Archibald Douglas (1883–1960)
| Archibald Douglas | |
|---|---|
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| Born |
19 July 1883 Stjärnorp Castle, Sweden |
| Died | 5 July 1960 (aged 76) Grensholm, Sweden |
| Allegiance | Sweden |
| Service/branch | Swedish Army |
| Years of service | 1903–1948 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | Chief of the Army (1944–48) |
| Battles/wars | Finnish Civil War |
Count Vilhelm Archibald Douglas (19 July 1883 – 5 July 1960) was a Swedish nobleman and soldier who served as Chief of the Army from 1944 to 1948.
Douglas was born at Stjärnorp Castle, Östergötland County and was the second son of Count Ludvig Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, and Countess Anna Louise Dorotea (née Ehrensvärd). Archibald's elder brother Robert, a nobleman in Germany, married dowager Queen Augusta Victoria of Portugal, widow of King Manoel II.
Following his family's traditions, he was educated in the military, and he took part also voluntarily in many combat developments. Sweden did not wage any wars during his lifetime, so an actual combat and war situation had to be experienced elsewhere. As a relatively young man, Archibald Douglas participated as a volunteer in the Civil War of 1918 in Finland. He took part in the Battle of Länkipohja and Battle of Tampere and received the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. After the Finnish adventure, he continued a steady career in Swedish land forces, despite Sweden being neutral all his career. His tasks were more like guard duties and maintaining defense capabilities.
In 1930s and 1940s, Archibald held commands over large military districts, and as Chief of the Army (1944–48).
Douglas wrote biographical literature and biographies of Marshal of Finland Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (his Finnish contemporary), and Swedish Field Marshal Robert Douglas, Count of Skenninge, his ancestor. 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.
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