Military Monday - Swedes in WWI

Today is 100 years since the outbreak of World War 1 and there for my post will be about the Swedes who took part in the war.

Almost 20 000 Swedish born men were called in during World War 1. Not all of them were in the U.S. army. Some were in the Canadian army, where there were two Scandinavian bataljons, and some were in the German army. It all depended on where you happened to be at the time of the outbreak. It is believed that around 600 of the 20 000 died on the battlefields on the western front. Some were of course wounded and returned home with injuries others were not wounded but came home with terrible memories.

Many of the Swedish men in the American army had only been in the states a couple of years. Some had escaped Sweden in order to not have to undergo the obligatory military service. A few moved back to Sweden after the war but they did not like to talk about the war.

Three brothers from Falkenberg happened to be in Germany when the war broke out and ended up in the German army. On of the was captured and sent to prison camp in Siberia. He was released after three years and could then return home.

Taking part in war is not always about honour, duty or ideology. Sometimes you just happen to be in the wrong place. Sweden stayed out of the war and has not been involved in a war for over 200 years, but we have none the less been affected by it. 

Source:

Hallands Nyheter July 28, 2014

Picture:

Chesire Regiment trench Somme 1916

In the Public Domain

By John Warwick Brooke - This is photograph Q 3990 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 1900-13)

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Battle of Vyborg Bay 1790

Today in 1790 king Gustaf III ordered and carried out a successful attempt to break through the Russian naval fleet in order to break free.

Gustav III had destroyed the Russian naval fleet that was stationed at Fredrikshamn on May 15 the same year and had moved on to Viborg with the intention to do the same there. Parts of the Swedish naval fleet had failed at Reval on the 13th and moved east as well to meet up with Gustaf III. By June 7 the Swedish naval force had reached the Vyborg Bay and the Russian fleet cut of the entrance the following day. The Swedish fleet had 34 ships, along wiht some samller ones, and had 16 000 men. The Swedish archipelago fleet had around 200 ships and 13 000 -14 000 men, both crew and land troops.

Both sides made plans and on the night between July 2nd and 3rd The prince of Nassau a small part of the Swedish archipelago fleet. At the same time 4 divisions sloop-of-war attacked 5 Russian ships.

During the night the wind changed and made an breakout possible. Gustaf III wanted to go east but Nordenskjöld, an officer who had taken part in the American Revolutionary War on first the British side and then the French, advised the king to go west instead. Which they did.

When the Swedish fleet reached the harbour at Sveaborg July 5 the naval force had lost 5 000 men and several ships. The archipelago fleet did not loose many ships and reached Svensksund on the 4th and 5th. There the king was joined by Cronstedt and retaliated on the 9th and 10th which ended the war in Swedish favour.


Source: http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viborgska_gatloppet

Picture: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Russian_victory_vyborg.jpg/1280px-Russian_victory_vyborg.jpg

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Military Memories - The Home Front; rations

Even though Sweden did not actively take part in the second world war and was not invaded it did feel the consequences. Every man who was healthy, not too old and had gone through basic military training were stationed somewhere in Sweden. Some fought with the Finns, some deserted to join the Germans and some to join the communists.

Sweden's trade with Great Britain, the USA and Latin America was greatly affected which made trade with the continent much more important. All and all trade with other countries decreased by half during the yars between 1940 and 1945.

Since many men had been called in to the military the Swedish farms could not produce as much as they had. This ment that there was a great shortage in food and Ration stamps were introduced as soon as the war broke out. Coffe, tea, sugar, cocao, flour, bread, pork, cheese, rice, food fat, candles, meats, cream, tobacco, salt, eggs, and a lot more were rationed. A visit to a restaurant needed stamps, as well as buying shoes and some textiles. Books and tips on how to make food last longer and how to reuse things became very popular.

It was, however, easier for people living on the country side than in the larger towns. They could much easier get fresh vegetables and meat without food stamps. My morfar, paternal grandfather, was stationed in Skåne, inte the south of Sweden, and his fondest memory of that time was when the matron on the farm where they were stationed invited them in for dinner one time. It was probably the only time during the war when he got well cooked food and could eat until he was full.

Ration stamps for coffe and tea.

Sources:
http://www.popularhistoria.se/lasarfragor/2012/06/ransonering-vid-krigsutbrottet/


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