In the same period as the SGS during the autumn of
1916 proposed several measures to be conducted for the army regarding trench warfare there
was also a proposal for an officer-course. The aim of the course was to educate
officers in usage of hand grenades, mortars, infantry shields and other
technical equipment and also about filed fortifications works and cooperation
between infantry and artillery during attack and defence.[1] The course later decided to be performed during two
weeks in October of 1917. The officers came mainly from the infantry and engineer
units while others came from the artillery and Royal Fortification.[2] According to the course plan the main effort was
placed on attack combat. Officers were even trained how to perform in a storm patrol
(stormpatrull) which meant that the stormtroopers tactic was a part of the
course. The course commander, Lt Col Gustaf Lillehöök who also was the
chief of the Royal War Academy, was studying the stormtroopers in May of 1917
in the German and Austro-Hungarian army.
According to the report that was written after the
course a conclusion can be made that the Swedish army had the latest knowledge
regarding trench warfare. In one of the lectures during the course it was mentioned
that trench warfare was a result consisting of development in military
technology and the sizes of the armies, especially of the Great Powers. Also, it
was mentioned about the risks of presuming or believing that mobile warfare
had lost its importance. The developments of the war had shown that a
breakthrough and mobile warfare still could be achieved. It was also mentioned that a long term
positional war in Sweden was unlikely because of the geographical reasons and
political situation. It meant that Sweden was unlikely to be attacked since its
neutral position and that the long borders and areas of the country meant that
long lines of trenches were hard to achieve both for the attacker and defender.[3] In the end, mobile warfare was according to lecture
still a necessity in the case of war.
The course meant that the knowledge in the SGS was on
a very high level since it was based on the latest experiences mainly from the
central powers. But when it comes to knowledge about trench warfare among the army’s
officers corps it is doubtful that the level of
knowledge could be considered high. Lilliehööks own opinion was that the length of
the course was not enough for a deeper education. It was instead more an
orientation of the latest experiences.
[1] KrA,
generalstaben, chefsexpeditionen, f.d. hemliga, serie B I. Skrivelse frånchefen
för generalstaben till Konungen daterad 23 nov 1916.
[2]
Lantförsvarets
kommandoexpedition, f.d. hemliga arkiv, serie E I, vol 40. Underdånig rapport
över kursen i ställningskrig, daterad 1 dec 1917. The course included 10 specially requested officers, 16 regimental
officers, 80 company officers and 93 non-commissioned officers.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
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