A-H troops on the Swedish- Finnish border

[apple]

Was looking at Finnish database for war casualities in Finland from 1914- 1922. Was surprised to find "Austro-Hungarian" included with the search options. The database lists 201 Austro-Hungarian soldiers, whose cause of death is given as sickness.

Most bizarrely, the places of death were listed as either; Tornio, which is a Finnish town on the Swedish border, or Haaparanda which is the Swedish town over the river from Tornio.

I know little to nothing on Sweden's role in the Great War. What would Austro Hungarian soldiers be doing in Sweden from 1915 to 1917?

More confusing would be that the Austro Hungarian and Russian Empire were at war and there were 10's of thousands of Russian soldiers in Finland during that period. Presumably the Russian army in Finland wouldn't let an enemy cross the Finnish border, but the casualty database only listed Austro Hungarian deaths from sickness i.e. no combat deaths.

Also, while I need to do some more research about this, am sure I can remember reading somewhere that, as well as using Murmansk and Archangel ports, the Entente also used Narvik port to ship aid to the Russian Empire and this aid got to Russia via Northern Sweden and Finland. Actually, I suspect stopping that trade might be the answer...

But anyway, Sweden in WW1? Any takers for the question?

[bushfighter]

Could they have been repatriated under the Red Cross or a similar organisation from Russian Prisoner of War camps because of serious medical conditions?

Harry

[LarsA]

Certainly repatriation.

ATB,

Lars

[LarsA]

Yes, IRC repatriated 75000 invalids through Haparanda/Torneå. 218 of them died and were burits in Haparanda.

Lars

[centurion]

Sweden was the main neutral country used for prisoner exchange for KuK and German PoWs in Russia (and Russian POWs in Germany and the KuK). The number quoted by Lars would include a significant proportion exchanged into Sweden and interned there. If after 6 months their condition had not improved they would be eligible for repatriation - the rest would have been repatriated once hostilities with Russia ceased. Given that many would have been suffering from serious wounds and/or sickness it is surprising that there weren't more deaths. Doubtless there are also Russian soldiers buried in Sweden. Sweden was also used for "fast track" repatriation of PoWs deemed so ill or badly wounded that the 6 month "healing" period was waived but these would be in smaller numbers.

[James A Pratt III]

There are two good books that deal with the Central Powers POW experience in Russia during WW I: "Among Prisoners of War in Russia and Siberia" Elsa Branstorm and "POWs and the Great War Captivity on the Eastern Front Alan Rachamimov

[centurion]

There are two good books that deal with the Central Powers POW experience in Russia during WW I: "Among Prisoners of War in Russia and Siberia" Elsa Branstorm and "POWs and the Great War Captivity on the Eastern Front Alan Rachamimov

There are also some very clear colour photos of KuK POWs in Russia but we are wandering away from the OP

[apple]

Thanks for your replies. Repatriation it is then. Also did a search for Germans, and came up with 14 dying from sickness in either Haaparanda or Tornio. So, 201AH + 14 German is getting pretty close to Lars's 218. As to why a Finnish database is showing information about Haaparanta... who knows. but the burials seem to be about a 50/50 split between Tornio and Haaparanda.