John Larsson
John Alfred Larsson (born 2 April 1938) was the 17th General of The Salvation Army.
The son of officer parents, he spent his early years in his native Sweden, in Denmark, Chile and Argentina. Even his grandparents were officers in The Salvation Army, and his grandfather on his father's side, Commissioner Karl Larsson, is known in the Army's history as the one who "opened fire" in Russia the first time (1914). John Larsson became an officer in 1957 from the Upper Norwood Corps, London, England. He graduated from the University of London with a BD degree.
After a year as a corps officer in the north of England, he served on the staff of the International Training College in London for seven years before returning to corps appointments.
He and Captain Freda Turner were married in 1969 while Larsson was stationed at the corps in Ealing. They have two sons, Karl Larsson and Kevin Larsson, who are both members of The Salvation Army.
Larsson and his wife were appointed to the South America West Territory in 1980, he as chief secretary and she as Territorial Home League secretary. In 1984, they were appointed to the International Training College as principal and librarian, respectively. They were appointed to International Headquarters in London in 1988. Larsson, as assistant to the chief of the staff for United Kingdom administrative planning, was given the task of researching and planning for the separation of the international and national administrations. Freda Larsson served as coordinator for married women officers.
