Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank 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 battlefield, who was norma ...

Count Wilhelm Archibald Douglas (19 July 1883 – 5 July 1960) was a senior

Swedish Army The Swedish Army () is the army, land force of the Swedish Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Sweden. Beginning with its service in 1521, the Swedish Army has been active for more than 500 years. History Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1 ...

officer and nobleman. Douglas had a remarkable career marked by military achievements and high-ranking positions. Commissioned as an officer in 1903, he quickly rose through the ranks, attaining the rank of lieutenant in the Life Regiment Dragoons in 1906. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he served as a general staff officer in the 1st Army Division, and in 1918, he played a significant role in the

Finnish Civil War The Finnish Civil War was a civil war in Finland in 1918 fought for the leadership and control of the country between Whites (Finland), White Finland and the Finnish Socialist Workers' Republic (Red Finland) during the country's transition fr ...

, becoming captain and lieutenant colonel in the

Finnish Army The Finnish Army ( , ) is the army, land forces branch of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Finnish Army is divided into six branches: infantry (which includes armoured units), field artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, Combat engineering, engineer ...

and participating in key battles. Returning to Sweden, Douglas continued his military career, holding various positions such as chief of staff of the 5th Army Division and commanding officer of the

Norrland Dragoon Regiment The Norrland Dragoon Regiment (), also K 4, is a Swedish Army unit specialized in arctic warfare and special operations. Located in the province of Lapland, Sweden, Lappland, it was historically a cavalry unit that traces its origins back to the ...

. His promotions continued, reaching major general in 1937, and he later served as Chief of the Army from 1944 to 1948. In addition to his military duties, Douglas was a member of the Stockholm City Council and held roles as aide-de-camp and chief aide-de-camp to King

Gustaf V Gustaf V (Oscar Gustaf Adolf; 16 June 1858 – 29 October 1950) was King of Sweden from 8 December 1907 until his death in 1950. He was the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sophia of Nassau, a half-sister of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxe ...

. Apart from his military career, Douglas was also a prolific writer, producing biographical literature, including works on Marshal

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (, 4 June 1867 – 27 January 1951) was a Finnish military commander, aristocrat, and statesman. He served as the military leader of the White Guard (Finland), Whites in the Finnish Civil War (1918), as List of ...

and his ancestor, Swedish Field Marshal

Robert Douglas, Count of Skenninge Robert Douglas (17 March 1611 – 28 May 1662), Count of Skenninge, Baron of Skalby, was a Scottish cavalry general during the Thirty Years' War rising to the rank of Field Marshal (1657–1662) in the Swedish-Polish wars that followed. He f ...

. In 1933, together with a number of other officers, Douglas was one of the initiators of the formation of the

National Socialist Bloc National Socialist Bloc () was a Swedish Nazi political party formed in the end of 1933 by the merger of '' Nationalsocialistiska Samlingspartiet'', '' Nationalsocialistiska Förbundet'' and local National Socialist units connected to the advoca ...

. The project was an attempt to unite the many different Swedish Nazi organizations to join together in a common party. However, only a number of smaller groups, such as the Swedish National Socialist Union Party and the National Socialist Union, joined. The members of the party came mostly from the upper class and many were officers.

Early life

Douglas was born on 19 July 1883 at

Stjärnorp Castle Stjärnorp Castle (old spelling: Stiernorp or Stiernarp) is situated north of lake Roxen (lake), Roxen just north of Linköping, in the southern province of Östergötland, Sweden. It was built by the Clan Douglas#The Swedish branch, Douglas Fami ...

Östergötland County Östergötland County () is a county or '' län'' in southeastern Sweden. It has land borders with the counties of Kalmar to the southeast, Jönköping to the southwest, Örebro to the northwest, and Södermanland to the northeast. It also has a ...

as the second of four sons of Count

Ludvig Douglas Ludvig Vilhelm August Douglas, Count of Mühlhausen, Gondelsheim, Skenninge and Stjernorp, Lord of Langenstein and Stjernorp castles (24 November 1849 – 20 July 1916), was a conservative Swedish politician and official. He was a direct patrili ...

