Ivor Thord-Gray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ivor Thord-Gray
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Thord-Gray in 1914
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| Born |
Thord Ivar Hallström
17 April 1878 Södermalm, Stockholm, Kingdom of Sweden
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| Died | 18 August 1964 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | Swedish, American |
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| Years active | 1897–1935 |
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Notable work
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| Spouse(s) | Josephine Toerge-Schaefer |
| Children | 2 |
Ivor Thord-Gray (born Thord Ivar Hallström) was an amazing adventurer born in Sweden. He lived from April 17, 1878, to August 18, 1964. During his life, he had many different jobs. He was a sailor, a prison guard, a soldier, a police officer, and even owned a rubber plantation! He was also an ethnologist (someone who studies cultures), a linguist (someone who studies languages), a businessman, and a writer. Ivor Thord-Gray took part in thirteen wars across Africa, Asia, North America, and Europe.
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A Life of Adventure and Travel
Ivor Thord-Gray, whose birth name was Thord Ivar Hallström, was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He was the second son in his family. His father was a school teacher, and his brothers became an artist and an archaeologist.
From a young age, Ivor loved adventure. He started his travels very early and saw many parts of the world.
Adventures in Africa
- In 1893, when he was just 15, he joined the Merchant Marine and sailed on ships for two years.
- He then settled in Cape Town, South Africa.
- In 1896, he worked as a prison guard on Robben Island. This island later became famous as the place where Nelson Mandela was held.
- He joined the Cape Mounted Riflemen in 1897 and fought in the Second Boer War from 1899 to 1902.
- After the war, he served in the South African Police and worked for the government in the Transvaal Colony.
- He also became a Captain in the Lydenburg Militia.
- In 1906, he joined Royston's Horse as a Lieutenant and fought in the Bambatha Rebellion, where he was promoted to Captain.
- In 1907, he moved to Kenya and became a Captain in the Nairobi Mounted Police.
Adventures in Asia
- From 1908 to 1909, Ivor was a Captain in the Philippine Constabulary. This was like a police force in the Philippines.
- He then became a planter in British Malaya (now Malaysia) from 1909 to 1911, growing rubber.
- In 1913, he spent a short time involved in the Chinese Revolution.
Fighting in Mexico
- In 1913, Ivor joined the Mexican Revolution. This was a big fight for change in Mexico.
- He became a Captain and led the artillery (big guns) for a famous leader named Pancho Villa.
- He quickly moved up in rank, becoming a Major, then a Lieutenant-Colonel, and finally a Colonel by 1914.
- He even became the Chief of Staff for the First Mexican Army.
World Wars and Russia
- In 1914, Ivor joined the British Army and fought in World War I.
- He started as a Major and was second-in-command of the 15th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.
- By 1915, he was a Lieutenant-Colonel and led the 11th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, and later the 1/26th Battalion Royal Fusiliers.
- He received several medals for his bravery, including the 1914–15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Allied Victory Medal.
- In 1918, he was part of the Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force. This group was sent to Russia during the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War.
- In February 1919, he joined the Russian "White" Army as a Colonel.
- He commanded the 1st Siberian Assault Division and became a Major General in November 1919. He was an important representative for the Provisional Siberian Government to the Allied forces in Vladivostok.
Life in Sweden and the United States
In 1923, Ivor Thord-Gray returned to his home country, Sweden. There, he wrote a book about ancient Mexican history and temples. The book was called Från Mexicos forntid : bland tempelruiner och gudabilder.
Two years later, in 1925, Ivor moved to the United States. He started his own investment bank in New York City. He became a citizen of the United States in 1934. He lived in Greenwich, Connecticut and later had a winter home in Coral Gables, Florida.
Ivor Thord-Gray was very interested in different cultures and languages. In 1955, he wrote a special dictionary for the Tarahumara language, which is spoken by an indigenous group in Mexico. The book was called Tarahumara-English, English-Tarahumara dictionary and an introduction to Tarahumara grammar. He also wrote a book about his exciting experiences during the Mexican Revolution, titled Gringo Rebel: Mexico 1913–1914.
Other Sources
- Bojerud, Stellan Ivor Thord-Gray - Soldat under 13 fanor (Sivart Förlag AB, Stockholm. 2008) ISBN: 91-85705-13-6
- Gyllenhaal, Lars & Westberg, Lennart Swedes at War (Aberjona Press, Bedford, PA, 2010), ISBN: 978-0-9777563-1-5
- Langer, Joakim Mannen som hittade Tarzan (Sivart Förlag AB, Stockholm, 2008) ISBN: 91-85705-12-8.
- Arrioja, Adolfo Vizcaíno El sueco que se fue con Pancho Villa (Editorial Océano de México, 2000) ISBN: 970-651-402-3
- Turner, Timothy G. Bullets, Bottles and Gardenias (Southwest Press 1937)
- Tunis, Edwin Weapons: a pictorial history P61 (The Johns Hopkins University Press 1999) ISBN: 978-0-8018-6229-8
