captain-major verner hans puurand a recognized estonian military officer and politician

Eva JänesTamsalu Gymnasium

Verner Hans Puurand can be considered the most famous person who has ever lived in Tamsalu. His farmhouse was located in Naistevälja village.

born in Narva on 27 September 1904

1928 graduated from the Military

School in Tondi as Lieutenant Junior

joined the Navy1935 – 1937 in England

supervising the construction of submarines to Estonia

Since 1939 the Commander of the submarine KALEV – one

of the two submarines the Estonian Government ordered from England right before the war.

Submarine KALEV

Submarine LEMBITU

1941 liberation battles of Tallinn, Pärnu, Paldiski, Aegna,

Hiiumaa and Saaremaa

1942 – 1944 Head of the German Intelligence School in Leetse

1944 promoted to Captain-Major

Since 1945• active in the US Military Government• liberation of Estonian war prisoners

1946 organised the formation of American Work and

Guard Battalions from Baltic soldiers

1948went to live in Brisbane, Australia together with his

family

24 February 1974 promoted to Navy Captain

1973 – 1977 the Exile Minister of the Estonian Government

1977 – 1983 the Exile Minister of Economy of the Estonian

Government

born in Tallinn in 1932 worked on a cargo ship in Australiastudied to be an electrical engineerpresented a rare photo album to the archives of Estonia (materials about the birth of the submarine KALEV)2009

visited his father’s home in Naistevälja

Died on 12 June 1983 and was buried in Brisbane