In my research I have mainly mentioned the Swedish soldiers who fought and fell in the war, but I seldom mention those who fought, got scarred, but survived.
Even if they didn’t pay the ultimate price, it doesn’t mean they made less than those who survived.
This is the story about the young Swede who immigrated to North America and served with the Canadian forces, Gustave Adolph Soderström.
Gustave was born as Gustav Adolf Söderström, October 12th, 1896, in the parish of Kloster, Eskilstuna, in the landscape of Södermanland, Sweden.
Gustav grew up with his mother Victoria Albertina Carlsson, who later became the wife to Ernst Theodor Söderström. It is from Ernst Söderström Gustav got his surname, as Gustav’s father is unknown. Victoria and Ernst got married in 1898, and later Gustav got two more siblings in Sweden, within his mother’s new marriage.
In passenger lists I can find that his mother Victoria emigrated to North America with her three children in April 1905. In the list it is mentioned that they were heading for Braddock, Pennsylvania.
Victoria’s husband, Ernst, emigrated in advance already in September 1904. The family was extended with two more siblings to Gustav, Elon Ragnar, born in Braddock and Helen Mabel, born in Brantford, Canada.
Sadly I can also read that Gustav got one more sibling in Braddock, Ragnhild Wiktoria, in August 1906, but she later died already in 1907.
It looks like the family went back to Sweden in 1920, but on that list I can’t find Gustav Adolf, as he stayed in Canada.
Gustav signed his Canadian attestation papers in Brantford, Canada, October 22nd, 1915, at the age of 19. As I can see his sister Helen Mabel was born in Brantford in 1916, I assume that the whole family had moved there. I can see in Canadian census papers that Gustav moved to Brantford in 1913.
Gustav initially belonged to 125th Canadian overseas battalion, but was transferred to the 4th Canadian Infantry battalion when he went overseas. He left Halifax, Canada, for Liverpool, England, on August 6th, 1916.
He seems to have been a good soldier as he received the Good Conduct Badge in the field on October 22nd, 1917.
Gustav went through a lot of action during his service in Belgium and France. On September 1st, 1918, his unit got order to capture Buissy and Baralle and the Bridge heads of Canal Du Nord in the immediate front.
On September 1st, Gustav was wounded by Gunshot in his left leg and in his left arm. Later that day it got much worse. He became badly wounded by shrapnel in his right thigh and leg. That lead to amputation above the knee on September 2nd, 1918.
Those days in the beginning of September 1918 the Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line went on and as I understand many soldiers and officers performed well, and that led to that Gustav received the Military Cross for his actions those days. Gustav left invalided for Canada on June 30th, 1919.
I haven’t been able to find any more citation connected to his medal, but will try to look for it in other sources.
Gustav lived on his life in Canada, and below we can see a photo of him and his family (on a funeral) where we can see that his right leg is amputated.
In late January 1946 Gustav went to St. Christie Hospital in Toronto, Canada, affected by a stroke. His wife Ann Pritchard Soderstrom was by his side when he passed away on February 6th, 1947.
He is buried Mount Hope Cemetery in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
I will tell more stories about those Swedish born soldiers who fought the war but survived. I think it is important to tell their stories as well. May Gustav rest in peace.