Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Torsten Friis (1 August 1882 – 21 April 1967) was a Swedish Air Force officer. Friis was initially a fortification officer and was commanding officer of the

Field Telegraph Corps Field Telegraph Corps ( sv, Fälttelegrafkåren), designation Ing 3, was a Swedish engineering unit within the Swedish Armed Forces which served in various forms between 1902 and 1937. The main part of the unit was located in the Stockholm Garris ...

from 1928 to 1932 and chief of the Military Office of the Land Defence from 1932 to 1934. In 1934 he was commissioned to build the Swedish Air Force and was appointed Chief of the Air Force, a position he held until 1942 when he retired.

Early life

Friis was born on 1 August 1882 in

Malmö Malmö (, ; da, Malmø ) is the largest city in the Swedish county (län) of Scania (Skåne). It is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region, with a municipal popula ...

, Sweden, the son of vice consul Ernst Friis and his wife Sophie (née Thomée) and brother of rear admiral Helge Friis (1883–1956). He passed ''

studentexamen Studentexamen (Swedish for "students' examination" or "students' degree"), earlier also ''mogenhetsexamen'' ("maturity examination") was the name of the university entrance examination in Sweden from the 17th century to 1968. From 1862 to 1968, ...

'' in 1900.

Career

Friis was commissioned as an officer 1902 and was given the rank of ''underlöjtnant'' the same year. Friis became lieutenant in the Royal Swedish Fortification (''Kungliga Fortifikationen'') in 1907 and graduated from the

Artillery and Engineering College Artillery and Engineering College ( sv, Artilleri- och ingenjörhögskolan, AIHS) was a Swedish Army training establishment active between 1878 and 1992, providing courses for artillery officers. It was located within the Stockholm Garrison in Sto ...

in 1908. Friis was promoted to captain in 1913 and served in the campaign with the

Austro-Hungarian Army The Austro-Hungarian Army (, literally "Ground Forces of the Austro-Hungarians"; , literally "Imperial and Royal Army") was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint arm ...

in 1916. He was a teacher at the Royal Swedish Army Staff College from 1918 to 1919 and at the Artillery and Engineering College from 1919 to 1921 and served as adjutant to the

Crown Prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wife ...

from 1920 to 1932. He became captain in the General Staff in 1921 and major in the General Staff in 1922. Per Sylvan och Torsten Friis

Friis was head of department at the General Staff's Technical Department from 1922 to 1927 and was lieutenant colonel in the General Staff in 1926 and became a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Swedish Fortification in 1928. He was commanding officer of the

from 1928 to 1932 and was promoted to colonel in the Field Telegraph Corps in 1932. Friis was chief of the Military Office of the Land Defence from 1932 to 1934 and became major general in the Swedish Air Force in 1934. In April 1934, the then Chief of the Air Force major general Eric Virgin applied for a year's

leave of absence The labour law concept of leave, specifically paid leave or, in some countries' long-form, a leave of absence, is an authorised prolonged absence from work, for any reason authorised by the workplace. When people "take leave" in this way, they are ...

, after Virgin and the

Abyssinia The Ethiopian Empire (), also formerly known by the exonym Abyssinia, or just simply known as Ethiopia (; Amharic and Tigrinya: ኢትዮጵያ , , Oromo: Itoophiyaa, Somali: Itoobiya, Afar: ''Itiyoophiyaa''), was an empire that historical ...

government entered an agreements to which Virgin would function as chief adviser of the reorganization of the country's army. Friis took over as Chief of the Air Force and was promoted to lieutenant general in 1936. Friis was determined to make the Air Force as equal and effective weapon as one of the older

military branch Military branch (also service branch or armed service) is according to common standard a subdivision of the national armed forces of a sovereign nation or state. Types of branches Unified armed forces The Canadian Armed Forces is the uni ...

es. Because of this he needed an Air Staff, which was also created by the Defence Act of 1936. The Air Force lacked a staff and pilot trained officer who could be appointed chief of staff. Friis therefore offered

Bengt Nordenskiöld General Bengt Gustafsson (G:son) Nordenskiöld (6September 1891 – 28January 1983) was a Swedish Air Force officer who served as Chief of the Air Force from 1942 to 1954. In 1910 Nordenskiöld started his military career as a voluntee ...

this position. Nordenskiöld often expressed opinions and criticism in an arrogant and hurtful way. He was often on matters of fact superior to his subordinates and opponents, but he found it difficult to acknowledge others work and listen to their arguments. Thereby he sometimes counteracted the Air Force interests, and he compromised at times that particular work satisfaction and the cohesion he sought. This prompted the defense minister Per Edvin Sköld and the Supreme Commander

Olof Thörnell General Olof Gerhard Thörnell (19 October 1877 – 25 July 1977) was a Swedish Army officer. He was Sweden's first Supreme Commander from 8 December 1939 until 1944. Before 1939 that had been the role of the King. Early life Thörnell was bor ...

in 1942 to appeal to Friis to remain as Chief of the Air Force. Although Friis shared Sköld's and Thörnell's opinion on Nordenskiöld, Friis felt that Nordenskiöld had to succeed him if the Air Force would be able to keep up with the ever-accelerating development. Friis left the position as Chief of the Air Force in 1942 and was placed in the reserve the same year. He was then governor (''ståthållare'') of

Drottningholm Palace The Drottningholm Palace ( sv, Drottningholms slott) is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. Drottningholm is near the capital Stockholm. Built on the island Lovön (in Ekerö Municipality of Stockholm County), it is one of S ...

Gripsholm Castle Gripsholm Castle ( sv, Gripsholms slott) is a castle in Mariefred, Södermanland, Sweden. It is located by lake Mälaren in south central Sweden, in the municipality of Strängnäs, about 60 km west of Stockholm. Since Gustav Vasa, Grips ...

Haga Palace Haga Palace ( sv, Haga slott), formerly known as the Queen's Pavilion ( sv, Drottningens paviljong), is located in the Haga Park, Solna Municipality in Metropolitan Stockholm, Sweden. The palace, built between 18021805, was modelled after balle ...

, Rosersberg Palace,

Stockholm Palace Stockholm Palace or the Royal Palace ( sv, Stockholms slott or ) is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch (King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia use Drottningholm Palace as their usual residence). Stockholm Pala ...

Strömsholm Palace Strömsholm Palace, sometimes called Strömsholm Castle ( sv, Strömsholms slott), is a Swedish royal palace. The baroque palace is built on the site of a fortress from the 1550s, located on an island in the Kolbäcksån river at the west end of ...

, Tullgarn Palace and

Ulriksdal Palace Ulriksdal Palace ( sv, Ulriksdals slott) is a royal palace situated on the banks of the Edsviken in the Royal National City Park in Solna Municipality, 6 km north of Stockholm. It was originally called ''Jakobsdal'' for its owner Jacob De la ...

from 1947 to 1962. Friis was

standard-bearer A standard-bearer, also known as a flag-bearer is a person (soldier or civilian) who bears an emblem known as a standard or military colours, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used (and often honoured) as ...

of the Orders of His Majesty the King (''Kungl. Maj:ts Orden'') from 1949 and head of the Royal Djurgården Administration (''Kungliga Djurgårdens Förvaltning'') from 1949 to 1962. Friis became a member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Krigsvetenskapsakademien) is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden and was founded on 12 November 1796 by Gustaf Wilhelm af Tibell. The academy is an independent organization and a forum for ...

in 1924 and was board member of

Royal Automobile Club The Royal Automobile Club is a British private social and athletic club. It has two clubhouses: one in London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a ...

Personal life

In 1909 he married Lotty Salin (1887–1968), the daughter of professor Mauritz Salin and Bertha (née Kempe). Friis was the father of Birgit (born 1910), Lotty (born 1914) and Bertha (1923–1997). Friis was the father in law of colonel

Sven Thofelt Sven Alfred Thofelt (19 May 1904 – 1 February 1993) was a Swedish modern pentathlete and épée fencer who competed at the 1928, 1932, 1936 and 1948 Summer Olympics. Early life Thofelt was born on 19 May 1904 in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of m ...

(married to Birgit), doctor Ole Berg (married to Lotty) and count Karl-Hampus Mörner (married to Bertha). The Friis' acquired the

Görväln House Görväln House (; ) is a manor house at Järfälla Municipality in Stockholm County, Sweden. Görväln House is located at Görväln, a bay of lake Mälaren. The manor is now owned by Järfälla Municipality and since 2008 has been used as a hot ...

in 1937 where they lived until their death in 1967 and 1968.

Dates of rank

*1902 – ''

Underlöjtnant ''Underlöjtnant'' (from the German word ''Unterleutnant'') was the lowest officer rank in the Swedish Army from 1835 to 1937 instead of the previous ranks of ''fänrik'' and cornet. was reintroduced in 1914 with the same position as , from 1926 ...

