Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Sten Wåhlin (19 February 1914 – 15 March 1981) was a
Swedish Army
The Swedish Army ( sv, svenska armén) is the land force of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1521, when the men of Dalarna chose 16 young able men as body guards for the insurgent nobleman Gustav Vas ...
officer. Wåhlin served as
Master-General of the Ordnance
The Master-General of the Ordnance (MGO) was a very senior British military position from 1415 to 2013 (except 1855–1895 and 1939–1958) with some changes to the name, usually held by a serving general. The Master-General of the Ordnance was ...
and head of the
Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration
The Royal Swedish Army Material Administration ( sv, Kungliga Arméförvaltningen, KAF) was a Swedish central government agency that replaced the War Collegium (''Krigskollegium'') in 1865. It was active between the years 1866 and 1954.
History ...
and as chairman of the
Administration Board of the Swedish Armed Forces Administration Board of the Swedish Armed Forces ( sv, Försvarets förvaltningsdirektion, FFD) was a Swedish government agency that existed from 1954 to 1968. It sorted under the Ministry of Defence and had the task of coordinating the activities o ...
. He was the first Director General of the
Defence Materiel Administration
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration ( sv, Försvarets materielverk, FMV) is a Swedish government agency that reports to the Ministry of Defence. The agency is responsible for the supply of materiel to the Swedish defence organisation. It ...
, serving from 1968 to 1974.
Early life
Wåhlin was born on 19 February 1914 in
Söderhamn
Söderhamn is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality and the seat of Söderhamn Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden with 11,761 inhabitants in 2010.
Sports
The biggest local sport is bandy. Broberg/Söderhamn Bandy play in the highest division E ...
, Sweden, the son of Per Wåhlin (1885–1958), a banker, and his wife Tora, née Melin (1884–1950). He passed ''
studentexamen
Studentexamen (Swedish for "students' examination" or "students' degree"), earlier also ''mogenhetsexamen'' ("maturity examination") was the name of the university entrance examination in Sweden from the 17th century to 1968. From 1862 to 1968 ...
'' in
Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
in 1932 and was commissioned as an officer in ''Fortifikationen'' ("Royal Engineers") in 1935 with the rank of second lieutenant.
Career
He attended the General Fortification Course at the
Artillery and Engineering College
Artillery and Engineering College ( sv, Artilleri- och ingenjörhögskolan, AIHS) was a Swedish Army training establishment active between 1878 and 1992, providing courses for artillery officers. It was located within the Stockholm Garrison in Sto ...
from 1936 to 1938 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1938
and the
Royal Swedish Army Staff College
The Royal Swedish Army Staff College ( sv, Kungliga Krigshögskolan, KHS) was a Swedish Army training establishment between 1866 and 1961, providing courses for army officers. It was the home of the Swedish Army's staff college, which provided adv ...
from 1940 to 1942.
Wåhlin became captain in the
General Staff Corps General Staff Corps ( sv, Generalstabskåren, Gst) was an administrative corps within the Swedish Armed Forces between 1937 and 1990 and consisted of Swedish Army officers chosen for duty in the Defence Staff and Army Staff. It replaced the earlie ...
in 1944
and he served in the
Defence Staff from 1944 to 1946.
From 1946 to 1951, Wåhlin served as a teacher at the Royal Swedish Army Staff College.
He served in
Boden Engineer Corps (Ing 3) in 1951.
He was then promoted to major in the
Swedish Engineer Troops
The Swedish Engineer Troops ( sv, Ingenjörtrupperna, I) is the engineer branch of the Swedish Army. The Troops were formed after the Defence Act of 1936. Today, it consists of a single unit, the Göta Engineer Regiment (Ing 2) and two schools, t ...
and appointed head of the
Army Staff's Equipment Department in 1953.
Wåhlin attended the General Course at the
Swedish National Defence College
The Swedish Defence University ( sv, Försvarshögskolan, FHS) is situated on Drottning Kristinas väg 37 in Östermalm, Stockholm City Centre, next to the campus of the Royal Institute of Technology.
History
Today's Swedish Defence University ma ...
in 1954.
In 1959, Wåhlin was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed commanding officer of the Swedish Army School of Field Works (''Arméns fältarbetsskola'', FältarbS) in 1959 and two years later he was promoted to colonel and appointed head of Section I of the Army Staff.
Wåhlin was a board member of the Swedish Armed Forces Factory Board (''Försvarets fabriksstyrelse'') from 1962.
