Bengt Fredman

Lieutenant Colonel Bengt Gösta Olof Fredman (22 April 1916 – 31 December 2008) was a Swedish Army officer, mostly known for his actions during the Congo Crisis in 1963.

Early life

Fredman was born on 22 April 1916 in Östersund, Sweden, the son of Reinhold Fredman, an accountant, and his wife Astrid Dahlström. He passed ''studentexamen'' in Sundsvall in 1935.

Career

Fredman was commissioned as an officer in 1939 and was assigned as a second lieutenant to Västernorrland Regiment (I 21) in Sollefteå Fredman was promoted to lieutenant two years later and attended the Royal Swedish Army Staff College becoming captain in 1947. He served as secretary in the Västernorrland County's officer training union from 1948 to 1959 and was a member of the Central Federation for Voluntary Military Training (''Centralförbundet för befälsutbildning'') from 1956. Fredman served as major in the staff of Härnösand's defence district in 1958.

Congo

Fredman was commanding officer of the Swedish Battalion XVIII K between October 1962 and May 1963. He was handpicked for the post deputy of battalion commander but as the regular battalion commander was asked to become head of sector Kamina in the State of Katanga, Fredman received direct command and responsibility of the battalion. Thus, it was he who with short notice, planned, led the attack and captured the town of Kaminaville during Operation ''Grandslam'' on New Year's Eve in 1962. The attack occurred without loss to the Swedes and without destruction of either the white or African district. The larger of the two captured Gendarmerie camps in Kaminaville was named by a soldier very frivolously to Camp Fred which also became the future name. The name (''Fred'', Swedish word for "Peace") partly referred to their mission as peacemakers and the UN peacekeeping mandate and partly as a tribute to their battalion commander Bengt Fredman.

Early in the morning of 12 January 1963 in Kabundji, Fredman and his battalion surprised two Gendarmerie battalions on their payday and were disarmed, demobilized, were paid with their own war chest, declared to be civilians and sent home to their respective hometowns.

Later career

Back in Sweden in 1963, Fredman began serving in the Jämtland Ranger Regiment (I 5) and in 1966 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed head of the staff department and adjutant to the military commander of the Eastern Military District (Milo Ö) in Strängnäs.

Fredman was a member of the Swedish Order of Freemasons and Samfundet SHT.

Personal life

In 1941 he married Gun Wennberg (1920–1999), the daughter of Bror Wennberg and Beda Östling. He was the father of Lars Olof (born 1945), Elisabeth (born 1950) and Lennart (born 1953).

Death

Fredman died on 31 December 2008 and was buried at the Eastern Cemetery in his hometown of Östersund.

Awards and decorations

Swedish

* Knight of the Order of the Sword (1959)
* Swedish Central Federation for Voluntary Military Training Medal of Merit in silver
* Swedish Women's Voluntary Defence Organization Royal Medal of Merit in silver
* Västernorrland County Association for Volunteer Military Training's Gold Medal (''Västernorrlands läns befäls(utbildnings)förbunds guldmedalj'')
* National Federation of Swedish Women's Auxiliary Defence Services' Silver Medal (''Riksförbundet Sveriges lottakårers silvermedalj'')
* Västernorrland Rifle Association's Silver Medal (Västernorrlands skytteförbunds silvermedalj)
* Swedish Civil Defence League's Badge of Merit in Gold (''Sveriges civilförsvarsförbund förtjänsttecken i guld'')
* Society for the Promotion of Ski Sport and Open Air Life's Gold Medal (''Skid- och friluftsfrämjandets i Sveriges guldmedalj'')

Foreign

* United Nations Medal (ONUC)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fredman, Bengt
1916 births
2008 deaths
Swedish Army colonels
People of the Congo Crisis
Knights of the Order of the Sword
People from Östersund