Arthur Nordenswan

Arthur Nordenswan’s father was Major General Carl Otto Nordenswan, a well-known military writer. Arthur also pursued a military career, which he started as sub-lieutenant in the Svea Life Guards in 1902. At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics he was the most successful of the four Swedes in the team competition of small-bore rifle, 50 m, winning silver. In the individual events, however, he was less successful. In 1916 he was promoted to the rank of captain.

In 1921 he was transferred to the Västernorrland Regiment and later to the Norrbotten Regiment, where he became major in 1916 and lieutenant colonel in 1930. Nordenswan was appointed commander of the Swedish peacekeeping force under the mandate of the League of Nations in the Territory of the Saar Basin. From 1935 to 1942 he served as colonel and later commander of the Skaraborg Regiment.

As a colonel in the Finnish army, Nordenswan served as commander of the Swedish Volunteer Corps’ battle group in the Winter War in 1940. In 1947 he became chairman of the Association of Swedish Finland Volunteers. In 1909 he married Inez Gonzaga Kjerner, and in 1918 his second wife, Ruth Persson. His brother was Gustaf Wilhelm Nordenswan (1890–1967), a Swedish aviator, engineer and motoring journalist.