Operation Red Trek. Ensuring Estonian Freedom

9 October 2018 – 30 June 2019

The exhibition in the experience room of the Seaplane Harbour tells the story of the tense first months of the Estonian War of Independence at sea.

At the time, the First World War had just ended and a Soviet Russian invasion to the territory of the brand new Republic of Estonia was expected. Keeping the enemy at bay was possible only thanks to foreign aid and the Navy; without those, the entire Estonian War of Independence could have lost its momentum.

At the exhibition, visitors can enjoy the activities of the British squadron, led by Admiral Edwyn Alexander-Sinclair, which came to help upon request from Estonia. The exhibition shows their treacherous journey from its beginning in November 1918 to military action on the Gulf of Finland in January 1919. For the first time ever, the British squadron’s exact route to Tallinn, which was riddled with minefields, can be seen on a digital map.

Previously unpublished material has been used in the exhibition, which also provides information about the complicated and even chaotic situation of the initial months of the War of Independence. In addition to the actions of the Navy, we can see the political will of the United Kingdom to give public support to the attempts of the Baltic countries to reach independence.

These events, which started a friendship between Estonia and the United Kingdom that persists to this day, are also described in the online exhibition that complements the exhibits at the Seaplane Harbour: ukandestonia.ee.

Curator: Arto Oll, Estonian Maritime Museum
Partners: British Embassy Tallinn, Estonian War Museum, Imperial War Museum, Museum of the Estonian Struggle for Liberty
Design: Kärt Maran and Tuumik Stuudio
Project manager of the exhibition: Teele Siig, Estonian Maritime Museum
Project manager of marketing: Marge Rahu, Estonian Maritime Museum