, Marshal of the Realm, and Countess Anna Louise Dorotea (née Ehrensvärd). His younger brother, Count (1888–1946), was a chamberlain, and his elder brother Robert (1880–1955), a nobleman in Germany, married dowager

Queen Augusta Victoria Augusta Victoria of Hohenzollern (; 19 August 1890 – 29 August 1966) was the daughter of William, Prince of Hohenzollern, and Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. In 1913, she married the deposed King Manuel II of Portugal. Afte ...

of Portugal, widow of King Manuel II. Archibald Douglas was cousin to General

Carl August Ehrensvärd Count Carl August Ehrensvärd (5 May 1745 – 21 May 1800) was a Swedish naval officer, painter, author, and neo-classical architect. Ehrensvärd was born in Stockholm, and died in Örebro. Though active as a naval officer during his entire ...

(his successor on the Chief of the Army post), Vice Admiral

Gösta Ehrensvärd Vice Admiral Count Gösta Carl Albert Ehrensvärd (10 February 1885 – 2 November 1973) was a senior Swedish Navy officer. Ehrensvärd hailed from a distinguished naval lineage, being the son of Admiral Count Carl August Ehrensvärd. His famil ...

and deputy director of the Ministry of Defence

Augustin Ehrensvärd Field Marshal count Augustin Ehrensvärd (25 September 1710 – 4 October 1772) was a Swedish military officer, military architect, artist, creator of the Suomenlinna (Sveaborg) fortress, Svartholm fortress and the Swedish archipelago fleet. He ...

Career

He was commissioned as an officer in 1903 and was promoted to lieutenant in the Life Regiment Dragoons (K 2) in 1906. Douglas was lieutenant in the

General Staff A military staff or general staff (also referred to as army staff, navy staff, or air staff within the individual services) is a group of officers, Enlisted rank, enlisted, and civilian staff who serve the commanding officer, commander of a ...

in 1913 and served as general staff officer in the staff of the 1st Army Division (''I. arméfördelningen'') from 1914 to 1917. He was promoted to captain in 1916 and did the same year a study trip to Galicia region in Central-Eastern Europe. Back in Sweden, Douglas served as a military history teacher at the

Royal Swedish Army Staff College The Royal Swedish Army Staff College (, 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 advanced training for officers ...

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

from 1917 to 1918 and as general staff officer at the Finnish headquarters during the

in 1918. During his time in

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

in 1918, he became captain and lieutenant colonel in the

and took part in the

Battle of Länkipohja A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

and

Battle of Tampere The Battle of Tampere was a 1918 Finnish Civil War battle, fought in Tampere, Finland from 15 March to 6 April between the Whites and the Reds. It is the most famous and the deadly of all the Finnish Civil War battles. Its bloody aftermath saw ...

. Back in Sweden, Douglas became ''

ryttmästare ''Ryttmästare'' (from the German word ''Rittmeister'') was a military rank in the Swedish cavalry in the Swedish Army. The rank corresponded to the rank of captain in other service branches. The rank was abolished in 1972. History The military ...

'' and squadron commander in the Life Regiment Dragoons in 1919 and taught ground warfare at the

Royal Swedish Naval Staff College The Royal Swedish Naval Staff College (, KSHS) was a Swedish Navy training establishment between 1898 and 1961, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Swedish Navy's staff college, which provided advanced training for office ...

on and off between 1919 and 1929. In 1922, Douglas returned to the General Staff as captain and became major there in 1924. He served as chief of staff of the 5th Army Division (''V. arméfördelningen'') from 1923 to 1927 when he became major in the Life Regiment Dragoons. Douglas became lieutenant colonel in the Life Regiment of Horse (K 1) in 1928. He was promoted to colonel and appointed commanding officer of

(K 4) in 1930 and in 1935 Douglas was appointed executive officer of the Life Regiment of Horse. In 1937 Douglas was promoted to major general and appointed commanding officer of Upper Norrland's Troops (''Övre Norrlands trupper'') and in 1940 he conducted a study trip to

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

and

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. In 1942 he was appointed Inspector of the Swedish Army and the year after he was chairman of the Officer Training Investigation (''Officersutbildningsutredningen''). In 1944, Douglas was promoted to lieutenant general and was appointed Chief of the Army. During this time he also served as president of the

Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences () 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 military (army and air force) and de ...

from 1945 to 1947. During Douglas' time as army chief, the Meyerhöffer affair occurred. The Meyerhöffer affair involved officer

Alf Meyerhöffer Alf Roar Dag Meyerhöffer (16 December 1891 – 29 April 1962) was a Swedish Army officer and politician, who represented Högerpartiet in Swedish parliament Riksdag from 1932 to 1936. Meyerhöffer is mostly known for the Meyerhöffer affair w ...

