FORBES, JOHN [SSNE 2243]
Text source
A John Forbes is recorded as an ensign in Colonel James Spens' regiment in 1624. This was probably the illegitimate son of Arthur 10th Lord Forbes. His half brothers, Alexander, Master of Forbes [SSNE 1616], John [SSNE 4332], William [SSNE 2262], Arthur [SSNE 2226] and James [SSNE 3881] all served in the Swedish army. He served as a major in Colonel Christopher Potley's [SSNE 3273] infantry-regiment in Banér's army and was killed in action. He is probably the Forbes referred to as being buried in Minden and also the Major Forbes referred to by Monro in 1632. That year he served in John Hamilton's regiment. This regiment was taken over by Ludovick Leslie [SSNE 396] and served at the battle of Lutzen.
Sources: Swedish Krigsarkiv, Muster Roll, 1624/8, 1625/3,5,6, 1626/3-9, 1629/22, 1629/11,14,16,18-20; 1630/22-25, 28-30; 1631/12-15; R. Monro, His Expedition with the worthy Scots regiment called Mackeyes (2 vols., London, 1632), II, List of the Scottish Officers in Chief; T. Fischer, The Scots in Sweden (Edinburgh, 1907), p.218; A. and H. Tayler, The House of Forbes (revised edition, Bruceton Mills, 1987), pp.168, 200-201; Detlev PLEISS, Das Kriegstagebuch des schwedischen Offiziers William Forbes: Von seiner Landung an der Unterelbe im Sommer 1634 bis zu seiner Rückkehr nach Stade im Winter 1649/50, in: Stader Jahrbuch Neue Folge 85 (1995), pp. 135-153, p. 152. This last reference was kindly provided by Dr Bernd Warlich.
Service record
- SWEDEN, JAMES SPENS
- Departed 1629-12-31, as ENSIGN
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
- SWEDEN, JOHN MELDROM'S SCOTTISH REGIMENT
- Departed 1630-12-31, as CAPTAIN
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
- SWEDEN, ALEXANDER/JOHN HAMILTON'S
- Departed 1635-12-31, as MAJOR
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY