Mertil Melin

Lieutenant General Mertil Börje Melin (17 July 1945 – 20 October 2023) was a Swedish Army officer. Born in Stånga, Sweden, in 1945, Melin developed an early passion for horses, which continued during his military service at Norrland Dragoons in Umeå. He graduated from the Military Academy Karlberg in 1968, embarking on a distinguished military career. He excelled in various officer training programs, becoming a lieutenant general and serving as the Chief of Army Command. His achievements include being the youngest colonel and regimental commander in Sweden at age 43. Melin also represented Sweden in the European Union and NATO military committees. Later in life, he served as the Crown Equerry of the Royal Court of Sweden from 2003 to 2015.

Early life Melin was born on 17 July 1945 in Stånga, Sweden, the son of Sven Erik Olof Melin (1909–1987) and Dagny Gertrud Emilia Ulmstedt (1913–2004). His interest in horses started in the mid-1950s at the farm in Stånga where his neighbor had three Ardennais and a Gotland pony. He left Gotland and the farm in Stånga in 1963 to do his military conscription at the cavalry regiment Norrland Dragoons (K 4) in Umeå. Melin's interest in horses came in handy there too as the regiment had 400 horses in its stable.

Career Melin graduated from the Military Academy Karlberg in 1968 and was commissioned as an officer with the rank of second lieutenant the same year. Melin served in Norrland Dragoons (K 4) in Umeå from 1968 to 1979. After that he did the Higher Staff Course at the Military Academy Karlberg from 1977 to 1979.

Melin was appointed lieutenant colonel in 1984 and was the battalion commander at Norrland Dragoon Regiment (K 4) from 1987 to 1989. On 4 June 1992, Melin was promoted to senior colonel, and assumed the position as head of operation at the Northern Military District (Milo N) in Boden, serving until 1995. He was after that military commander of the Northern Military District from 1998 to 2000 and the Sweden's member of the European Union Military Committee and the NATO military committee for partner countries The military committee was started during Sweden's EU presidency in 2001, and Melin served for a short time as the Chairman of the European Union Military Committee.

Melin served as Crown Equerry of the Royal Court of Sweden from 1 April 2003 to 2015.

Personal life In 1968, Melin married Gurli Margaretha Åberg (born 1944 in Umeå), the daughter of Stig and Gurli Åberg. On 24 November 2023, the funeral service was held in the Royal Chapel in Stockholm.

Dates of rank 1968 – Second lieutenant 19?? – Lieutenant 1972 – Captain 1979 – Major 1984 – Lieutenant colonel 1 July 1989 – Colonel 4 June 1992 – Senior colonel 15 October 1995 – Major general 50x50px H. M. The King's Medal, 8th size gold (silver-gilt) medal worn on the chest suspended by the Order of the Seraphim ribbon (1987)

7th Class of the etc

Foreign

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Honours Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences (1995) Grand Master of the Board member of the Association for the Mounted Royal Guards (Föreningen för den Beridna Högvakten) Honorary member of the Cavalry and Ranger Officers Association (Kavalleri- och Jägarbefälsföreningen)