Standing, in the middle without bandoliers, from left: (2Lt and QM) Adolf Claudelin, 2iC company 1Lt Erik Stålberg (black moustache), Company commander Cpt Johannes Flygare (glasses and beard), 1st Lt and QM Carl David Appelgren (moustache) and 2lt William Baerentsen (Danish, moustache)
The Scandinavian Corps was founded just before the outbreak of hostilities at a meeting in Pretoria. Recruiting was mainly among Scandinavian miners around Johannesburg, but the corps also contained a number of sailors. The corps was mounted, and in 1899 they consisted of 9 officers and NCOs and 104 ORs. (45 Swedes, 24 Danes, 18 Finns, 13 Norwegians and 13 others)
The founder was captain Axel Christer Helmfrid Uggla (a railway engineer) from Sweden. On 16th October 1899 about 50 men of the corps paraded for president Krüger before leaving for the front. Johannes Flygare was chosen as Company Commander (Veldkornet). His second in command was fellow Swede (from Sundsvall) Erik Ståhlberg (lieutenant), the only officer who was a trained officer. Lieutenant Ståhlberg had only about a week to try to give some basic military training to the force, where previous military- weapons- or equestrian training was scarce.
The corps tasks were mainly sabotage operations, but they also took part in the siege of Mafeking and the battles at Magersfontein and Paardeberg.
The were present at the siege of Mafeking, were they served as mounted infantry and clearing mines laid by the defenders. They also demolished railway lines and took horses from the British. The second in command, Erik Ståhlberg wrote in 1901 after coming home about the siege: “The bombardment continues day after day. But it is not impossible getting new friends on the opposite side. Sundays and holidays hostilities cease and it is possible to meet the British in all friendliness, swapping meat for whisky!”
At the end of November the Scandinavian corps were part of the force sent out to meet the relief column. On 9th December the Boer forces hade entrenched themselves on a ridge, with the Scandinavians along with two other Boer detachments entrenched as outposts. The Scandinavian force was 3 officers and 49 men. Their task was to give warning and delay a British attack.
On 11th December, the Highland Brigade attacked. Captain J Allum, a Norwegian military attaché in South Africa, was in the Scandinavian trenches and tells: “It was a rainy, dark night, the men suffering from the cold, which at this time of the year can be severe. Everything was quiet until around 4.30 in the morning, when a few shots were heard on our right. Then silence for a couple of seconds, perhaps a minute it seemed to us, waiting tensely, as an eternity. It was so silent you could hear your heartbeats. Suddenly heavy firing broke out at the foot of the hill on the Boer right flank, and in the next second the mauser’s began to smatter, the wounded screamed and the English hurrahs and commands sounded. This went on for about 15 minutes, then silence fell anew. The first assault was beaten back with heavy losses. The Boers had let the English, marching in formation, come very close before opening a devastating fire.”
In front of the Scandinavians were 4000 of the Highland Brigade: Black Watch, Seaforths, Argylls and the HLI. After the assault had been broken, the British artillery commenced firing. Before the next infantry attack. The Scandinavians were, according to captain Ståhlberg, firing 18-20 aimed shots a minute. After half an hour firing 200 men of the Seaforths had worked around the Scandinavian right flank, and the losses among the defenders rose. After renewed attacks with the bayonets the position was overwhelmed. 17 men had tried a countercharge, but only eight Scandinavians managed to get back in the Boer lines, the rest killed or wounded. Everyone of the prisoners had been wounded.. It then appeared that the fight had been the result of a mistake. At 3.00 General Cronje had ordered the outposts to get back, but this had never reached the Scandinavians.
Captain Ståhlberg again: “After three hours our resistance is broken. Our CO, Captain Flygare falls in the beginning of the battle, shot in the heart. Lieutenant Berentsen is wounded and man after man falls, drilled through by bullets. The Highland Brigade, with the Gordons on the right encircles us. In the final act they fell over us like hungry vultures, and our resistance is over. Carl Albert Olsson from Gothenburg tries to save his brother Edvin, shot in the head by pulling him under cover. He is attacked by two scots whose heads he smashes with the rifle butt, only to fall from several bayonet wounds.
The Swedish nurse Elin Lindblom, serving with the Scandinavian ambulance with the Boers tells: “Early in the afternoon came the seven men who had succeeded in escaping in the battle at Magersfontein, six unscathed, a Dane, Krohn, shot in the heel. The rest of the 49 Scandinavians who had been sent to the forepost, were dead or wounded and the wounded were prisoners with the English.
Our ambulance men had gone out with the wagon and in the evening they brought some of the wounded Scandinavians with them, among them Appelberg. He was shot in the stomach and died after a few days and he was buried after a post-mortem examination by a German surgeon(12). But during the whole day wounded Boers had come in one after the other, some of them wounded who needed bandaging to return to the battle, some in such a state that we had to find place for them in the tent as best as we could. The most seriously wounded man, apart from Appelberg, was perhaps a Boer, named Sauer, who was shot through the throat, and we feared that the spine was injured.
