Hans-Olof von Essen
ARMS: Gules a mêlée helm affronty Argent barred Or between four hurts
SOURCE/NOTES & CREDITS: Blazon text translated from the Swedish By D.Q. Wedvick from page 69 of “Den Svenska Adelns Vapenbok”, by Raneke and Dahlby, Albert Bonniers Förlag, Stockholm 1967and then reworked by J.H. Gaylor. The background illustration: page 141, “Finland’s Adels Kalender 2001”, ed. Johanna Aminoff-Winberg, Riddarhusdirecktionen, Helsingfors, 2000. The text was adapted by D.Q. Wedvick from the same source and from “Uudenmaan Rakuunarykmentti”, 1918-1947, by Jyri Paulaharju, Uudenmaan Rakuunarykmentti Saatio RY, 1993, Helsinki; and “Suomen Ratsuvaen Historia”, Volume 1 ( I Osa ), 1917-1939, by Vilho Niitemaa, Uudenmaan Rakuunarykmentti Saatio, Mikkeli, 1979
Colonel Hans-Olof von Essen was born on 31 December 1900, a career Army officer, he became the wartime commander of the Uudenmaanrakuuna Rykmentti (URR)( Nylands dragonregemente)(Newlands Dragoon Regiment) Finland’s premier cavalry regiment for the period 1941-1944. A holder of many decorations but particularly the Mannerheim Cross ( equivalent to the Congressional Medal of Honor or the Victoria Cross of which only 191 were ever awarded) married a lady of the Russian nobility. He was a cadet of the von Essen family which came from Estonia, and who were ennobled in Sweden 1663 matriculated in Finland 1818. Colonel von Essen died on 23 August 1973. dqw 2010 0510
The artwork is a rendering by John Hamilton Gaylor.
Wedvick Armorial, 142, Essen, von , 20100419
