Vice Admiral Count Carl Alarik Hansson Wachtmeister (28 March 1865 – 26 November 1925) was a senior Swedish Navy officer who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Coastal Fleet (1919–1923) as well as of Stockholm Naval Station (1923–1925). Wachtmeister was born into a noble family. He joined the Royal Swedish Naval Academy in 1878 and graduated in 1884 as an underlöjtnant. Early in his naval career, he gained extensive experience through training and command of ships, including the brigs Skirner and Snapphopp. He was promoted steadily, taking on significant responsibilities such as commanding vessels, leading cadet units, and working on modernization proposals for coastal defence ships. By the early 1900s, he held several key staff and leadership roles, including command of the cruiser Fylgia and the Royal Swedish Naval Academy. Wachtmeister was instrumental in reforming military law and contributed to naval training programs. During World War I, he served as Flag Captain and later became Inspector of the Submarine Service. He was promoted to rear admiral in 1919 and led the Coastal Fleet until 1923. Alongside his military duties, he advised on international naval treaties and was involved in civil service roles, including the Supreme Court. He was promoted to vice admiral shortly before his death in 1925.
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Early life
Wachtmeister was born into the Wachtmeister family on 28 March 1865 at his family estate, Johannishus Castle, in Hjortsberga, Blekinge County, Sweden. His parents were the county governor, Count Hans Wachtmeister of Johannishus, and Baroness Ebba De Geer of Finspång. Wachtmeister was admitted to the Royal Swedish Naval Academy on 30 September 1878. Aboard the corvette Saga, he completed his initial training as a cadet over six summers. After completing the academy’s six land-based and naval classes, he graduated on 20 October 1884 and was appointed an underlöjtnant in the Swedish Navy on 24 October 1884.
Career
After a little over four years of service, Wachtmeister was promoted to sub-lieutenant on 25 January 1889. During his early years, he focused on further training, attending the officers’ course at the drill school, serving as a boatswain officer, and undertaking instruction at the mine school and in dockyard duties. In 1888, he also completed a course at the Swedish Infantry Gunnery School at Rosersberg Palace. Between 1879 and 1922, he was without sea duty for only three years. As a sub-lieutenant, he was already in independent command in 1891 and 1892—serving one year as commanding officer of the brig Skirner, and the other year aboard the brig Snapphopp. During the 1890s, he also held command assignments typically reserved for captains, including commanding brigs, serving as flag adjutant, and as second-in-command. In Karlskrona, he alternated between the drill school, the naval cadet corps, station duty, and dockyard service. He later became commander of the 2nd Naval Cadet Company (2:a skeppsgossekompaniet).
He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 April 1896. Two years later, in 1898, he served as secretary of a committee that proposed modifications to the coastal defence ships Svea, Göta, and Thule. These proposals led to rebuilds that made the ships particularly powerful for their size. On 1 October 1898, he was appointed officer at the hydrographic and naval instrument depot at the Karlskrona station. In 1901, he was transferred from Karlskrona to the Stockholm station, where he would remain for the rest of his career. He was assigned to the Fleet Staff until 1907, and subsequently served at the Naval Staff from 1907 to 1909. During this time, he was also an alternate member of the Pilot Board (Lotsstyrelsen) from 1905 to 1909.
He was promoted to lieutenant commander on 26 October 1906 and served on the governing board of the Swedish Red Cross from 1906 to 1916. That same year, he was among a group of officers appointed by the minister for justice to work on a proposal for revising the military penal code. This proposal laid the groundwork for the new military criminal law. In 1908, Wachtmeister was given command of the coastal defence ship Thor. From 1909 to 1914, he served as head of the Royal Swedish Naval Academy, and from 1909 to 1915, he commanded the armoured cruiser Fylgia during cadet expeditions to foreign waters. In his role as head of the Naval Academy, he was also department head of the Naval Academy Division (Sjökrigsskoleavdelningen). Wachtmeister was promoted to commander on 17 February 1911. From 1 October 1914 to 15 May 1915, he served as head of the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College. Toward the end of 1915, during World War I, he was appointed acting Flag Captain (chief of staff) to the Inspector of Naval Exercises at Sea—a position he officially assumed the following year. During this time, he served aboard Oscar II and later Sverige between 1915 and 1918. He also participated in matters relating to the Åland Islands dispute.
Personal life
On 10 January 1889 in Karlskrona, Wachtmeister married Baroness Helga Sofia von Otter (6 December 1868 – 13 March 1923), the daughter of the Prime Minister of Sweden (1900–02), Admiral, Baron Fredrik von Otter, and his wife Matilda Dahlström. They had three children: Rear Admiral Alarik Wachtmeister (1890–1953), Maud Ebba (born 1892), and Maud Elsa Margareta (born 1908).