We washed and bandaged them as best as we could and gave them water and food. A mobile ambulance cannot do much in these cases, but it was better than nothing. Our tent was entirely full by the evening. The battle continued uninterruptedly and it was impossible for our ambulance men to go to the battlefield where our men had fallen. It became quiet only after three o'clock on Tuesday afternoon(13) and then they could go there, where they found eighteen dead and two wounded; all the others had been brought by the English to their ambulance. The wounded were two Finns, Backman and Viklund, who were in such a bad state that the English had bandaged them provisionally and left them on the battlefield. They had considered them as hopeless. We also thought this, when they were brought to us on Tuesday evening. Backman was delirious with three bullets through the leg, the whole leg bone splintered by a bomb, one bullet in the breast and out through the back, which was fearfully torn; it was a miracle that he had not bled to death. Viklund was seriously shot through his tender parts and had one flesh wound in the arm as well as heatstroke owing to sunburn. We feared that his spine was injured. They had lain on the battlefield from 5 o'clock Monday morning to 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon in the burning sun and bitter night cold, robbed of all their clothes(14). For even here pillagers are found. We had a German surgeon who had no ambulance to work for(15) and helped us to bring those who could be transported, to the hospital. The nearest hospital was at Jacobsdal, one day's travel away or a little farther from our spot. They were sent to Jacobsdal with some of our men. Because Viklund was so seriously wounded we thought it better to keep him with the ambulance until we could see how his condition developed.”
It is said that the British could not at first believe that the Scandinavian defenders were so few. The dead were buried on the battlefield, where a monument was erected in 1908.
After Magersfontein the Scandinavian Corps was sent to Bloemfontein, where they reorganized and received 80 men as reinforcements. A Dane named Friis was elected new CO, but shortly after the Corps lost all horses when it was decided to put them for grass on a farm that was subsequently raided by the British. They were part of General Cronje's command, which capitulated at Paardeberg on 27th February 1900. The Scandinavian POW were sent to St Helena, three of them escaping before the ship left Simonstown. Two let himself be buried in the sand while bathing, and a third jumped overboard with a lifebelt and a knife. All three reached the Boer lines safely. The Scandinavian ambulance continued to serve until the end of the war.
In 1920 15 members of the Scandinavian corps received the medal “voor de anglo-Boere oorlog” at a ceremony in Stockholm, three of them nurses. Another 30 Swedes got their medal at the South African legation in Stockholm 1937, six of them receiving a “Dekoratie voor trouwe dienst” as well. In 1925, a special commemorative medallion was struck for the surviving participants, and in 1932 Sir Baden-Powell (CO at Mafeking) received a special striking of this medallion in silver, when in Stockholm for a international Scout meeting.
The monument, which still stands at Magersfontein, was an initiative of the Swedish officer Erland Mossberg, who had served with the British forces in the Cape Town Town Guard during the war. He was an officer originally in “Jämtlands fältjägare” (translates roughly as “Jämtland Rifles”), the medical officer of Jämtlands fältjägare was Josef Hammar, who hade served in the Boer forces (Holland ambulance, Utrecht Kommando). Mossberg started to collect subscriptions for a monument. The money were quickly raised, with support of national newspapers. The monument consists of a 6,5 metres high stele, with four corner stones 15 metres high representing the different Scandinavian countries. The names of the men killed is on the monument, which was inaugurated on 25th april 1908 by PM (and former Boer general) Louis Botha, an honour guard of the Kimberley Regiment present. The monument is placed some distance away from the scene of the actual battle, as the land owner of the battleground ( a scot) didn’t want a monument for the former enemies on his land..
The countries are represented by different inscriptions:
SWE: De kunde icke vika, blott falla kunde de (They could not falter, only fall)
DK: Nu hviler deres ben bag höjen Bautasten. (Now their bones are resting beneath high stele)
FI: På tappra män ser tappra fäders andar ner. (On brave men, brave fathers spirits looks down)
NO: Nu tier stridens larm paa valen, I mindet lever heltens ry (Now the battles din is silent on the rampart, in the memory lives the heroes reputation)
Sources:
Lars Ericson, Svenska Frivilliga
Lars Gyllenhaal & Lennart Westberg, Svenskar I Krig,
Karl-Gustav Olin, Afrikafeber
Elin Lindblom, Report (1) regarding the activities of the Scandinavian ambulance during the Anglo-Boer War in 1899-1900, printed in South African Military History Society Journal, vol 4 no 5
By Stellan Bojerud
Skandinaviska Organisationen i Transvaal – Scandinavian Organization in Transvaal.
In Spring 1899 Mr Axel Christer Helmfrid Uggla, a Swedish Engineer who since 1890 was working in Transvaal and Head of the Nederlandsch-Zuid-Afrikaansche Spoorweg Maatschappij (NZAM.) Railway Workshops in Pretoria took the initiative to the “Scandinavian Organization” in Transvaal. The main purpose was to find work and housing for unemployed fellow Scandinavians and to raise funds for financial aid to them.[1]
This Organization had a Central Comittée in Pretoria and a Local Comittée in Johannesburg.
