July 14th, I continued my tour at the battlefield i Belgium, and this day in company by Danielle, the woman from Antwerp, who got me hooked on this by giving very useful tips and links, how to search and where to look, she is responsible for me going totally into this now!
Yesterday I followed in the footsteps of the Swedes who fought for the Canadian and the Australian forces of the Commonwealth, and also one Swede who fought for the Brits. It is really interesting to actually stand in the terrain where the units where, and maybe get a small feeling of what they saw, but of course not about what they experienced, that would be quite hard to take in.
Here is two small overview pictures in what area we were in.
In this post I will start with covering those Swedes who fought for the Canadian troops. here are the small stories about each one of them. If there are any trench maps in the parts below, they can be from the area, but may not reflect the exact time when the soldiers were active in the area.
470031 Pvt Leonard Axel Larsson – 25th Canadian Infantry Battalion – November 11, 1917
Front Line 8th Nov – Leonard Axel Larsson Killed in Action
Born in Undersåker, Jämtland, Sweden, April 11, 1894.
Leonards unit was just in the Canadian frontline West of Passchendaele, and were about to charge to the objectives at the North-East side of the village. Leonard was Killed in Action at 8th of November 1917 at a place near the frontline, assumed at the map. Below some pictures from the terrain, and other files connected to the situation. I have assumed that Leonards unit were in support of the other battalions up front towards Passchendaele.
Leonard Axel Larsson is buried at Tyne Cot Cemetery.
201599 Pvt Andrew Bergman (Bergstedt) – 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles – KIA October 30, 1917 and 687450 Pvt August Johnson – 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles – KIA October 31, 1917.
Source Farm – Andrew Bergman Killed in action
Andrew was born in Kville Parish, Tanum, Bohuslän Sweden April 23, 1882.
Andrew Bergman was fighting with his unit 2nd CMR, around the area of Vapour Farm and Source Farm. Andrew fought in the same area and in the same unit as August Johnson. Both were never found. Andrew was killed the 30th of october 1917, in the battle of Passchendale. Andrew is commemorated at Menin Gate Memorial
Source Farm – Vapour Farm – August Johnson Killed in Action
August hasnt been able to verify when it comes to where he is born exactly, but he was born in Sweden November 10, 1874.
August was fighting with his unit, 2nd CMR, in the battle of Passchendaele, just north of the village Passchendaele, between Source Farm and Vapour Farm. August was killed the 31st of october 1917, and he is missing and therefore commemorated at Menin Gate Memorial.
267083 Pvt Edvin Robert Olson – 5th Canadian Infantry battalion – KIA November 10, 1917.
Meetcheele – Edvin Robert Olson Killed in Action
Edvin was born in Våmb Parish, Skåne, Sweden June 7th, 1896
Edvin falls in battle when his battalion supports the 7th and 8th battalions’ attack on Passchendaele, the third phase, which begins on November 10, 1917. He is not found and has no grave of his own, and is remembered at Menin Gate in Ypres.
100411 Pvt Karl Adrian Olson – 43rd Canadian Infantry Battalion – KIA October 27, 1917.
Bellevue Pillbox – Karl Adrian Olson Killed in Action
Karl was born in Väne-Åsaka, Västergötland, Sweden, March 25, 1888
Karl Olsson’s battalion advances towards German positions around Bellevue Pillboxes, and Karls falls in the beginning of the second phase of the battle of Passchedaele October 26, 1917. He is not found, and he is commemorated at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.
199046 Pvt Erick Anderson – 46th Canadian Infantry Battalion – KIA October 26, 1917
46th Bn Position – Erick Anderson Wounded in Action.
Erick Anderson was born in Floda, Södermanland, Sweden, February 1st, 1886.
Erick arrived in England from Canada July 6th, 1916 and is Taken on Strenght (TOS) to the 5th Canadian Infantry Battalion. According to thye Casualty card he is
injured in his right arm by a shrapnel or a Gun Shot which penetrated his arm. He received this injury in the battle of Vimy Ridge in France, April 11th 1917. He was then fighting for the same battalion as another Swede, Axel Renyus Carlson, who you can find in my soldier list in the Main menu in this web page. Axel was killed in action in that battle.
Erick was discharged from Wharncliffe War Hospital in Sheffield June 11th 1917, and then later became attached to 46th Canadian Infantry Battalion in September 26, 1917. In October 26, 1917 he is reported to be wounded and missing, and later on reported to have been killed in action the same day. Erick has no known grave and he is commemorated at Menin Gate Memorial.
473075 Pvt Martin Swedberg – 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion – KIA June 13, 1916
Hill 61 – Martin Swedberg Killed in Action
Martin was born in Borgsjö Parish, Västernorrland, Sweden, May 26, 1875
Martin participates in battles east of Hill 61, which can be read from the diary, but otherwise there is not much information. He has no known grave of his own and is commemorated at Menin Gate in Ypres. On June 13, 1916, the Canadians fought over Mont Serrel a few hundred meters southwest of this place.
442081 Pvt Eric Carlson – 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion – KIA June 13, 1916
Mount Sorrel – Eric Carlson Killed in Action
Eric was born in Södra Barnabördsdhuset in Stockholm, Sweden, March 22, 1889
Eric Carlson falls as his unit advances south of Hooge towards Mount Serrel, where the Germans have taken large parts of the height, which is then recaptured by large parts of Eric’s units. Eric falls on the last day of the Battle of Mount Sorrel, June 13, 1916, the same day as Martin Swedberg, who fights north of Eric, around Hill 61. Eric is buried at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground just south of Ypres.
415222 (A15222) Corporal Bertil Albert Lindh – 13th Canadian Infantry Battalion – KIA April 19, 1916
The Bluff – Bertil Lindh Killed in Action
Bertil was born in Hedvig Eleonora Parish, Stockholm, Sweden December 31, 1892
Bertil Was killed and originally buried in Trench 33 the 19th of April 1916, when his unit was fighting close to the German Line in The Bluff Area.
The above information is about those Swedes who fought for the Canadian forces in the area of Ypres and Passchendaele. It was really interesting to walk around at the palces where I, myself, thinks they have been fallen, Sometimes I can get close to those places, like in Bertils case, but others is just an overview due to private land. But this gives you an overall picture how the area looks today.
Next post will be about those Swedes who fought for the Australian Forces in the same area within the same time frame. below some other nice photos from the area.