, known for his nationalist and pro-German views. He was politically active but later joined the military. Douglas valued Meyerhöffer's skills as a military trainer. Meyerhöffer distanced himself from politics but faced controversy due to his past. The government, under Douglas's support, promoted Meyerhöffer, leading to public and press criticism. The Meyerhöffer affair highlighted internal conflicts within the Swedish military and its relations with

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

. Douglas retired from the military in 1948. Beside his military career, Douglas was a member of the Stockholm City Council from 1921 to 1923 and served as aide-de-camp to King

from 1920 to 1930 and as chief aide-de-camp (''överadjutant'') to King Gustaf V from 1931 to 1950.

Personal life

In 1907 he married Astri Henschen (1883–1976) in

Ronneby Ronneby is a locality and the seat of Ronneby Municipality in Blekinge County, Sweden with 12,029 inhabitants in 2010. Ronneby is regarded as the heart of "the Garden of Sweden", and in 2005 the park "Brunnsparken" in Ronneby was voted Sweden's m ...

. She was the daughter of Professor

Salomon Eberhard Henschen Salomon Eberhard Henschen (28 February 1847 – 16 December 1930) was a Swedish doctor, professor and neurologist. Biography Background and education Henschen was born in Uppsala, Sweden. He was the son of Lars Wilhelm Henschen (1805–1885) ...

and Gerda (née Sandell). Douglas lived in Villa Parkudden in

Djurgården Djurgården ( or ) or, more officially, , is an island in central Stockholm, Sweden. Djurgården is home to historical buildings and monuments, museums, galleries, the amusement park Gröna Lund, the open-air museum Skansen, the small resident ...

, and also owned

in Östergötland County from 1947. The ancestral Stjärnorp Castle, which his father had purchased back to the family some years before Archibald's birth, was designated as Archibald's family seat. He was the father of the Ambassador

Carl Douglas Carlton George Douglas (born 10 May 1942) is a Jamaican-British singer best known for his 1974 disco single " Kung Fu Fighting". Based in the United Kingdom, Douglas released three studio albums, including '' Kung Fu Fighting and Other Great L ...

(1908–1961) and company executive (1910–1992) and grandfather of financier

Gustaf Douglas Gustaf Archibald Siegwart Douglas (3 March 1938 – 3 May 2023) was a Swedish aristocrat, billionaire businessman, and politician. In August 2022, his net worth was estimated at US$7.2 billion. In 2007 he became a member of the Royal Swedish A ...

. Through his eldest son, Carl Ludvig, he is the grandfather of Princess Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria, wife of

Prince Max, Duke in Bavaria Max-Emanuel Ludwig Maria Herzog in Bayern (sometimes styled Prince Max of Bavaria, Duke in Bavaria; born 21 January 1937) as the younger son of Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria, is the heir presumptive to both the headship of the former Bavarian royal ...

. He is also the grandfather of

Rosita Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough Dagmar Rosita Astrid Libertas, Duchess of Marlborough (née Douglas, sometimes Spencer-Churchill; born 26 September 1943), is a British artist of Swedish and German descent. She was the third wife of John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborou ...

, the third wife of

John Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill, 11th Duke of Marlborough, (13 April 1926 – 16 October 2014) was a British peer. He was the elder son of the 10th Duke of Marlborough and his wife, the Hon. Alexandra Mary Hilda Cadogan. He was ...

, they divorced in 2008. Douglas wrote biographical literature and biographies of

Marshal of Finland In the Finnish Defence Forces, Field Marshal (, ) is officially not an active military rank but an honorary rank that can be bestowed upon 'especially distinguished General officer, generals'. So far the only holder of this title has been Baro ...

(his Finnish contemporary), and Swedish

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...

, his ancestor.

Death

Douglas died in a car accident in Grensholm near

Linköping Linköping ( , ) is a city in southern Sweden, with around 167,000 inhabitants as of 2024. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality and the capital of Östergötland County. Linköping is also the episcopal see of the Diocese of Linköping (Chu ...

on 5 July 1960. Douglas, who was 76 at the time, was on his way home from a visit to

Norrköping Norrköping ( , ) is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County, about 160 km southwest of the national capital Stockholm, 40 km east of county seat Lin ...