Death and funeral
Death
Wachtmeister died on 26 November 1925 in the Skeppsholmen Parish of Stockholm. In the years leading up to his death, he had suffered from a heart condition.
Funeral
The funeral service was held on 1 December 1925 at Skeppsholmen Church. The procession had made its way from the admiral’s residence on Skeppsholmen. The Royal Swedish Navy Band of Stockholm (Flottans musikkår), conducted by Music Director Erik Högberg, performed Chopin's funeral march. On Wachtmeister’s flag-draped casket lay his sword. King Gustaf V was represented by Captain (N) Hans Ericson, and Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Skåne, was represented by Captain von Bahr. Also in attendance were Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland, and Prince Bernadotte.
Among the many dignitaries present were Minister of Defence Per Albin Hansson; U.S. Minister Robert Woods Bliss and his military attaché; the French Minister and military attaché; the Dutch Minister; and the British military attaché. Other notable attendees included Count Hugo E. G. Hamilton; Admiral Wilhelm Dyrssen; Vice Admirals Carl Olsen, Count Carl August Ehrensvärd, Gustaf Dyrssen, Henning von Krusenstierna, and Henry Lindberg; Rear Admirals Jacob Hägg, Magnus Ingelman, Arvid Lindman, Sten Ankarcrona, Fredrik Riben, John Schneidler, and Albert Fallenius; Lieutenant General Herman Wrangel; Major Generals Baron Lars Sparre, Ludvig Hammarskiöld, and Baron Herman Wrangel; Justices of the Supreme Court of Sweden — Edvard Petrén, Louis Améen, Pehr von Seth, Carl Christiansson, Erik Molin, Axel Edelstam, and Birger Ekeberg; District Judge Marcus Wallenberg Sr; Director-General Bergqvist; Captains (N) Eneström, Henrik Gisiko, Gunnar Unger, Charles de Champs, Harald Åkermark, Carl Engström, Baron Axel Gyllenkrok; Director-General of Naval Construction (marinöverdirektör) Johannes Lindbeck; Paymaster General (marinöverintendenten) Birger Maijström; and Surgeon-in-Chief of the Swedish Navy, Gunnar Nilson.
Officer delegations were also present from the Svea Life Guards, led by Colonel Oscar Nygren; the Göta Life Guards, led by Colonel John Nauckhoff; and the Life Guards of Horse, led by Baron Carl von Essen. Colonels Sjögreen, Améen, Baron Banér, Lindström, and Meister also attended. From the Karlskrona Naval Station came a delegation led by Captain (N) Karl Wester. The Royal Swedish Naval Academy attended in full formation, with both staff and students present, and the academy's flag was placed by Admiral Wachtmeister’s casket. The board of the Naval Home (Örlogshemmet) was represented by Consul General Axel Ax:son Johnson and several senior officers including Commander Lannerstierna and others. The casket was carried by eight naval officers: Lieutenants Håkansson, Hafström, Wahlström, Torén, Strömbäck, Hedin, Anderberg, and Baron Palmqvist. Serving as marshals were Commanders Baron Lave Beck-Friis, Lieutenant Baron Wrede, and Lieutenant Wirgin.
Dates of rank
24 October 1884 – Underlöjtnant
25 January 1889 – Sub-lieutenant
1 April 1896 – Lieutenant
26 October 1906 – Lieutenant commander
17 February 1911 – Commander
30 June 1916 – Captain
20 September 1919 – Rear admiral
23 October 1925 – Vice admiral
Awards and decorations
Swedish
Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Sword (6 June 1920)
Commander 2nd Class of the Order of the Sword (6 June 1919)
Knight of the Order of the Sword (1 December 1904)
Knight of the Order of the Polar Star (6 June 1917)
Medal for Noble Deeds in gold
Foreign
Knight 3rd Class of the Order of the Red Eagle (8 August 1908)
Officer of the Legion of Honour (1908)
Commander 2nd Class of the Order of the Dannebrog (10 July 1910)
Knight of the Order of the Black Star (1911)
Commander of the Order of Leopold (1912)
Knight 2nd Class of the Order of Saint Anna (1912)
1st Class of the Order of Glory (1914)
Grand Officer with Sword of the Order of Orange-Nassau (1920)
Commander with Star of the Order of St. Olav (13 May 1920)
Commander of the Legion of Honour (1922)
Grand Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1923)
Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Dannebrog
Commander 1st Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
StbVM
Honours
Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences (1908)
Member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences (1898)
Honorary member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences (1919)