Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps

Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps
Gotlands luftvärnskår
Active 1944–2000
Country  Sweden
Allegiance Swedish Armed Forces
Branch Swedish Army
Type Anti-aircraft corps
Size Corps
Part of Lv 3 (1944–1953)
Lv 2 (1953–1963)
MKG (1963–1993)
Milo M/MKG (1993–2000)
Garrison/HQ Visby
Motto(s) Fecimus Facimus Faciemus
("We've done it - We do it - We shall do it")
Colors Red, later orange
March "Gotlands luftvärnskårs marsch" (Rösell)[1]

Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps (Swedish: Gotlands luftvärnskår), also Lv 2, was a Swedish Army Anti-aircraft unit that was active in various forms between 1944–2000. The unit was based in Visby on Gotland.[2][3]

History

Gotland's air defence has its origins in the Stockholm Anti-Aircraft Regiment's (Lv 3) artillery battery detachment on Gotland (Lv 3 G), established in 1944. When Stockholm Anti-Aircraft Regiment moved to Norrtälje in 1953, the responsibility for the artillery battery on Gotland was transferred to Östgöta Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Lv 2) in Linköping and thus the unit received the designation Lv 2 G. Östgöta Anti-Aircraft Regiment was disbanded in 1962. Lv 2 G took over its ensign and traditions on 2 April. On 1 April 1963, Lv 2 G became the new Lv 2. On 1 July 1968, the term "division" was changed to battalion. Lv 2 was then named Royal Gotland Anti-Aircraft Battalion. In 1969, the battalion received the heat-seeking anti-aircraft missile FIM-43 Redeye and could begin training.[4]

In October 1978, Lv 2's basic training battalion moved from Korsbetningen (A 7's area) to Visborgsslätt, while the management for Lv 2, personnel and staff department, planning and production department and the artillery, simulation, fire-control system buildings remained at Korsbetningen. Every day from October 1978 to May 1986, the conscripts were transported between Visborgsslätt and Korsbetningen to be trained in their main service. In March 1983, the management moved from its old staff barracks at Korsbetningen to newly renovated premises in the top floor of the Chancellery building at Visborgsslätt. During the spring of 1986, Lv 2 could gradually settle in the newly built artillery/anti-aircraft building at Visborgsslätt. On 24 May 1986, Lv 2 officially moved from Korsbetningen to Visborgsslätt. At the same time, Lv 2 celebrated 50 years of air defense training on Gotland.

Through a reorganization of the Gotland Anti-Aircraft Battalion in 1994, the Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps (Lv 2) was formed. The corps was disbanded on 31 August 2000 by previous decisions in the Defence Act of 2000.

Locations and training areas

Building built in 1986 for Gotland Anti-Aircraft Battalion/Corps. Used for RBS 70 training and Bofors 40/70 training.

On 1 April 1944, the anti-aircraft defense on Gotland was transferred from the Coastal Artillery to Stockholm Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Lv 3), which formed the detachment Stockholm Anti-Aircraft Regiment's Battery on Gotland (Lv 3 G). The detachment was placed in a barracks camp by Söderväg in southwest Visby. In 1945, detachment moved into barracks 2 and 3, which were built the same year at Gotland Artillery Corps (A 7) barracks area at Östra Hansegatan. From 1 November 1952, the detachment was transferred to Östgöta Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Lv 2). From 1978, the conscript training was transferred to Gotland Regiment's (P 18) barracks area in southern Visby, where also the staff was moved on 17 March 1983.[5]

Heraldry and traditions

On 6 June 1941, the Chief of the Army Ivar Holmquist presented the colours to Östgöta Anti-Aircraft Regiment, which was carried by the regiment until 31 March 1962. The colours was then transferred to the Gotland battery, which at the same time was reorganized into an independent unit under the name of Gotland Anti-Aircraft Division (Lv 2), who came to carry the colours on certain occasions. Gotland Anti-Aircraft Division also took over the regiment traditions, and continued them until 31 August 2000. From 1 September 2000, the Air Defence Regiment (Lv 6) retains the memory of all disbanded anti-aircraft units.[2]

In 1963, the colours was presented to Gotland Anti-Aircraft Division by the Chief of the Army, Lieutenant General Curt Göransson. In 1990, the Gotlands luftvärnsbataljon hedersmedalj ("Gotland Anti-Aircraft Battalion Honorary Medal") in gold (GotlvbatGM) was established, and when Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps was disbanded in 2000, the Gotlands luftvärnskår minnesmedalj ("Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps Commemorative Medal") in silver (GotlvkMM) was established.[2]

Commanding officers

Memorial stone outside Gotland Regiment (P 18) for the air defense of Gotland. The text reads: "GOTLAND's ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENSE 1936-2000, Lv 2, operated at Visborgsslätt 8/10 1976 - 31/8 2000."