'' *1907 –

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

*1913 –

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

*1922 – Major *1926 – Lieutenant colonel *1932 –

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

*1934 –

Major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

*1936 –

Lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Awards and decorations

Swedish

King Gustaf V's Jubilee Commemorative Medal (1948) * Order_of_the_Seraphim_-_Ribbon_bar

King Gustaf V's Jubilee Commemorative Medal (1928) * Order_of_the_Polar_Star_-_Ribbon_bar,_pre_1975

King Gustaf V's Commemorative Medal (1951) * Royal_Order_of_the_Sword_-_Commander_Grand_Cross_BAR

Commander Grand Cross of the

Order of the Sword The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on February 23, 1748, together with the ...

(16 June 1937) * Order_of_the_Sword_-_Ribbon_bar

Knight of the

(1923) *

Commander Grand Cross of the

Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim. The Order of ...

(31 December 1949) * Order_of_the_Polar_Star_-_Ribbon_bar,_pre_1975

Knight of the

(1933) *

Knight of the

Order of Vasa The Royal Order of Vasa () is a Swedish order of chivalry, awarded to citizens of Sweden for service to state and society especially in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce. It was instituted on 29 May 1772 by King Gustav III. It was ...

(1926)

Foreign

Grand Cross of the

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog ( da, Dannebrogordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known ...

(before 1955) * DNK_Order_of_Danebrog_Commander_1st_Degree_BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

(1935) *

Commander of the

(before 1931) * ETH_Order_of_the_Star_of_Ethiopia_-_Grand_Cross_BAR

Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Ethiopia (before 1955) * FIN_Order_of_the_White_Rose_Commander_1st_Class_BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

Order of the White Rose of Finland The Order of the White Rose of Finland ( fi, Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunta; sv, Finlands Vita Ros’ orden) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. ...

(1934) *

FIN_Order_of_the_Lion_of_Finland_1Class_BAR

Grand Cross of the

Order of the Lion of Finland The Order of the Lion of Finland ( fi, Suomen Leijonan ritarikunta; sv, Finlands Lejons orden) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty and the Order of the White Rose of Finland. The President o ...

(before enast 1962) *

Finnish Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment = 159 , equipment_label ...

's Aviation Badge (1938) * Legion_Honneur_Commandeur_ribbon

Commander of the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

(1937) *

Grand Cross of the Order of Homayoun (before 1962) * Cavaliere_di_Gran_Croce_OCI_Kingdom_BAR

Grand Cross of the

Order of the Crown of Italy The Order of the Crown of Italy ( it, Ordine della Corona d'Italia, italic=no or OCI) was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate Italian unification, the unification of Italy ...

(1945) *

LTU_Order_of_Vytautas_the_Great_-_Commander's_Grand_Cross_BAR

Commander 1st Class of the

Order of Vytautas the Great The Order of Vytautas the Great is the Lithuanian Presidential Award.''Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucija. 84 straipsnis''. Priimta 1992 It may be conferred on the heads of Lithuania and foreign states, as well as their citizens, for distinguished ...

(1935) *

Order of the House of Orange - Ribbon bar

Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Orange (before 1962) * St_Olavs_Orden_storkors_stripe

Grand Cross of the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II ...

(before 1955) * St_Olavs_Orden_kommandør_stripe

Commander with Star of the

(1936) *

Commander of the

(before 1931) * POL_Polonia_Restituta_Komandorski_ZG_BAR

Commander's Cross with Star of the

Order of Polonia Restituta , image=Polonia Restituta - Commander's Cross pre-1939 w rib.jpg , image_size=200px , caption=Commander's Cross of Polonia Restituta , presenter = the President of Poland , country = , type=Five classes , eligibility=All , awar ...

(1934) *

Polish Air Force The Polish Air Force ( pl, Siły Powietrzne, , Air Forces) is the aerial warfare branch of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as ''Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej'' (). In 2014 it consisted of roughly 16,425 mil ...

's Aviation Badge (1936) * UK_Royal_Victorian_Order_ribbon

Grand Cross of the

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, ...

(before 1962) * DEU_Deutsche_Adlerorden_1_BAR

Grand Cross of the

Order of the German Eagle The Order of Merit of the German Eagle (german: Verdienstorden vom Deutschen Adler) was an award of the German Nazi regime, predominantly to foreign diplomats. The Order was instituted on 1 May 1937 by Adolf Hitler. It ceased to be awarded follo ...

(1938)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Friis, Torsten 1882 births 1967 deaths Swedish Air Force lieutenant generals Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword Knights of the Order of Vasa Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences People from Malmö