Nils Personne

Lieutenant General Nils Birger Valdemar Personne (29 June 1918 – 26 August 2013) was a Swedish Air Force officer and military commander. Commissioned in 1940, he served in a wide range of operational, staff and command appointments over a four-decade career. After flying bomber aircraft during World War II, he held instructional and staff positions in the Air Staff and at the Royal Swedish Air Force Staff College before commanding the Södermanland Wing (F 11). He later served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff (1961–1966), commander of the 4th Air Group, chief of staff of the Upper Norrland Military District (1966–1972), and Commanding General of the Upper Norrland Military District (1972–1976) and the Western Military District (1976–1980). A pilot who flew 33 different aircraft types during his career, Personne also remained active in Swedish aviation history after his retirement.

Early life Personne was born on 29 June 1918 in Örebro, Sweden, the son of Birger Personne, a high school principal, and his wife Rut Eriksson. In the autumn of 1936, Personne began to think about the future and in that context it was a friend who suggested that he should apply to the Swedish Air Force, which he also did. Alarmingly poor blood pressure values at the medical examination in connection with the admission tests could have put a stop to continued flight plans. An understanding doctor, however, had Personne repeat the test the next day, when the traces of a "proper" graduation party disappeared from the body. Once at the Swedish Air Force Flying School in Ljungbyhed, Personne flew the Sk 12 and passed training. For a time they were stationed in Trollhättan and flew over the Skagerrak and Kattegat in a 4.5-hour pass over the sea, and witnessed, among other things, how the Gertrud Bratt was sunk by the German submarine with two torpedoes on 24 September 1939. In total, during his time in the Swedish Air Force, Personne flew 33 types of aircraft, versions not counted. He also flew three types of helicopters and gliders. He was interred at Galärvarvskyrkogården in Stockholm on 13 November 2013.

Dates of rank 1940 – Second Lieutenant 1942 – Lieutenant 1947 – Captain 1951 – Major 1956 – Lieutenant Colonel 1959 – Colonel 1966 – Major General 1972 – Lieutenant General

Awards and decorations

Honours Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences (1963)

Footnotes