Verner Hans Puurand (until 1938 Puurmann; 14 September 1904 – 12 June 1983) was an Estonian Naval officer and politician. From 1973 to 1977 he was a minister of Estonian government-in-exile.[1]

He was born in Tapa parish, Estonia. In 1928 he graduated from Tondi military school.[1]

In the 1930s, he was sent to Britain to supervise the construction of two submarines for the Estonian navy, the Lembit and the Kalev.[2]

In 1939 he was temporary commander of the submarine Kalev. During World War II, he collaborated with the Germans.[3] In 1944 he fled to Germany, then later to Australia. He died in Brisbane in 1983.[1]

Since he is regarded as the founder of the Estonian submarine fleet, a monument to his memory was unveiled in his birthplace, the village of Naistevälja in Tapa parish, Lääne-Virumaa county, on 25 June 2014.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Verner Puurand – Mereviki". mereviki.vta.ee. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Naistevälja Verner Puurand". monument.ee. Retrieved 3 September 2022.
  3. ↑ "Hans Verner Puurand: Eesti hümni kuulmine toob iga kord pisarad silma". Virumaa Teataja, 11. september 2011
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