The Swedish Volunteer Corps (Swedish: Svenska frivilligkåren) during the Winter War numbered 9,640 officers and men. Sweden was officially non-belligerent during the war, so the Corps was used by Finland. The Swedish volunteers were in the front lines in the northern Salla area starting from February 28, 1940. Their losses included 33 dead, 10 missing, 50 wounded, and 130 disabled by frostbite.[1] There were also 25 aircraft that served in the Swedish Voluntary Air Force, F19. Swedish volunteers also defended Turku in an anti-aircraft battery.
By the end of the war, the Volunteer Corps was composed of 8,260 Swedes, plus 725 Norwegians, and 600 Danes.[1] They demonstrated a strong Nordic unity that was symbolized in their "four brother hands" insignia which represented Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
Commanders
- 1940: General Ernst Linder
Organization
Swedish Volunteer Corps - Svenska Frivilligkåren
- I. stridsgruppen (Lieutenant-Colonel Magnus Dyrssen †, Captain Carl C:son Bonde, Lieutenant-Colonel Carl-Oscar Agell)
- 1. skyttekompaniet
- 2. skyttekompaniet
- 3. skyttekompaniet
- 4. jägarkompaniet
- 5. tunga kompaniet
- 1. batteriet
- 1. plogplutonen
- 1. signalplutonen
- II. stridsgruppen (Lieutenant-Colonel Viking Tamm)
- 1. skyttekompaniet
- 2. skyttekompaniet
- 3. skyttekompaniet
- 4. jägarkompaniet
- 5. tunga kompaniet
- 2. batteriet
- 2. plogplutonen
- 2. signalplutonen
- III. stridsgruppen (Lieutenant-Colonel Martin Ekström)
- 1. skyttekompaniet
- 2. skyttekompaniet
- 3. skyttekompaniet
- 4. jägarkompaniet
- 5. tunga kompaniet
- 3. batteriet
- 3. plogplutonen
- 3. signalplutonen
- Other units:
- 1. pansarvärnsplutonen
- 2. pansarvärnsplutonen
- Luftvärnskompaniet
- Ingenjörkompaniet
- 16. självständiga jägarkompaniet
- (17. självständiga jägarkompaniet)
- Intendenturkompaniet
- Vägkompaniet
- 1. bilkompaniet
- 2. bilkompaniet
- Anspannskompaniet
- 1. sjukvårdsplutonen
- 2. sjukvårdsplutonen
- Hästambulans
- Ambulans
- F 19
- I. stridsgruppen (Lieutenant-Colonel Magnus Dyrssen †, Captain Carl C:son Bonde, Lieutenant-Colonel Carl-Oscar Agell)
Weapons
- 7.5 cm Guns M/02
- 40mm Anti Aircraft Guns M/36
- 7.5 cm Anti Aircraft guns
- 20mm Automatic Cannons
- 3.7 cm Anti Tank guns M/38
- 8 cm Mortars M/29
- 13mm Anti Tank Rifles
Vehicles
- 83 motorcycles
- 83 cars
- 350 trucks
- 13 tractors
Casualties
33 men of the Swedish Volunteer Corps were killed. These were:[2]
| ID no. | Name | Born | Rank | Unit | Date killed | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 753 | Zachau, Anders Robert | 1906-08-31 | Löjtnant | Air Force | 1940-01-12 | [note 1] |
| 897 | Sjöqvist, John Magnus | 1918-09-23 | Fänrik | Air Force | 1940-01-23 | |
| 2121 | Sjödin, Sven Adolf | 1916-04-19 | Private | II grp, stabskomp. | 1940-02-23 | |
| 3399 | Persson, Helmer Ove Albin | 1915-03-04 | Översergeant | II grp, stabskomp. | 1940-02-23 | |
| 553 | Dyrssen, Magnus Peder Vilhelm | 1894-05-18 | Överstelöjtnant | Cmdr, I grp | 1940-03-01 | |
| 2437 | Wibble, Per Arne | 1920-03-23 | Private | II grp, 3. skkomp. | 1940-03-01 | |
| 3347 | Hjukström, Evald Ossian | 1909-06-22 | Översergeant | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-02 | |
| 230 | Hömqvist, Gunnar Ingemar | 1915-03-11 | Översergeant | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-02 | |
| 9076 | Svensson-Myhr, Olof | 1912-10-08 | Översergeant | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-02 | |
| 2601 | Wallman, Helge Bernhard | 1913-07-12 | Sergeant | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-02 | |
| 2595 | Johansson, Karl Jonas Adolf | 1912-07-14 | Private | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-02 | |
| 1342 | Karlsson, Gustaf Per | 1915-06-11 | Private | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-02 | [note 2] |
| 4149 | Palm, Knut Algot | 1918-05-13 | Private | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-02 | |
| 2742 | Öjstad, Torbjörn | 1916-02-04 | Fänrik | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-02 | |
| 389 | Janson, Bror Sixten Valdemar | 1908-03-29 | Sergeant | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-02 | |
| 1349 | Johansson, Linus J. W. | 1917-02-28 | Private | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-02 | |
| 1555 | Andersson, Arvid | 1912-01-26 | Norwegian Private | I grp, 3. skkomp. | 1940-03-02 | |
| 681 | Wemstedt, Melcher Wasa Bo G. | 1909-09-22 | Löjtnant | I grp, stabskomp. | 1940-03-07 | |
| 2210 | Winlöf, Karl Erik | 1893-10-30 | Private | I grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-07 | |
| 8444 | Thegerström, Jan Henrik | 1918-01-16 | Private | II grp, 3. skkomp. | 1940-03-08 | |
| 752 | Hildinger, Sten Åke | 1914-06-06 | Löjtnant | Air Force | 1940-03-10 | |
| 9404 | Christensen, Abraham, Joh. | 1891-12-19 | Norwegian Private | II grp, 1. skkomp. | 1940-03-10 | |
| 2352 | Roth, Carl Willy | 1908-11-23 | Private | 2. bilkomp. | 1940-03-12 | |
| 2431 | Jonsson, Anders | 1917-09-04 | Översergeant | 2. bilkomp. | 1940-03-12 | |
| 2185 | Cederborg, Knut Ragnar | 1910-10-01 | Private | I grp, 1. skkomp. | 1940-03-13 | |
| 3893 | Eriksson, Filip E. Volger | 1905-07-27 | Private | I grp, 3. skkomp. | 1940-03-13 | |
| 8301 | Andersson, Bernt Einar | 1917-05-22 | Private | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-13 | |
| 3298 | Brandin, Bror Atle | 1910-12-02 | Private | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-13 | |
| 255 | Svensson, Karl Olle August | 1915-09-14 | Sergeant | II grp, 4. jkomp. | 1940-03-13 | |
| 3242 | Gustafsson, Gustaf | 1910-06-10 | Private | 2. pvplut. | 1940-03-13 | |
| 8389 | Johansson, Erik Harald | 1914-01-15 | Private | 2. pvplut. | 1940-03-13 | |
| 2592 | Lindegren, Anders Hugo | 1916-05-13 | Private | 2. pvplut. | 1940-03-13 | |
| 8686 | Månsson, Gösta Georg | 1897-09-13 | Sergeant | II grp, 2. skkomp. | 1940-03-31 |
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Swedish Volunteer Corps.