During 1963 he served as commanding officer of the
Life Regiment Grenadiers
Life Regiment Grenadiers ( sv, Livregementets grenadjärer), also I 3, was a Swedish Army infantry unit that was active in various forms 1815–2000. The unit was based in Örebro Garrison in Örebro and belonged to the King's Life and Household T ...
(I 3).
In 1964, Wåhlin was promoted to major general,
[ after which he served as ]Master-General of the Ordnance
The Master-General of the Ordnance (MGO) was a very senior British military position from 1415 to 2013 (except 1855–1895 and 1939–1958) with some changes to the name, usually held by a serving general. The Master-General of the Ordnance was ...
and head of the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration
The Royal Swedish Army Material Administration ( sv, Kungliga Arméförvaltningen, KAF) was a Swedish central government agency that replaced the War Collegium (''Krigskollegium'') in 1865. It was active between the years 1866 and 1954.
History ...
from 1 October 1964 to 30 June 1968. However, he was on leave from the Army Materiel Administration from 1 October 1966 and was instead chairman of the Administration Board of the Swedish Armed Forces Administration Board of the Swedish Armed Forces ( sv, Försvarets förvaltningsdirektion, FFD) was a Swedish government agency that existed from 1954 to 1968. It sorted under the Ministry of Defence and had the task of coordinating the activities o ...
from 1966 to 1968 (of which he, as serving head of the Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration, had already been a member from 1964 to 1966). During those years, he was also commissioned to investigate a unified organization for the Swedish Armed Forces materiel procurement, which led to the establishment of the Defence Materiel Administration
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration ( sv, Försvarets materielverk, FMV) is a Swedish government agency that reports to the Ministry of Defence. The agency is responsible for the supply of materiel to the Swedish defence organisation. It ...
on 1 July 1968.[ He was then its Director General and head from 1968 to 1974, after which he transferred to the reserve as lieutenant general in 1974. As Director General, he laid down “extensive work on developing and systematizing the often very complicated materiel procurement process of Swedish Armed Forces, and of particular importance is that he introduced and developed regular routines in contact with branch commanders as well as with institutions directly involved in defense research or in research and experimental activities that are important to the defense, and not least with the defense industry”. From 1978, Wåhlin chaired the parliamentary commission that investigated issues concerning the future of the aerospace and missile industries.]
Personal life
In 1940 he married Märtha Bergenstråhle (1913–2011), the daughter of colonel Georg Bergenstråhle and Elsa (née von Malmborg). They had two children: Lars Petter (born 1944) and Karl Fredrik (born 1952).
The Wåhlin family owned Hallunda Gård, an 18th-century manor house in Hallunda, Botkyrka Municipality
Botkyrka Municipality ( ) is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, not far from the capital Stockholm. Its seat is located in the town of Tumba.
In 1971 ''Grödinge'' was merged with Botkyrka and in 1974 ''Salem'' was added. ...
.
Death
Wåhlin died on 15 March 1981 in Botkyrka
Botkyrka Municipality ( ) is a municipality in Stockholm County in east central Sweden, not far from the capital Stockholm. Its seat is located in the town of Tumba.
In 1971 ''Grödinge'' was merged with Botkyrka and in 1974 ''Salem'' was add ...
Parish in Stockholm County
Stockholm County ( sv, Stockholms län, link=no ) is a county or '' län'' (in Swedish) on the Baltic Sea coast of Sweden. It borders Uppsala County and Södermanland County. It also borders Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. The city of Stockholm ...
. He was interred on 24 April 1981 at Botkyrka Cemetery in the same grave as his parents and wife.
Dates of rank
*1935 – Second lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
*1938 – Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
*1944 – Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
*1953 – Major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
*1959 – Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
*1961 – Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
*1964 – Major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
*1974 – Lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Awards and decorations
Swedish
*
Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Sword
The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on February 23, 1748, together with the Or ...
(6 June 1967)
*
Home Guard Medal of Merit in gold
Foreign
*
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (1 July 1975)
Honours
*Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Krigsvetenskapsakademien) is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden and was founded on 12 November 1796 by Gustaf Wilhelm af Tibell. The academy is an independent organization and a forum for m ...
(1958)
*Honorary member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences
The Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Örlogsmannasällskapet, KÖMS), founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden. The Society is an independent organization and a forum for navy and defence i ...
(1971)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wahlin, Sten
1914 births
1981 deaths
Swedish Army lieutenant generals
People from Söderhamn
Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences
Members of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences
Commanders First Class of the Order of the Sword