Swedish Volunteer Company aka Svir Company

The Swede Captain Rickard Nilsson

Mascot in South Karelia

At the beginning of 1942 yet another Swedish volunteer force was organized, the so-called Svir Company. Around 400 Swedes organized in a Swedish volunteer company held the line in Syväri also known as Svir Front between Lake Ladoga and Onega from 1942 to 1944. They were ordered to Karelia around midsummer 1944 and participated in the furious battles until the war ended in September 1944. In the battles of summer 1944 the company fought with distinction before it was disestablished in Åbo on September 16 1944. During the wars, numerous Swedish volunteers also served in Finnish units in all branches of services and on all fronts. Left image: Captain Rickard Nilsson Commander of the Swedish volunteer company. Nilsson is wearing the Volunteer Clasp with the Swedish Three Crowns for Swedish volunteers in the Finnish Continuation War 1941-1944. The first Swedes that were awarded with this clasp were those that had served at the Hangö-frontier in 1941. The soldiers that served at the Svir-frontier and thereafter at the Karelian Isthmus in 1944 were also awarded with this particular clasp. Commander Rickard Nilsson died aged 57 in 1963. PD. Right image: an unofficial mascot at the front line in Imatra in South Karelia. Credit: Jussi Luostarinen. The Finnish Wartime Photograph Archive.