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Författare Ämne: Swedish Cavalry and Stromsholm Riding Academy  (läst 1820 gånger)

2003-10-13, 06:16
läst 1820 gånger

Kurt Magnus Ahlmark

Hello, my name is Kurt Magnus Ahlmark. I am trying to find the military records of my grandfather, Magnus Olof Ahlmark, who was in the Swedish Cavalry.  I am not sure which regiment he was in, but since he was from Alsen in Jamtland, he may have been in the Jamtlands Dragonregimente.
 
He was in the Swedish Army sometime between 1893 and 1903.  In 1903 he emigrated to yhe United States.  I doubt that he was an officer, but I am not sure.  According to my father he was an excellent horseman, apparently, to the point that he participated in performances in front of the King of Sweden at the time.  I wonder if he was a graduate of the Riding School at Stromsholm? If he was, how can I find out?
 
It is my understanding that military names were sometimes given to soldiers in Sweden.  My grandfather, Magnus Olof Ersson (Eriksson), or Magnus Olof Valne, was born in Verdal, Norway in 1878. His father was Erik Mansson. Perhaps Ahlmark is a military name?
 
My father, Rhagnar Eric Ahlmark, who passed away in 1984, followed in his father's military footsteps and was a Lieutenant in the United States Navy.  He served in the Naval Air Corps in the South Pacific against the Japanese in WWII.  He lost many close friends in that war.
 
Any information that you can give me is greatly appreciated!  Thank you.
 
Kurt Magnus Ahlmark (Gator)

2003-10-13, 10:48
Svar #1

Utloggad Hans Högman

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Hi Kurt,
There has been a regiment in the province of Jämtland called the Jämtland Dragon Regiment (Jämtlands dragonregemente). However, this regiment wasn't mounted except for a cavalry company. This company became known as the Jämtland Mounted Rifle Company (Jämtlands hästjägarkompani).  
In 1770 the name of the regiment was changed to the Jämtland Infantry Regiment (Jämtlands infanteriregemente) and in 1820 to the Jämtland Rifle Regiment (Jämtlands fältjägarregemente).
Between 1853 and 1892 the regiment was reduced to a corps and carried the name the Jämtland Rifle Corps  
 
The Mounted Rifle Company received the name the Jämtland Mounted Rifle Squadron (Jämtlands hästjägarskvadron) in 1802 and in 1843 the Jämtland Mounted Rifle Corps (Jämtlands hästjägarkår). The Mounted Rifle Corps was separated from the Jämtland Rifle Regiment in 1853 and formed an independent unit.
The Mounted Rifle Corps was reorganized into an enlisted regiment (värvat regemente) in 1892 and was named The Norrland Dragoon Regiment (Norrlands dragonregemente, K8). At this time the regiment moved from Jämtland to the city of Umeå in the province of Västerbotten.  
 
In 1927 the Norrland Dragoon Regiment was consolidated with the Crown Prince's Hussar regiment and the new regiment received the name the Norrland Dragoon Regiment, K4.
In 1958 they carried the name the Norrland Dragoons (Norrlands dragoner) and in 1980 once again the Norrland Dragoon Regiment. In 1980 the regiment moved to Arvidsjaur, province of Lappland.
 
So, if your grandfather was a horseman in a cavalry unit between 1893 and 1903 it couldn't have been in Jämtland since this cavalry unit moved from Jämtland in 1892.
Hans Högman

2003-10-13, 14:16
Svar #2

Kurt Magnus Ahlmark

Thanks Hans for the information.
 
Do you know if there were any mounted regiments stationed around the Riding School at Stromsholm?  Where can I find lists of the graduates of the school at Stromsholm?
 
Kurt MA (Gator)

2003-10-13, 17:35
Svar #3

Anders Andersson

I'm afraid I'm not at all versed in the subject of Swedish riding schools, but I'd like to question your conclusion that your grandfather was trained at Strömsholm, as you seem to base this merely on an opinion that he was an excellent horseman. When you say that he participated in performances in front of the King, it sounds as if he might have been personally invited to demonstrate his abilities in some horse show. However, maybe he was simply assigned to take part in a mounted parade in Stockholm, perhaps in connection with the changing of the Royal Guard (Högvakten)?
 
The task of serving on the Royal Guard is assigned to different Swedish regiments according to a predefined schedule, and each regiment gets to send its own soldiers to Stockholm for a few days at the time. I don't know for how long this has been the routine, but it supposedly worked that way also in the late 1800's. Maybe your grandfather was part of such an assignment?
 
Today, there are very few mounted cavalry units in Sweden, as compared to 100 years ago. The Mounted Royal Guard (Beridna högvakten) in Stockholm, located at K1, was about to be disbanded in the late 1980's (for financial reasons I think), but individuals opposed to the loss of such a colourful tourist attraction formed a private corporation, Den Beridna Högvakten, which assumed financial responsibility for maintaining the Mounted Royal Guard in cooperation with the army. I'm myself a supporting member of this organization, although I have no actual background in the cavalry (I'm not even fond of horses).

