The time has come the walrus said . . .

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

On 16th January 1918 the President of the Finnish Senate, Per Edvin Svinhufvud told ex-Russian LtGen Gustaf Mannerheim to restore order in Northern Finland.

Mannerheim was born in Finland 4th June 1867 and as a young man he entered Finnish Military Academy - from where he was expelled for disciplinary reasons.

In 1887 he insted managed to join the Russian Military Academy in S:t Petersburg.

After graduating he first served with an ordinary Cav Regt in Poland before entereing the elite Chevalier Guards in S:t Petersburg.

He served in the Russo-Japanese war as a LtCol 1904-05. On outbreak of WW 1 in August 1914 we find him as MjGen and CO of Guards Cav Bde in Warszaw.

During WW 1 he mainly served in Rumania beeing promoted LtGen 1917 and CO of a Cav Corps.

On 18th December 1917 LtGen Mannerheim arrived in Finland.

Photo: Mannerheim as a Russian LtGen autumn 1917 in Odessa.