Karl Fredrik Wilkama (27 March 1876 – 15 July 1947), born Wilkman, was a

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

General of the Infantry. He was the supreme commander of the

Finnish Defence Forces The Finnish Defence Forces ( fi, Puolustusvoimat, sv, Försvarsmakten) are the military of Finland. The Finnish Defence Forces consist of the Finnish Army, the Finnish Navy and the Finnish Air Force. In wartime the Finnish Border Guard (whic ...

. Wilkama became an officer in the Imperial Russian Army in 1899. According to the records, he started his military career on 30 May 1889, when he was only 13. Wilkama was appointed General Major on 12 April 1918. He initially commanded the Finnish Eastern Army. Major General Wilkama was appointed Commander-in-chief of the Finnish Army on 31 May 1918, when General of the Cavalry

Mannerheim Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (, ; 4 June 1867 – 27 January 1951) was a Finnish military leader and statesman. He served as the military leader of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War of 1918, as Regent of Finland (1918–1919), as comm ...

was granted leave from his position. However, Wilkama only held his position for 2½ months (until 13 August 1918). He resigned from the army on 18 June 1919, but he was reappointed Commander-in-chief between 12 September 1919 – 7 August 1924. He was promoted to Lieutenant General on 16 May 1922. His third period as Commander-in-chief began on 2 October 1925 and he retired on 22 May 1926. He became a general of the infantry on May 16, 1928. He served on special positions in the Finnish Headquarters during the

Winter War The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...

and the

Continuation War The Continuation War, also known as the Second Soviet-Finnish War, was a conflict fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944, as part of World War II.; sv, fortsättningskriget; german: Fortsetzungskrieg. A ...

. Wilkama is recipient of the Latvian military

Order of Lāčplēsis The Order of Lāčplēsis (also Lāčplēsis Military Order, lv, Lāčplēša Kara ordenis), the first and the highest Latvian military award, was established in 1919 on the initiative of Jānis Balodis, the Commander of the Latvian Army during ...

, 2nd class.

References

1876 births 1947 deaths Military personnel from Helsinki People from Uusimaa Province (Grand Duchy of Finland) Finnish generals Imperial Russian Army officers Russian military personnel of World War I People of the Finnish Civil War (White side) Finnish military personnel of World War II Recipients of the Order of Lāčplēsis, 2nd class {{Finland-mil-bio-stub