Central Comittée
Chairman Mr Chister Uggla (Sw)
1st Secretary Mr William Baerentzen (Dk)
2nd Secretary Mr Henrik Iverus (Sw)
Treasurer Mr Johan Lycke (No)
Member Mr Jens Nielsen (Sw)
Member Mr Karl Knutsen (No)
Member Mr Erik Stålberg (Sw)
Local Comittée
Chairman Mr Marius Hansen-Stormoen (No)
Secretary Mr Mauritz Kramer (Sw)
Skandinaviska Kåren – Scandinavian Corps
Following outbreak of war a meeting was on 12th October 1899 held in Pretoria which led to organizing the Skandinaviska Kåren (Scandinavian Corps) of volunteers for serving with the Transvaal Militia. The service of this unit was offered to the Government of Transvaal which gladly accepted. The Boers had up to then believed that the Scandinavians as uitlanders tended to side with the British.[2]
Mauser rifles model 1888 were provided by the Transvaal Government and clothes suitable as uniforms were bought by the Comittée. On the first day of recruitment 68 Scandinavians volunteered of which three for medical service. The Government also provided 90 horses. For the logistics three Voortrekker ox-wagons were acquired.[3]
Officers and NCOs were elected. As Mr Uggla had been ordered by the Government to transform the Railway Workshops into a Weapons Factory and Workshops, he could not take command over the Company sized force. The Officers and NCOs appointed were:[4]
Johannes Flygare (Sw) Captain (Veldkornet)
Erik Stålberg (Sw) 1st Lieutenant
William Baerentzen (Dk) 2nd Lieutenant
Carl David Appelgren (Sw) 1st Lieutenant-Quartermaster
Adolf Claudelin (Sw) 2nd Lieutenant-Quartermaster
Gotthard Christensen (Dk) Sergeant (Danish Troop)
Johan Niklas Wiklund (Fi) Sergeant (Finnish Troop)
Norman Randers (No) Sergeant (Norwegian Troop)
Charles Johansson (Sw) Sergeant (Swedish Troop)
Captain Flygare was born in Natal by Swedish parents. Before the war he had been a Land Surveyor with the Transvaal Government. He spoke Afrikaans and Kaffir languages and had previously participated in military actions against the Kaffirs.[5]
Lieutenants Erik Stålberg and William Baerentzen were members of the Central Comittée and Stålberg had previously served as a Warrant Officer with the Royal Swedish Army. Stålberg was made responsible for military training. This was a difficult task since most of the men had never seen a Mauser-rifle and only few of them knew how to ride a horse, many of them being sailors.[6]
Since this unit de facto was a Company I will from now on use that term and not Corps wich suggests that the unit was by far larger.
When the Company had been organized it was paraded before President Krüger who addressed the troops and shook hands with all volunteers. This was probably on 16th October 1899 when the Company was ordered to the Mafeking front.[7]
The Scandinavian Company in Pretoria. Probably on 16th October 1899. Mr Uggla is standing first row far left. First row centre under the banner is a group of five Officers. From left 2Lt QM Claudelin, 1Lt Stålberg, Cpt Flygare, 1Lt QM Appelgren and 2Lt Baerentzen. Except for Claudelin all Officers were killed or wounded and taken prisoners at Magersfontein 11th December 1899.
To the Mafeking front
The Company now was counting some 100 men and 130 horses moved by rail from Pretoria to Klerksdorp where continued training was carried out another few days. Especially horse-riding was difficult and lieutenant Stålberg had no previous experience in this field. He was however instructed by a local Police Officer for some hours.[8]
On horseback the troops continued moving south. Due to the low skills in horse-riding the march progressed slowly. In Polfontein the Company was ordered to act as protection for the “Long Tom” siege-gun moving on Mafeking. On 21st October 1899 two volunteers, the Swede Carl Hultin and Norwegian Einar Olsen were wounded but no details are known. Here the traces of Hultin ends and he probably returned home but Olsen was later killed at Magersfontein.[9]
On 23rd October 1899 the Company joined the forces of General Piet Cronje at Reitvlej near Mafeking.[10]
The first actions
On 25th October 1899 the Company was ordered to take part in an assault on Mafeking which was to be carried out by some 1.200 Boers under Commandant Vallmarens. This assault was no success and the Boers only managed to get some 500 meters from the enemy lines. Two volunteers were wounded namely a Dane named Klaussen and a Finn Jacob Johansson. About Klaussen nothing more is known and he is missing in the roll whereas Johansson fought at Magersfontein and later died in 1900 as a prisoner of war on S:t Helena.[11]
The next action was during the night to 3rd November 1899 when Captain Flygare and 20 of the best trained Scandinavians plus some 80 Boers infiltrated the British positions and entrenched. This position was held until 5th November when a part of the British defence line was charged and taken cutting of British artillery on the “Cannon-kopje”.[12]
The position had however to be abandoned and the Scandinavian Company was during the following days used as scouting forces and demolition teams.[13]
To Magersfontein
On 20th November 1899 the forces of General Cronje including the Scandinavian Company started moving in order to prevent the British under lord Methuen to relieve the besieged Kimberly. The Company – now in good control of their horses – made the ride back to Klerksdorp on half the time compared with the first time they had covered that distance.[14]
In Klerksdorp another 15 new volunteers brought there by Mr Uggla joined the Company which moved by train to Edenburg and from there to Jacobsdal on horseback. The Company was ordered to join General De la Rey at Scholtznek and on the way serve as protection for two Krupp field guns.[15]
In Scholtznek there was a period of rest which was used for continued training but also for sending out demolition teams to blow up the railway line to Kimberly. After scoring some success with this, General Cronje presented the Scandinavian Company with a donkey-wagon loaded with explosives and trench tools.[16]
A demolition team of ten volunteers headed by two Finnish experts drove out with the wagon and mined the railway on two places about 20 km south of the Modder River.[17]
After that reconnaissance on 6th December had shown that the British were closing in General De la Rey persuaded general Cronje to take up a defensive position at Magersfontain on 8th December and two days later the General inspected the Scandinavian Company. On 10th December Captain Flygare and two Troops carried out reconnaissance. During the night to 11th December approximately half the Company manned an advanced outpost and the rest was entrenching the defence positions some 1,5 km further northeast.[18]
Scandinavians in the battle of Magersfontein
The fight for the Scandinavian outpost began on 11th December 1899 at 03H15 and was apparently a mistake. General Cronje had approximately 02H00 ordered Commandant Tolly de Beer to abandon the outposts but this had been known only to the Boer units and not the Scandinavians.[19]
The Scandinavians repulsed the first British attack but a second followed at 06H15 and lasted for half an hour. Captain Flygare was one of the first killed and lieutenant Stålberg was wounded three times but had before he fainted ordered the troop to abandon the outpost. Also liutenant Baerentzen was wounded twice and out of action.[20]
Lieutenant-Quartermaster Appelgren was not at the outpost but was wounded in the main defence line and died some days later. There was then only one Officer left namely Lieutenant-Quartermaster Claudelin[21].
