Magnus Olson (Swedish Army officer)

Senior Colonel Anders Magnus Olson (1 February 1929 – 4 November 2018) was a Swedish Army officer. Olson served as commander of the Life Regiment Hussars from 1976 to 1980, as Chief of Staff of the Western Military District from 1984 to 1988 and as Crown Equerry and head of the Royal Stables from 1991 to 1996.

Magnus Olson
Birth name	Anders Magnus Olson
Born	1 February 1929 Vänersnäs, Vänersborg Municipality, Sweden
Died	4 November 2018 (aged 89) Bäcks, Töreboda Municipality, Sweden
Allegiance	Sweden
Service/branch	Swedish Army
Years of service	1954–1990
Rank	Senior Colonel
Commands held	Life Regiment Hussars Chief of Staff, Milo V
Other work	Crown Equerry

Career

Olson (second at the top of the image) in the United States in 1975 together with Chief of the Army, Lieutenant General Carl Eric Almgren (left).

Olson was born on 1 February 1929 in Vänersnäs, Älvsborg County, Sweden,[1] the son of Anders Olson, a farmer, and his wife Maria (née Andersson).[2] Olson graduated from the Military Academy Karlberg in 1954 and was commissioned as an officer in the Life Regiment Hussars (K 3). He attended the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College from 1961 to 1963[2] and was promoted to Ryttmästare in Life Regiment Hussars in 1965. The same year, Olsson was promoted to Captain and was assigned to the Army Staff[3] and attended British Staff College.[2] Olson was promoted to Major in 1970 and served as a teacher at the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College from 1970 to 1973 and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1972.[3]

Olson was appointed head of the Tactics and Intelligence Department in the Army Staff in 1973 and in 1975 he attended the general course at the Swedish National Defence College in 1975 (and its management course in 1984). In 1976, Olsson was appinted regimental commander of the Life Regiment Hussars (K 3) and the year after he was promoted to Colonel. After four years as regimental commander, Olson was appointed military attaché in Washington, D.C. in 1980. He then served as military district inspector of the Western Military District from 1983 to 1984 and as Chief of Staff of the Western Military District from 1984 to 1988. In 1988, Olson was assigned to the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces and served as military advisor at the European Security Conference (ESC) negotiations in Vienna for two years. He retired from active service in 1990 and then served as Crown Equerry and head of the Royal Stables from 1991 to 1996.[2]

Olson also served as chief aide-de-camp (överadjutant) to His Majesty the King.[2]

Personal life

In 1957, Olson married Margaret (Titti) von Hofsten (born 1933), the daughter of Erland von Hofsten and Ebba (née Sörensen).[2]

Death

Olson died on 4 November 2018 at Borrud seat farm in Bäcks socken, Töreboda Municipality. His funeral was held in Bäcks Church on 23 November 2018.[4]

Dates of rank

• 1954 – Fänrik
• 1965 – Ryttmästare
• 1965 – Captain
• 1970 – Major
• 1972 – Lieutenant Colonel
• 1977 – Colonel
• 1984 – Senior Colonel

Awards and decorations

• H. M. The King's Medal, 12th size gold (silver-gilt) medal worn around the neck on the Order of the Seraphim ribbon (1996)[5]
• Knight 1st Class of the Order of the Sword (6 June 1972)[6]
• Officer of the Legion of Merit (15 November 1984)[7]
• Second Class of the Order of the White Star (11 September 1995)[8]

References

1. Sveriges befolkning 1980 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Sveriges släktforskarförb. 2004. ISBN 9187676370. SELIBR 9632925.
2. Salander Mortensen, Jill, ed. (1996). Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1997 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1997] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. p. 867. ISBN 91-1-960852-7. SELIBR 3681533.
3. Kjellander, Rune (2003). Sveriges regementschefer 1700-2000: chefsbiografier och förbandsöversikter (in Swedish). Stockholm: Probus. p. 158. ISBN 9187184745. SELIBR 8981272.
4. "Dödsannons" [Obituary]. www.familjesidan.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 9 August 2020.
5. "Sök ordens- och medaljförläningar" (in Swedish). Royal Court of Sweden. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
6. Kungl. Hovstaterna: Kungl. Maj:ts Ordens arkiv, Matriklar (D 1), vol. 14 (1970–1979), p. 68, digital imageing.
7. "General Orders No. 35" (PDF). United States Army Publishing Directorate. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Army. 15 November 1984. p. 1. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
8. "Magnus Olson". Office of the President of the Republic. Retrieved 4 February 2021.