Norrbotten Brigade

Norrbotten Brigade
	Norrbottensbrigaden
Active	1949–2000
Country	Sweden
Allegiance	Swedish Armed Forces
Branch	Swedish Army
Type	Infantry (1949–1994); Armoured (1994–2000)
Role	Infantry brigade (1949–1964); Arctic brigade (1963–1994); Armoured brigade (1994–2000)
Size	Brigade
Part of	Norrbotten Regiment (1949–1994); Northern Military District (1994–2000)
Garrison/HQ	Boden
Motto(s)	De hava aldrig svikit eller för egen del tappat ("They have never failed or for their own part lost")
Colors	Blue and white
March	"Finska rytteriets marsch" (unknown)[note 1]
Insignia
Branch insignia
Unit insignia

The Norrbotten Brigade (Swedish: Norrbottensbrigaden), also IB 19, NB 19 or MekB 19, was a Swedish Army armoured brigade located in the province of Norrbotten. Most of the brigade was trained at Norrbotten Regiment (I 19) in Boden.

History

Norrbotten Brigade was originally an infantry brigade which in 1964 became the second of a total of five brigades, which was organised as an arctic brigade.

In 1994, the brigade, along with the regiment (I 19/P 5) formed the Norrland Mechanised Brigade (MekB 19). The brigade consisted of two tank battalions equipped with Leopard 2s and Combat Vehicle 90s, and two mechanised battalions equipped with CV90.

The unit was disbanded as a result of the disarmament policies set forward in the Defence Act of 2000.

Heraldry and traditions

The Norrbotten Regiment and Norrbotten Brigade inherited heraldry and traditions from the Norrbotten Regiment.[2]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the Norrbotten Regiment and Norrbotten Brigade (MekB 19) 1994–2000 was also used by the Norrbotten Armoured Battalion (P 5) 1957–1975. Blazon: "Azure, powdered with estoiles or, the provincial badge of Västerbotten, a reindeer courant argent, armed and langued gules. The shield surmounted two arms in fess, embowed and vambraced, the hands holding swords in saltire, or".[3]

March

By the end of the 1800s, Norrbotten Regiment adopted the march "Norrbottens fältjägare" (Sundgrén).[4] In 1916 it adopted the march "Finska rytteriets marsch" which was used from 1916 to 1927 together with Karlskrona Grenadier Regiment (I 7). Karlskrona Grenadier Regiment used the march as an inheritance from the Småland Hussar Regiment (Smålands husarregemente, K 4). After the regiment was amalgamated into a brigade in 1994, the brigade came to use the march. From 2000 it is used again by the regiment.[1]

Commanding officers

Brigade commander from 1949 to 2000.[5]

1949–1993: ?
1993–1994: Bengt Jerkland
1994–1999: Lars-Gunnar Nilsson
1999–2000: Per Lodin

Names, designations and locations

Name	Translation	From		To
Norrbottensbrigaden	Norrbotten Brigade	1949-10-01	–	1994-06-30
Norrbottens regemente och Norrbottensbrigaden	Norrbotten Regiment and Norrbotten Brigade	1994-07-01	–	2000-06-30
Designation		From		To
IB 19		1949-10-01	–	1964-??-??
NB 19		1964-??-??	–	1994-06-30
MekB 19		1994-07-01	–	2000-06-30
Location		From		To
Boden Garrison		1949-10-01	–	2000-06-30

Footnotes

The march was adopted in 1994.[1]

References

Notes

Sandberg 2007, p. 10
Braunstein 2003, p. 336
Braunstein 2006, p. 25
Sandberg 2007, p. 76
Kjellander 2003, pp. 290-291

Print

Braunstein, Christian (2003). Sveriges arméförband under 1900-talet. Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 5 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-4-5. SELIBR 8902928.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
Braunstein, Christian (2006). Heraldiska vapen inom det svenska försvaret [Heraldry of the Swedish Armed Forces] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 9 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-9-6. SELIBR 10099224.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
Kjellander, Rune (2003). Sveriges regementschefer 1700-2000: chefsbiografier och förbandsöversikter (in Swedish). Stockholm: Probus. ISBN 91-87184-74-5. SELIBR 8981272.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
Sandberg, Bo (2007). Försvarets marscher och signaler förr och nu: marscher antagna av svenska militära förband, skolor och staber samt igenkännings-, tjänstgörings- och exercissignaler (in Swedish) (New ed.). Stockholm: Militärmusiksamfundet med Svenskt marscharkiv. ISBN 978-91-631-8699-8. SELIBR 10413065.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)