Thord Bonde

General Count Thord C:son (Carlsson) Bonde af Björnö (17March 1900 – 18October 1969) was a Swedish Army officer. His senior commands include military commander of the VII Military District in 1955, commander of the III Military District from 1955 to 1957 and Chief of the Army from 1957 to 1963.

Early life Bonde was born on 17 March 1900 in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of Crown Equerry, Count Carl Bonde and his first wife Blanche (née Dickson). He was brother of Carl C:son Bonde and half-brother of financier and cabinet chamberlain Peder Bonde.

Career Bonde became second lieutenant in the Life Regiment Hussars (K 3) in 1920 and captain of the General Staff in 1932. He was promoted to major in 1941, lieutenant colonel in 1943 and served as military attaché in Washington, D.C. from 1943 to 1945. In March 1947, Bonde was appointed by the Minister of Defense as an adviser in the Defence Committee from 1 April. Bonde served as Chief of Staff of United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) from May 1948 to July 1948 when Åge Lundström succeeded him. On 6 July 1948, Bonde was subjected to Arab firing as he intervened in a battle that occurred near the Arab village of Jaba' south of Haifa en route to Tel Aviv. Bonde was rescued from the situation by a UN jeep. Bonde returned to Sweden from Damascus on 13 July.

Back in Sweden, Bonde continued serving as head of Section 1 in the Defence Staff until February 1950 when he was appointed second-in-command of the Svea Life Guards (I 1). He took command of the regiment on 1 October 1950. He then served as head of the Swedish National Defence College from 1953 to 1955. Bonde was promoted to major general in 1954. the daughter of the state agricultural engineer A. L. G. Sjöberg and his wife. He was the father of Birgitta (born 1927), Margaretha (born 1931) and Claes (born 1941).

Dates of rank 1920 – Second lieutenant 19?? – Lieutenant 1932 – Captain 1941 – Major 1943 – Lieutenant colonel 1946 – Colonel 1954 – Major general 1957 – Lieutenant general 1963 – General

Awards and decorations

Swedish

Honours Member of Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences (1945)