. His eldest son, the Swedish Ambassador to Brazil

, also died in a car accident, just six months later.

Dates of rank

*1906 –

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

*1916 –

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

*1919 – ''

Ryttmästare ''Ryttmästare'' (from the German word ''Rittmeister'') was a military rank in the Swedish cavalry in the Swedish Army. The rank corresponded to the rank of captain in other service branches. The rank was abolished in 1972. History The military ...

'' *1924 –

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

*1928 – Lieutenant colonel *1930 –

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), 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 colon ...

*1937 – Major general *1944 –

Lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank 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 battlefield, who was norma ...

Awards and decorations

Swedish

King Gustaf V's Jubilee Commemorative Medal (1948) * Seraphimerorden ribbon

King Gustaf V's Jubilee Commemorative Medal (1928) * King Gustaf V's Commemorative Medal (16 February 1951) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_Grand_Cross_BAR

Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_Grand_Cross_BAR

Commander Grand Cross 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 23 February 1748, together with the Or ...

(6 June 1944) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_1st_Class_BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

(14 November 1936) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_1st_Class_BAR

Commander of the

(25 November 1933) * Order_of_the_Sword_-_Ribbon_bar

Knight of the

(1924) * Knight of the

Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish language, Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden''), sometimes translated as the Royal Order of the North Star, is a Swedish order of chivalry created by Frederick I of Sweden, King Frederick I on 23 F ...

(1931) *

Knights of the

Order of Vasa The Royal Order of Vasa () is a Swedish order of chivalry founded on 29 May 1772 by Gustav III, King Gustav III. It is awarded to Swedish citizens for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. His ...

(1929) *

SWE_Home_Guard_Royal_Medal_of_Merit_ribbon

Home Guard Medal of Merit Home Guard Medal of Merit (, HVGM & HVSM) is a Swedish reward medal established in 1947 by the National Home Guard Council. It is awarded to those who, through significant service, have contributed to developing the Home Guard in addition to what ...

in Gold * National Association of Volunteer Motor Transport Corps Medal of Merit in gold

Foreign

Grand Cross of the

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog () is a Denmark, Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V of Denmark, Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the Order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single cla ...

Grand Cross of the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Just be ...

Finland Cross of Liberty 2nd Class Military Wartime

2nd Class of the

Order of the Cross of Liberty The Order of the Cross of Liberty (; ) is one of three official state Order (decoration), orders in Finland, along with the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The awards of the Order of the Cross of Liberty ...

with Swords * Finland Cross of Liberty 3rd Class Military Wartime

3rd Class of the

with Swords * FIN Order of the White Rose Commander BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

Order of the White Rose of Finland The Order of the White Rose of Finland (; ) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The ...

ETH Order of the Star of Ethiopia - Commander BAR

Commander of the

Order of the Star of Ethiopia The Order of the Star of Ethiopia was established as an order of knighthood of the Ethiopian Empire, founded by the Negus of Shewa and later Emperor of Ethiopia Menelik II in 1884–1885. It is currently awarded as a house order by the Crown ...

Commander 2nd Class of the

Order of the White Lion The Order of the White Lion () is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners (Czechoslovakia having no civilian decoration for its citizens in the 192 ...

Officer of the

Order of Orange-Nassau The Order of Orange-Nassau () is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands. The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has performed acts of special merits for ...

with Swords * 3rd Class of the

Order of Saint Stanislaus The Order of Saint Stanislaus (, ), also spelled Stanislas, was a Polish order of knighthood founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Poniatowski of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. It remained under the Congress Poland, Kingdom of Pola ...

Honours

*Member of the

(1936)

Bibliography

* * * * *

References

External links

Article by Douglas on Mannerheim
{{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas, Archibald 1883 births 1960 deaths Swedish Army lieutenant generals Chiefs of Army (Sweden) People from Linköping Municipality Swedish Nazis Swedish people of Scottish descent Swedish volunteers in the Finnish Civil War (White side) Archibald Douglas-Stjernorp Road incident deaths in Sweden Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword Knights of the Order of the Polar Star Knights of the Order of Vasa Recipients of orders, decorations, and medals of Ethiopia