2003-10-13, 17:52
Svar #4

Anders Andersson

Being a Swedish taxpayer, I feel compelled to apologize on behalf of the Royal Guard for the truly useless web pages they offer in the English language! I'm used to seeing poor websites, but that one was the low watermark this year.
 
At least the private corporation I support doesn't pretend to have web pages in English...

2003-10-13, 20:22
Svar #5

Utloggad Hans Högman

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Hi Kurt,
Strömsholm near the town Köping (province of Västmanland) and the royal castle Stömsholm has been connected to horses for a very long time.  
Between the 1520's and 1872 Strömsholm was a government stud-farm, between 1868 and 1970 the home of the Army Horse School (Ridskolan, RS), between 1872 and 1956 also a stallion depot and also between 1885 and 1895? a remount depot.
 
Remounting means the process of supplying horses for the Armed Forces. A remount is an acquired young horse; a horse not yet trained.  
In the 1880's the Crown took charge of the remounting for the mounted enlisted regiments and for the harnessed regiments. An example of harnessed regiments is the artillery regiments.
A special remounting commission was set up in 1883. In 1886 the commission received the name the Remounting Board (Remonteringsstyrelsen). At the end of the Allotment System, also the horses provided by the ”rusthåll” (system of providing the horsemen to the cavalry in the Allotment System - Indelningsverket) were handed over to the Remounting Board.  
In order to handle all horses a number Remounting Depots was established in 1885.  
A lot of young horses was annually bought by a special committee and was sent to the remount depots for training. After one year of training at the depots the horses were sent to the regiments for a further one-year of training.
The horses were, like the soldiers, registered in general muster rolls.
 
I don't know if the Army Horse School (Ridskolan, RS) was open to horsemen or just for officers. However the records of  participants at the school ought to be at the War Archives in Stockholm, see http://www.ra.se/KRA/index.html
The War Archives is the Military Archives of Sweden and open to the public.
Hans Högman

2003-10-13, 21:56
Svar #6

Utloggad Anders Ahlberg

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2003-10-17, 19:31
Svar #7

Kurt Magnus Ahlmark

Anders Andersson,
 
You are mistaken on several counts.  
 
The first, being that my grandfather's training was surmised to be at Stromsholm. It was never stated as fact.
 
Second, it was not based on his being an excellent horseman, which by the way he was. It was based on the fact the there was a Cavalry Riding School located there.
 
Third, your assumption that he was personally invited  to performances, is just that, your assumption. I never stated any such thing.
 
Fourth, I never said anything about parades.  Once again, this is your creation.
 
Fifth, again these performances that my grandfather participated in were sophisticated military maneuvers used in battle situations, typically on stallions.  These performances were done in full military dress in front of Swedish Royalty in a covered auditorium designed for such performances.  
 
In the future Mr. Andersson, please do not rotate, spin, fabricate or put words in my communications that are not there. Thank you.  
 
Kurt Magnus Ahlmark

2003-10-17, 19:55
Svar #8

Kurt Magnus Ahlmark

Hans Hogman (Hasseh),
 
Thanks for the history of Remounting Depots you provided. The timing suggests that that system was in operation when my grandfather was in the Swedish Cavalry. Perhaps he was associated with one of the Remounting Depots or possibly the Army Horse School. I have started looking into the War Archives in Stockholm, but I think it will take a little time. I wonder if Sweden was engaged in an military actions between 1893 and 1903? Thanks again for your help!
 
Kurt Magnus Ahlmark

2003-10-17, 23:17
Svar #9

Anders Andersson

Human communication is interesting; two parties may read entirely different statements into the same words. I want you to find Anbytarforum a useful resource in your research, but appearantly I was unsuccessful in providing any assistance to you, and I'm unable to see what I did wrong. However, I appreciate you letting me know your reaction rather than keeping silent and letting it ruin your day. I don't think I will hesitate to try to help you another time, should I get the opportunity. Take care!

2003-10-18, 13:27
Svar #10

Kurt Magnus Ahlmark

Anders Andersson,
 
All is well. You are right, communication is a tricky thing, particularly between cultures.  I grew up in North Africa and have had to learn to converse carefully with people from all over the world. Sometimes it is hard to get the right sense of a word. Often tone is more important than what is said. Oh well, we have to keep trying to communicate. Live long and prosper Anders!
 
Kurt Magnus Ahlmark

2003-10-19, 01:49
Svar #11

Anders Andersson

And tone is indeed difficult to convey in the written medium, while the particular writing style and tempo almost mimics that of speech, where we are used to depending on tone. I may have misunderstood your original question, which of course makes you much more likely to misunderstand my response. In addition to that, English is not my native language, and I comparatively seldom get to use it in speech. Thanks for understanding!

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