There are several different figures regarding the strength of the Scandinavian outpost. British sources are sometimes stating 80 men and Scandinavian sources 49 or 52 men. I have found that the figure 52 is probably the correct one since that number of names have been identified.
The later Colonel Erland Mossberg, who in the Boer War was Swedish Military Attaché with the British Forces writes (1943) that there were 26 Swedes, 11 Danish, 7 Finnish, 4 Norwegians and 3 of unknown nationality. He also writes that the number of killed in action was 15 Swedes, 4 Danish, 3 Finnish, 3 Norwegians and 2 others, totalling 27.[22]
By comparing different sources I have however found that the correct numbers should be thus: (KIA = Killed in action, WIA = Wounded in action, DOW = Dead of wounds, POW = Prisoner of war, Esc = Escaped, Found = Found on the battlefield),
Status |
Danish |
Finnish |
Norwegian |
Swedish |
Others |
Total |
|
KIA |
3 |
1 |
2 |
13 |
1 |
20 |
|
WIA-DOW |
- |
1 |
1 |
- |
1 |
3 |
|
WIA-POW |
5 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
15 |
|
POW |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
1 |
|
WIA-Esc |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
- |
6 |
|
WIA-Found |
- |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
|
Escaped |
2 |
1 |
- |
2 |
- |
5 . |
|
Total |
11 |
7 |
5 |
26 |
3 |
52 |
In appendix below I have listed these volunteers by names. Thus I found that the Company lost 39 men in killed and prisoners while 11 managed to escape to the main defence lines.[23]
On 12th December the Scandinavian Ambulance on the battlefield found 18 dead and 2 severely wounded namely the Finns Sergeant Nils Viklund and volunteer Otto Backman. The other wounded had been collected by the British.[24]
Mr Hansen-Stoermoen from the Johannesburg Comitté had been sent by Mr Uggla to assist the Company. Three graves were dug and the only remaining Officer, Lieutenant-Quartermaster Claudelin carried out the funeral.[25]
Reorganization
Following the heavy losses on 11th December it was decided to dissolve the Company in order to join a Boer Commando. However nothing had been done when four days later the news of another Boer victory was brought namely Colenso in Natal. The British advance had been halted and at Magersfontein there was a period of rest that lasted into February 1900.[26]
Mr Uggla had continued recruiting and on 20th January 1900 another 20 new volunteers arrived from Pretoria under command of Captain Jens Friis, who was a Dane. The decision to disband the Company was now altered and it should instead be reorganized. The new organization was:[27]
Jens Friis (Dk) Captain (Veldkornet)
Helge Fägersköld (Sw) 1st Lieutenant
Carl Magnus Lang (Sw) 2nd Lieutenant
Adolf Claudelin (Sw) 1st Lieutenant-Quartermaster
Gotthard Christensen (Dk) Sergeant (Danish Troop)
Johan Niklas Wiklund (Fi) Sergeant (Finnish Troop)
Norman Randers (No) Sergeant (Norwegian Troop)
Charles Johansson (Sw) Sergeant (Swedish Troop)
John Rudolf Ruthström (Sw) Corporal (Swedish Troop)
In February 1900 the British began advancing again but instead of attacking the Magersfontein positions they tried to outflank it. Late on 15th February General Cronje began evacuate the positions and move north. The Scandinavian Company however had its horses on a farm that was taken by the British before most of the horses had been collected. The Company therefore had to march by walking.[28]
During this period the Company lost three volunteers. The Dane Ludwig Rubech was wounded on 14th February and later died 17th March 1900. It is however not known if he died from the wounds or from disease.[29]
The following day Swedish Corporal John Rudolf Ruthström was killed near Jakobsdal and his fellow countryman Wilhelm Stoltze was taken prisoner.[30]
On 16th February 06H00 British Cavalry began harassing the column and the Company had to fight them off on several occasions before reaching Klippdrift some 10 kilometres west of Paardeberg.[31]
Paardeberg
During the night to 17th February the Company marched on with Bloemfontein as final destination. When daylight came the troop put up camp at Wolwe Spruit.[32]
