Torsten Engberg


Torsten Reinhold Engberg was a senior Swedish Coastal Artillery officer. Engberg was Chief of the Naval Staff from 1984 to 1987 and Chief of the Defence Staff from 1987 to 1991 as well as military commander of the Middle Military Area from 1991 to 1994. He also served as the first director general of the Swedish Fortifications Agency from 1994 to 1999.

Career

Engberg was born on 28 May 1934 in Norrfjärden Parish, Norrbotten County, Sweden, the son of Amandus Engberg and his wife Märta. He passed studentexamen in 1957 and became fänrik in the Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment in 1959. Engberg served in the Naval Staff from 1964 to 1965 and attended the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College from 1966 to 1968. He served in the Defence Staff in 1968 and the year after he served in the staff of the Eastern Military Area. In 1971, Engberg was promoted to major and served in the Defence Staff and the year after he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He then served as commanding officer of the Coastal Ranger School in Vaxholm from 1974 to 1976. He was deputy section chief in the Defence Staff from 1976 to 1980 and in 1979 he underwent a course for senior unit commanders in the planning and implementation of amphibious operations at the Naval Amphibious School in United States.
Engberg was promoted to colonel and appointed commanding officer of the Gotland Coastal Artillery Defense in 1980. He was promoted to colonel 1st rank in 1982 and was appointed chief of staff of the Western Military Area in Skövde. In 1984, Engberg attended the Naval Postgraduate School in the United States and back in Sweden he was appointed Chief of the Naval Staff the same year. He then served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 1987 to 1991 and military commander of the Middle Military Area from 1991 to 1994 as well as the Commandant General in Stockholm. Engberg then served as the first director general of the Swedish Fortifications Agency from 1 July 1994 to 1999.

Personal life

In 1962, Engberg married Gun Zander, the daughter of Hjalmar Zander and Elizabeth. Engberg died on 7 February 2018 in Simrishamn.

Dates of rank