Vice Admiral Count Gösta Carl Albert Ehrensvärd (10 February 1885 – 2 November 1973) was a senior Swedish Navy officer. Ehrensvärd hailed from a distinguished naval lineage, being the son of Admiral Count Carl August Ehrensvärd. His family ties included notable figures such as his brother, General Carl August Ehrensvärd, and his great-grandfather, the renowned fortress builder Augustin Ehrensvärd. Following his naval education, Ehrensvärd embarked on a prolific career within the Swedish Navy, rising through the ranks from sub-lieutenant to vice admiral. He held various commanding roles, such as leading the Destroyer Division and serving as Chief of the Naval Staff. Additionally, Ehrensvärd contributed to naval education and literature, notably as a teacher and editor of naval journals. His tenure saw significant contributions to naval strategy and administration, culminating in his promotion to vice admiral before retiring from active service in 1950.
Ehrensvärd became a sea cadet in 1898 and was commissioned into the Swedish Navy as an acting sub lieutenant in 1904 after passing the naval officer examination.[3] Ehrensvärd was promoted to sub-lieutenant in 1906. Ehrensvärd passed the higher course at the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1910 to 1911 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1913. He was a teacher at the Royal Swedish Naval Academy from 1916 to 1919 and at the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College from 1918 to 1922 when he was promoted to commander.[1] Seagoing services in the 1910s was partly as captain and division commander of torpedo boats.[4]
Ehrensvärd was commanding officer of the Destroyer Division in 1919 and from 1923 to 1924.[5] Ehrensvärd was editor of the journal Tidskrift i sjöväsendet from 1925 to 1927 and then served as head of the Communications Department in the Naval Staff from 1927 to 1929. He captained the HSwMS Oscar II in 1929 and was head of the Operations Department in the Naval Staff from 1929 to 1932 and served as a member of the 1930 Defence Commission from 1930 to 1932, being promoted to captain in 1933.[5] Ehrensvärd was captain of the HSwMS Drottning Victoria from 1932 to 1933 and flag captain in the staff of the Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet from 1933 to 1936. He was Chief of the Naval Staff from 1937 to 1939 and was promoted to rear admiral in 1938. Ehrensvärd was Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet from 1939 to 1942 and commanding admiral of the South Coast Navy District from 1942 to 1950 when he was promoted to vice admiral and retired from active service.[1]
Personal life
On 5 January 1909 he married Anna Enell (1886–1972),[6] the daughter of pharmacist Henrik Enell and Emma (née Öst). He was the father of Gösta (1910–1980), Carl August (1913–1982) and Ulla (1918–1983).[1]
Officers aboard the HSwMS Sverige in 1939: from the left lieutenant A.O.J. Falkman, Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet, rear admiral Gösta Ehrensvärd, lieutenant B. Bertelsson and captain Helge Strömbäck.
^ abHarnesk, Paul, ed. (1948). Vem är vem?. D. 3, Götalandsdelen utom Skåne [Who is Who?. D. 3, Götaland part except Scania] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Vem är vem bokförlag. pp. 240–241.
^ abSveriges dödbok 1901-2009 [Swedish death index 1901-2009] (in Swedish) (Version 5.0 ed.). Solna: Sveriges släktforskarförbund. 2010. ISBN978-91-87676-59-8. SELIBR11931231.