The following day – 18th February – the British attacked but was repelled. In this fight the Swede Elof Blombergson and the Dutchman Jacob Woolf were killed. The Finns Sergeant Johan Viklund and volunteer Otto Backman as well as Danish volunteer Peter Krohn were taken prisoners by the British. A serious blow was that the wagon with food and equipment was hit by a shell and burned out. After that the Company had just one single spade for entrenchment.[33]
Monday 19th February was described as the heaviest day for the Scandinavians although there were only two wounded, namely the Swede Oscar Cederström and the Norwegian Adolf Hansen which both were taken prisoners a week later.[34]
On 20th February Norwegian Abraham Abrahamsen was wounded and taken prisoner by the British.[35]
After fighting for another week General Cronje surrendered to the British at Paardeberg on 27th February 1900 and the Scandinavian Company now counting 47 men marched into captivity.[36]
The Scandinavian Ambulance
In October 1899 Mr Uggla and Captain Flygare had also organized a medical unit. The Scandinavian Ambulance consisted of:[37]
Biedenkap, Wilhelm, Boeck, MD (No) Surgeon
Lindblom, Anna (Sw) Probationist
Lindblom, Elin (Sw) Nurse
Svensson, Hildur (Sw) Nurse
Slabbert, H K E (ZAR) Assistant Nurse
Andersson, Axel (Sw) Medical Orderly
Hedberg, Oscar (Sw) Medical Orderly and Cook
Lindberg, Ernst (Fi) Medical Orderly
Stoltz, Wilhelm (Sw) Medical Orderly
Trotzmüller, Wolf (Ge) Medical Orderly
The last mentioned three men left the Ambulance on 1st January 1900 and joined the Scandinavian Company. The Ambulance had one ox-wagon driven by two natives. An account of the activities of the Scandinavian Ambulance was in 1924 written by Elin Lindblom and is available in English on internet http://rapidttp.com/milhist/vol045cj.html.[38]
Dr Biedenkap left the Ambulance in the end of November 1899 and thereafter the unit had no Surgeon until February 1900 when the Ambulance was merged with “Afrikaner Corps Ambulance” headed by Dr Neethling from Transvaal.[39]
Scandinavians in other Boer units
Two Swedes serving in the Lydenburg Commando were killed at Spion Kop 24th January 1900, namely Sune Valdemar Christenson and Georg Wilhelm Fermén (or Fromén). In this battle also the Swede John Rydström was killed whilst serving with the Artillery as a Warrant Officer.[40]
It is not known in which units several Scandinavian volunteers served, but only that they were taken prisoners and interned on St Helena. The persons serving with identified units are listed below.[41]
Colesberg Commando
Reismüller, H G (Sw) Volunteer
Lydenburg Commando
Berg, Ernest (Sw) Volunteer
Christensen, Jens (Dk) Volunteer
Chistenson, Sune Valdemar (Sw) Volunteer KIA 24/1 1900 Spion Kop
Fromén, Georg (Sw) (or Fermén) Volunteer KIA 24/1 1900 Spion Kop
Utrecht Commando
Hammar, Josef MD (Sw) Surgeon
Ihlén (No) Medical Orderly
Pedersen, Carl (No) Volunteer
Vrijheid Commando
Björkman, Axel (Sw) Farrier
Thorén, Arthur (Sw) Farrier
Staatsartillerie
Rydström, John (Sw) WO KIA 24/1 1900 Spion Kop
Norwegian Axel Onsum fought at Koorn Spruit, Zand-Rivier and Crocodil-River. He was wounded five times during the war and ended up as Aide-de-Camp to General Botha.[42]
Captain Stålberg (left) and lieutenant Baerentzen as prisoners on Ceylon
Appendix
Casuality and prisoner of war list
WIA 21/10 1899 on way to Mafeking (2)
Hultin, Carl (Sw)
Olsen, Einar (No)
WIA 25/10 1899 Mafeking (2)
Klaussen (Dk)
Johansson, Jacob (Fi)
KIA 11/12 1899 Magersfontein (20)
Ahlström, Conrad (Sw)
Andersson, Julius (Sw)
Benson Olsson, Albert (Sw)
Benson Olsson, Edvin (Sw)
Dahlén, Johannes (No)
Flygare, Johannes (Sw) - Captain
Goetterup, Arthur (Dk)
Jacobsen, Peter Marius (Dk)
Johnsson, Nils Alfred (Sw) - Sergeant
Landgren, Oscar August (Sw)
Lindström, Emil (Sw)
Mark, Osvald August (Sw)
Mattsson, Emil (Fi)
Nyqvist, Nils Harald (Sw)
Olesen, Frede (Dk)
Olsen, Einar (No)
Olsson, Carl Albert (Sw)
Osberg, Fredrik (Sw)
von Rassau, Frans (Ge)
Stael von Holstein, Otto Wilhelm (Sw)
WIA 11/12 1899 Magersfontein (27)
Allum, Jacob (No) Escaped
Andersson-Lind, Johan Alfred (Sw) POW
