers was carried out according to the prepared training programs, their knowledge and skills were tested during various maneuvers, exercises, announced menaces and other activities. Particular attention was paid to the education of soldiers.The standard routine with various inspections on a regular basis was gradually established, followed by the rectification of deficiencies, traditional spring and autumn maneuvers, various sports and other festivals, and so on. After the end of the struggle for independence in the 1920s and early 1930s, Poland, which had occupied the Vilnius region, was considered to be the main enemy of Lithuania, and thus the enemy of the regiment as well. After the escalation of relations with Germany and especially after the occupation of the Klaipėda region by Germany, the regiment soldiers were being prepared for a possible military confrontation with both the Polish and the German armies. The regiment, as a cover regiment, was preparing very intensively for possible enemy aggression from the side of Poland and Germany. Plans to stop the enemy were drawn up, the area was thoroughly explored. The good preparation of the regiment is evidenced by a partial mobilization of September 1939 carried out in the regiment quite smoothly, transforming the regiment according to the requirements of the wartime cover regiment. The regiment’s soldiers were not only trained militarily, but there was intensive cultural and educational work carried out in the regiment as well. Many soldiers came to the service completely illiterate. The regiment provided them with opportunities to learn to read and write, to acquire other knowledge of general education, learn the history of the country, and to educate soldiers in the spirit of patriotism and love for their country. Soldiers were shown plays, concerts, they were taken on various trips, shown movies, and had lectures read for them. All this greatly broadened the general horizons of the soldiers. Conditions to engage in sports were created. Football, sport shooting, and gymnastics were especially popular in the regiment. [...].