Commanding officers active at Lv 2:[6]

  • 1944–1948: Cpt Ewald Fock
  • 1948–1952: Cpt Lars Falk
  • 1952–1954: Cpt Lars Falk
  • 1954–1957: Ltc Gunnar Almqvist
  • 1957–1961: Ltc Lars Erik Lidsjö
  • 1961–1963: Ltc Uno Engström
  • 1963–1968: Ltc Uno Engström
  • 1968–1972: Ltc Uno Engström
  • 1972–1976: Ltc Per-Olof Martin
  • 1976–1981: Ltc Lars Brunnberg
  • 1981–1989: Ltc Hans Ahldén
  • 1989–1992: Ltc Gunnar Jansson
  • 1992–1994: Ltc Benkt Kullgard
  • 1994–1997: Ltc Benkt Kullgard
  • 1997–1999: Ltc Kent Samuelsson
  • 1999–2000: Ltc Göran Wahlqvist

Names, locations and designations

Names
Kungl Stockholms luftvärnsregementes batteri på GotlandRoyal Stockholm Anti-Aircraft Regiment's Battery on Gotland1944–1952
Kungl Östgötas luftvärnsregementes batteri på GotlandRoyal Östgöta Anti-Aircraft Regiment's Battery on Gotland1952–1961
Kungl Östgötas luftvärnsregementes division på GotlandRoyal Östgöta Anti-Aircraft Regiment's Division on Gotland1961–1963
Kungl Gotlands luftvärnsdivisionRoyal Gotland Anti-Aircraft Division1963–1968
Kungl Gotlands luftvärnsbataljonRoyal Gotland Anti-Aircraft Battalion1968–1974
Gotlands luftvärnsbataljonGotland Anti-Aircraft Battalion1975–1994
Gotlands luftvärnskårGotland Anti-Aircraft Corps1994–2000
Locations
Norra Hällarna, Visby (F)1944–1945
Korsbetningen, Visby (F)1945–1978
Visborgsslätt, Visby (F)1978–2000
Designations
Lv 3 G1944–1952
Lv 2 G1952–1963
Lv 21963–2000

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Sandberg 2007, p. 201
  2. 1 2 3 Braunstein 2005, pp. 229–230
  3. ↑ Kjellander 2003, p. 264
  4. ↑ Hammarhjelm 1999, p. 227
  5. ↑ Holmberg 1993, p. 33
  6. ↑ Olsson, Kjell. "Förbandschefer 1944 - 2000". www.tjelvar.se (in Swedish). Gotlands militärhistoria & Gotlands trupper. Retrieved 6 December 2017.

Print

  • Braunstein, Christian (2003). Sveriges arméförband under 1900-talet. Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 5. Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-4-5. LIBRIS 8902928.
  • Hammarhjelm, Bengt (1999). Beredskap på Gotland 175 år: 1811-1986 (in Swedish) (2nd, ext., plus complementary to 2000 ed.). Visby: Ödin. ISBN 91-85716-84-7. LIBRIS 7751982.
  • Holmberg, Björn (1993). Arméns regementen, skolor och staber: [en uppslagsbok] : en sammanställning (in Swedish). Arvidsjaur: Svenskt militärhistoriskt bibliotek (SMB). ISBN 91-972209-0-6. LIBRIS 7796532.
  • Kjellander, Rune (2003). Sveriges regementschefer 1700-2000: chefsbiografier och förbandsöversikter (in Swedish). Stockholm: Probus. ISBN 91-87184-74-5. LIBRIS 8981272.
  • 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. LIBRIS 10413065.

Further reading

  • Edwards, Rutger; Hellström, Göran, eds. (2004). Gotlands arméluftvärn och Lv 2: 1936-2000. Visby: Lv 2 kamratfören. [distributör]. ISBN 91-631-5042-5. LIBRIS 9499917.
  • Rosén, Lars, ed. (1994). Gotländskt arméluftvärn: "från batteri till kår på 50 år". Visby: Gotlands luftvärnskår. ISBN 91-630-2609-0. LIBRIS 7450031.

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