van Aken, Johannes (Nl) POW
Appelgren, Carl David (Sw) – QM Died of wounds 13/12 1899
Backman, Otto (Fi) Escaped
Baerentzen, William (Dk) – 2nd Lt POW
Blombergsson, Elof (Sw) Escaped
Cederström, Oscar (Sw) Escaped
Christensen, Wilhelm (Dk) POW
Fägerskiöld, Helge (Sw) Escaped
Hägglöf, Henrik (Fi) POW – Died of wounds 14/12 1899
Johansson, Charles (Sw) – Sergeant POW – Escaped from prison camp 19/3 1900
Johansson, Jacob (Fi) Escaped
Krohn, Peter (Dk) Escaped
Lang, Carl Magnus (Sw) POW
Lindeberg, Gustav (Ge) POW – Died of wounds 12/2 1899
Michelson, Johan (Fi) POW
Nielsen, Oluf (No) Died of wounds 12/12 1899
Olsen, Johannes (No) POW
Petersen, Jörgen Peter (Dk) POW
Pettersson-Janek, Hjalmar (Sw) POW
Rydholm, Carl (Sw) POW
Schaedtler, Victor (Dk) POW
Stenberg, Schack (Dk) POW
Stålberg, Erik (Sw) – 1st Lieutenant POW – Released for healt reasons May 1901
Werner, Sven (Sw) POW
Wiklund, Johan Niklas (Fi) – Sgt Escaped
POW 11/12 1899 Magersfontein (1)
Mellquist, Carl Emanuel (Sw)
Escaped unwounded 11/12 1899 Magersfontein (4)
Carlsson, Carl Albin (Sw)
Knauer, Harald (Dk)
Ohlsson, John Martin (Sw)
Rank, Johannes (Fi)
WIA 14/2 1900 Jacobsdal (1)
Rubech, Ludvig (Dk) Dead 17/3 1900
KIA 15/2 1900 Jacobsdal (1)
Ruthström, John Rudolf (Sw) – Corporal
POW 15/2 1900 Jacobsdal (1)
Stolze, Wilhelm (Sw)
KIA 18/2 1900 Paardeberg (2)
Blombergsson, Elof (Sw)
Woolf, Jacob (Nl)
POW 18/2 1900 Paardeberg (3)
Backman, Otto (Fi)
Krohn, Peter (Dk)
Wiklund, Johan Niklas (Fi) – Sergeant
WIA 19/2 1900 Paardeberg (2)
Cederström, Oscar (Sw) POW 27/2 1900
Hansen, Adolf (No) POW 27/2 1900
WIA 20/2 1900 Paardeberg (1)
Abrahamsen, Abraham (Dk) POW
WIA 27/2 1900 Paardeberg (2)
Eliasson, Hans Pieter (Sw) POW
Johansson, Per Erik (Sw) Escaped
POW 27/2 1900 Paardeberg (47)
Andersen, Anders (No)
Andersson, Pontus (Sw)
Bagger, H (Dk)
Bakman, Sunnion (Fi)
Balderachi, John (It)
Besseling, Johannes (Nl)
Carlsson, Carl Albin (Sw)
Cederström, Oscar (Sw)
Christensén, Gotthardt (Dk) - Sergeant
Claudelin, Adolf (Sw) – Quartermaster
Eklund, Johan Alfred (Sw)
Eliasson, Hans Pieter (Sw)
Erikson, Isak (Fi) Dead St Helena
Friis, Aage (Dk)
Friis, Jens (Dk) – Captain
Gustafsson, Wilhelm (Sw)
Hansen, Adolf (No)
Hansen, Emil Ferdinand (Dk)
Hult, Gustaf Adolf (Sw)
Johansson, Jacob (Fi) Dead St Helena
Johnson, Herman (Fi)
Johnsson, Erik (Fi)
Jungmarker, Viktor (Sw)
van Kal, Hugo Cornelis (Nl)
Kielland, Hjalmar (No)
Koehenen, Gabriel (Fi)
Knauer, Harald (Dk)
Knutsen, Charles (No)
Kruts Gustavsson, Matts (Fi)
Larsen, Hans (No)
Lassen, Einar (Dk)
Lindström, Otto Erik (Sw)
Matson, Mats - Cook
Möller, August Gustav (Dk)
Nelson, Matts (Fi) Dead S:t Helena
Nielsen, Peder (Dk – USA)
Nyman, Jan (Fi)
Randers, Norman (No) – Sergeant
Rank, Johannes (Fi)
Rasmussen, Sophus (Dk)
Schiönning, Aage From (Dk)
Schutz, John (Fi)
Stenros, Karl Anders (Fi)
Svensson, Johan Emil (Sw)
Söderström, Johan (Sw)
Ucherman, Sigurd (No)
Wehlau, Franz Karl (Ge)
POW unknown date 1900 (2)
Udenkyll, Gustaf (Russia)
Winberg, Anders Efraim (Sw)
Escaped captivity or left the Company before the capitulation at Paardeberg
Ahlström, Carl (Sw)
Allum, Jacob (No)
Andersson, Carl-Grustaf (Sw)
Fägerskiöld, Helge (Sw) – 1st Lieutenant
Fredericks, S.A (Dk) - To other unit Nov 1899
Grennebach, Julius (Ge)
Hagedorn, Frans (Ge)
Hatcher, Raymond (Ge)
Holländer, Karl (Ge)
Hultin, Carl (Sw)
Johansson, Per Erik (Sw)
Kramer, Maurits (Sw)
Nielsen, Carl Peter (Sw)
Thomsen, Julius (Dk) - To other unit unknown time
[1] Uddgren, H.E., Hjältarna vid Magersfontein, Uddevalla 1924, p 8 f.
[2] Ibid, p 13. f
[3] Ibid, p 15 f.
[4] Ibid, p 17.
[5] Ibid, p 17.
[6] Ibid, p 17 f.
[7] Ibid, p 19.
[8] Ibid, p 20.
[9] Ibild p 22 and 86 f.
[10] Ibid, p 22.
[11] Ibid p 24 and 86 f.
[12] Ibid, p 25.
[13] Ibid, p 26.
[14] Ibid, p 28.
[15] Ibid, p 29 ff.
[16] Ibid, p 33.
[17] Ibid, p 33.
[18] Ibid, p 43.
[19] Uddgren, p 46.
[20] Ibid, p 47 f.
[21] Ibid, p 86.
[22] Mossberg, E, Minnen från tre krig, Stockholm 1943, p 92.
[23] Gustafsson, M and Viklund N, Boer och Engelsmän. Skildringar ur det sydafrikanska kriget 1899-1901, Helsingfors 1910, p 63, is listing 8 volunteers that managed to escape. See also Uddgren, p 86 ff.
[24] Uddgren, p 53.
[25] Ibid, p 53.
[26] Ibid, p 56.
[27] Ibid, p 56, p 86-88 and Kerfve, A, Svenska hjältar i Boerkriget, Stockholm 1900, p 119.
[28] Uddgren, p 57.
[29] Ibid, p 61 and 88.
[30] Ibid, p 86 ff.
[31] Ibid, p 57.
[32] Ibid, p 57.
[33] Ibid, p 56 ff and 86 ff.
[34] Ibid, p 58 and 86 ff.
[35] Ibid, p 60 and 88.
[36] Ibid, p 60.
[37] Ibid, p 62 and 90.
[38] De Jong, C, Die verslag van suster Elin Lindblom oor de Skandinawiese ambulans in die Tweede Anglo-Boere-oorlog, Military History Journal (South Africa), Vol 4 Nr 5.
[39] Ibid, p 9.
[40] Uddgren, p 60 f and 91
[41] Ibid, p 61 and 91 f.
[42] Ibid, p 61.
Confirmed nominal roll of known participants in the Scandinavian corps and ambulance:
The Scandinavians (Sw = Sweden, Dan= Denmark, Nor= Norwegian, Fin = Finland)
Abrahamsen, Abr. (Nor) (WIA & POW 20/2 00)
Ahlström, Conrad F (Sw) (KIA 11/12/99)
Ahlström Carl (Sw)
Allum, Jacob (Nor)
Andersen, Anders (Nor) POW 27/2 00)
Andersen, Thorvald (Dan)
Andersson, Axel (Sw), Scandinavian Ambulance, returned 15/3 00)
Andersson, J.C.W. (Dan)
Andersson, Johan Alfred (sw) (POW & DOW 11/12 99)
Andersson, Carl Gustav (Sw) (pow 27/2 00)
Andersson, Julius (Sw) (KIA 11/12/99)
Andersson, Pontius Alexus (Sw)(POW 27/2 00)
Appelgren, Carl David (Sw) (DOW 13.12.1899) (Lt and QM)
Backman, Otto (Fin) (WIA 11/12 99, POW 18/2 99)
Baerentzen, William Joseph (Dan) (WIA & POW 11/12 99) 2 lt
Bagger , H (Dan) (POW 27/2 00)
Backman, Sunnion (Fin) (POW 27/2 00)
Balderachi, John, (Italy) (POW27/2 00)
Benson, A. Edvin (Sw) (KIA 11/12/99)
Benson, C. Albert (Sw) (KIA 11/12/99)
Besseling, Johannes Reinierus (Holland) POW 27/2 00)
Biedenkap, Wilhelm, (Nor), MO, Scandinavian Ambulance
Blombergsson, Elof A (Sw) (DOW 18/02/1900 Paardeberg)
Carlsson, Carl Albin (Sw) (POW 27/2 00
Cederström, Baron Oscar Frederick (Sw) (WIA 11/12 99, POW 27/2 00)
Christensen, Wilhelm (Dan) WIA & POW 11/12 99)
Christensen, Gotthardt (Dan) (POW 27/2 00) Sgt
Claudelin Adolf Wilhelm (Sw) (POW 27/2 00) Assist. QM
Dahlen, Johannes (Nor) (KIA 11/12/1899)
Eklund, Johan Alfred (Sw) (POW 27/2 00)
Eliasson, Hans Peter (Sw) (WIA & POW 27/2 00)
Erikson, Isak (Fin) (POW 27/2 00)
Fägerskjöld, Baron Helge Alex (Sw) (WIA 11/12 99), lt after Magersfontein and in WWI with EAID.
Flygare, Johannes (Sw) CO (KIA 11/12/99) Veldkornet
Fredericks, S.A. (Dan) In 99 transferred to other kommando
Friis, Jens Jörgen (Dan) (POW 27/2 00) Veldkornet after Flygare
Friis, Aage (POW 27/2 00),
Gaetterrup, Arthur (Dan) (KIA 11/12/99)
GrennebacH, Julius O (Ger)
Gustafsson, Axel Wilhelm (Sw) POW 27/2 00)
Gustafsson, Matts (Kruts) (Fin) POW 27/2 00)
Hägglöf, Henrik (Fin) (WIA & POW 11/12 00, DOW 14/02/99)
Hagedorn, Frans F, (Ger)
Hansen, Adolf (Nor) (WIA 19/2 00, POW 27/2 00)
Hansen, Emil Ferdinand (Dan) (POW 27/2 00)
Hatcher, Rymond (Ger)
Hedberg, Oscar (Sw) Scandinavian Ambulance
Holländer, Karl (GER)Hult, Gustav Adolf (Sw) (POW 27/2 00)
Hultin, Carl (Sw) (WIA 21/10 99)
Jacobsen, Peter Marius (Dan) (KIA 11/12/99)
Janek, Hjalmar Petterson (Sw) (WIA & POW 11/12 99)
Johansson, Per Erik (Sw) (POW 27/2 00)
Johansson, Jacob (Fin) (WIA 11/12 99, POW 27/2 00) died St Helena 11/09/00)
Johansson, Charles O. (Sw) (WIA & POW 11/12 99, escaped 19/3/00) Sgt
Johnson, Herman (Fin) (POW 27/2 00)
Johnsson, Erik (Fin) (POW 27/2 00)
Johnsson, Nils Alfred (Sw) (KIA 11/12/99) Sgt
Jungmarker, Viktor (Sw) (POW 27/2 00)
Kielland, Hjalmar (Nor) (POW 27/2 00)
Knauer, Harald (Dan) (POW 27/2 00)
Knutsen, Charl (Nor) (POW 27/2 00)
Korhenen, Gabriël (Fin) (POW 27/2 00)
Kramer, Maurits (Sw)
Krohn, Peter (Dan) (POW 18/2 00)
Landgren, Oscar August (Sw) (KIA 11/12/99)
Lang, Carl Magnus (Sw) (WIA & POW 11/12/99)
Lassen, Einar (Dan) (POW 27/2 00)
Larsen. Hans (Nor) (POW 27/2 00)
Lindberg, Ernst Evert, (Fin) (POW 27/2 00) Scandinavian Ambulance
Lindblom, A.S. (Sw) Scand. Ambulance, Red Cross Nurse
Lindblom Elin.Charlotta. (Sw) Scand. Ambulance, Red Cross Nurse
Lindeberg, Gustav, (GER) (POW 11/12 99, DOW 12/12 99)
Lindström, Emil (Sw)(KIA 11/12/1899)
Lindström, Otto Erik (Sw) (POW 27/2 00)
Mark, Osvald August (Sw) (KIA 11/12/99)
Matson, Mats (Fin) (POW 27/2 00)
Mattson, Emil (Fin) (KIA 11/12/99)
Mellquist, Carl Emanuel (Sw) (POW 11/12 99)
Mickelson, Johan (Fin) (WIA & POW 11/12 99)
Möller, August Gustav Otto. (Dan) (POW 27/2 00)
Nielsen, Carl Peter (Sw) Returned 1900
Nielsen, Hans Peter Christiaan (USA) (Pow 27/2 00)
Nielsen, Jens (Dan) (POW 27/2 00)
Nielsen, Matts (Fin) (POW 27/2 00 died St Helena 07/06 01)
Nielsen, Oluf (Nor) (POW 11/12 99, Dow 12/12 99)
Nykvist, Nils Harald (Sw) (KIA 11/12/1899)
Nyman. Jan (Fin) POW 27/2 00)
Ohlsson, John Martin (Sw) Returned march 1900
Olesen, Frede (Dan) (KIA 11/12/1899)
Olsen, Einar (Nor) (WIA 21/10 99, KIA 11/12 99)
Olsen, Johannes (Nor) (WIA & POW 11/12 99)
Olsson, Carl Albert (Sw) (KIA 11/12/1899)
Osberg, Fredrik (Sw) (KIA 11/12/1899)
Petersen, Jörgen Peter (Dan) (WIA & POW 11/12 99)
Randers, Norman (Nor) (POW 27/2 00) Sgt after Magersfontein
Rank, Johannes (Fin) (Pow 27/2 00)
Rasmussen, Sofus J.L. (Dan) (POW 27/2 00)
Rassau, Frans, (Ger) (KIA 11/12 99)
Rubech, Ludvig (Dan) (WIA 14/2 00, DOW Jacobsdal, 17/03 00)
Ruthström, John Rudolf (Sw) (died Modder River, 15/02 99) Corporal
Rydholm. Carl Herman (Sw) (WIA & POW 11/12 99)
Schaedtler, Victor (Dan) (WIA & POW 11/12 99)
Schiönning, Aage From (Dan) (POW 27/2 00)
Schutz, John (Fin) (POW 27/2 00)
Slabbert, H K E Scandinavian Ambulance, Assistant Red Cross Nurse
Söderström, Johan Axel E. (Sw) (POW 27/2 00)
Stålberg, Erik (Sw) (WIA & POW 11/12 99) Lt
Stael von Holstein, Otto (Ole) Wilhelm (Sw) (KIA Magersfontein, 11/12 99)
Steenberg, Schack August (Dan) (WIA & POW 11/12 99)
Stenros, Karl Anders (Fin) POW 27/2 00)
Stolze, Wilhelm Ludwig (Sw) (POW 15/2 00) Scandinavian ambulance until July 1899
Svensson, Hildur Charlotta (Sw) Scandinavian Ambulance, Red Cross Nurse
Svensson, Johan Emil (Sw) (POW 27/2 00)
Thomsen, Julius (Dan) Transferred to a Boer kommando
Trotzmüller, Wolf. (Ger), Scandinavian Ambulance
Uckerman, Sigurd (Nor) (POW 27/2 00)
Udenkyll, Gustav, (Russia) (POW feb 1900)
Uggla, Axel Christian Helmfrid, comdt (Sw)
Van Aken, Johannes Arnoldus (Holland) (WIA & POW 11/12 99)
Van Kal, Hugo Cornelis (Holland) (POW 27/2 00)
Viklund, Johan Niklas (Fin) (WIA 11/12 99, POW 18/2 00) Sgt after Magersfontein
Wehlau, Franz karl,(Ger) (POW 27/2 00)
Werner, Sven Erik (Sw) (WIA & POW 11/12 99)
Winberg, Anders, Efraim (Sw) POW during 1900
Woolf, Jacob (Russia) (KIA/DOW 18/2 00)
Source of roll: ‘Hjältarna vid Magersfontein, Kapten H E Uddgren, Sweden, 1924)
Apart from the Scandinavian Corps, some 34 Scandinavians are known to have participated in the Kommandos of Colesberg, Lüdenburg, Utrecht and Vrijhed, possibly other units as well.
