Norrbotten Armoured Battalion

Norrbotten Armoured Battalion
Norrbottens pansarbataljon
Active 1957–1994, 2000–
Country  Sweden
Allegiance Swedish Armed Forces
Branch Swedish Army
Type Armoured
Role Recruit training
Size Battalion
Part of VI Military Area (1957–1966)
Upper Norrland Military Area (1966–1975)
Norrbotten Regiment (1975–1994)
Norrbotten Regiment (2000–present)
Garrison/HQ Boden
Motto(s) "Alltid främst"
March I flaggskrud" (Rydberg)[note 1]
Insignia
Unit insignia m/1960
Military patch

The Norrbotten Armoured Battalion (Swedish: Norrbottens pansarbataljon), designation Pbat/I 19 or P 5, is a Swedish Army armoured battalion, one of the few new formations raised in the 20th century. It is still in active service, and is currently garrisoned in Boden, Norrbotten as part of Norrbotten Regiment.

History

The battalion was created in 1957 as the army considered it important to have armoured units stationed in Northern Sweden already in peacetime. In 1975 the battalion was merged with Norrbotten Regiment under the designation I 19/P 5 and ceased to exist as an independent unit even though it lived on as part of the regiment. For a short time in the 1990s, the regiment ceased to exist as it was merged with the wartime organised Norrbotten Brigade.

In 2000, the battalion was re-raised, this time as one of five battalions in Norrbotten Regiment, retaining its old name, but not the designation P 5 (5th Armoured Regiment) it originally had, even though it is still in common use. The battalion is as of 2006 one of the three Swedish Army training regiments for armoured units. The battalion has been garrisoned in Boden during its whole existence.

Campaigns

  • None

Organisation

2008
  • Support company (Command & control, supply, mortar and recon platoons)
  • Armoured infantry company (incl one tank platoon)
  • Supply company (Command & Supply, Medics, Repair, Refuel & Ammo and Infantry platoon)
  • Infantry company
  • Engineer company
  • Guard company
2004
  • Headquarters/mortar company
  • Tank company
  • Armoured infantry company
  • Supply company

Heraldry and traditions

Colours and standards

The battalion standard is drawn by Brita Grep and embroidered by hand in insertion technique by Libraria. The standard was presented to the former Royal Norrbotten Armoured Battalion (P 5) in Boden by His Majesty the King Gustaf VI Adolf on 28 July 1961. It was used as battalion standard until 1975 and then as a traditional standard at Norrbotten Regiment (I 19).[2] From 1 July 1994, the standard was carried by the Norrbotten Regiment and Norrbotten Brigade (MekB 19). From 1 July 2000, the standard was again carried by the Norrbotten Armoured Battalion.[3] The standard may be used according to the decisions of CO I 19. Blazon: "On blue cloth powdered with yellow estoiles the provincial badge of Västerbotten; a white reindeer at speed, armed and langued red. Blue fringe."[2]

March

On 10 July 1958, the Chief of the Army, Lieutenant General Thord Bonde established "I flaggskrud" as the battalion march.[4] On 15 June 1994, the march was taken over by the Northern Service Regiment (Norra underhållsregementet, Uhreg N). From 2001, the march was transferred back to Norrbotten Armoured Battalion.[1]

Commanding officers

Commanding officers from 1957 to 1975:[5]

  • 1957–1963 – Karl Henrik Bergh
  • 1963–1966 – Nils Olof Axel Östlund
  • 1966–1967 – Per Anton Björkman
  • 1967–1968 – Per Gunnar Brissman
  • 1968–1975 – Arne Gillis Hallner Hallagård
  • 1975–1975 – Stig Barke

Names, designations and locations

Name Translation From To
Kungl Norrbottens pansarbataljon Royal Norrbotten Armoured Battalion 1957-04-01 – 1974-12-31
Norrbottens pansarbataljon Norrbotten Armoured Battalion 1975-01-01 – 1975-06-30
Norrbottens regemente med Norrbottens pansarbataljon Norrbotten Regiment with Norrbotten Armoured Battalion 1975-07-01 – 1994-06-30
Norrbottens pansarbataljon Norrbotten Armoured Battalion 2000-07-01 –
Designation From To
P 5 1957-04-01 – 1975-06-30
I 19/P 5 1975-07-01 – 1994-06-30
Pbat/I 19 2000-07-01 –
Locations From To
Boden Garrison 1957-04-01 – 1994-06-30
Boden Garrison 2000-07-01 –

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The march was established in 1958 by Army Order 424/1958. The march was used by the Northern Service Regiment (Norra underhållsregementet, Uhreg N) from 1994 to 2001, and again by the Norrbotten Armoured Battalion since 2001.[1]

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Sandberg 2007, p. 63
  2. 1 2 Braunstein 2004, p. 47
  3. ↑ Braunstein 2003, pp. 161-162
  4. ↑ Kjellander 1992, pp. 405-411
  5. ↑ Kjellander 2003

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.
  • Braunstein, Christian (2004). Svenska försvarsmaktens fälttecken efter millennieskiftet [The flags and standards of the Swedish armed forces after the turn of the millennium] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 7 [dvs 8] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-7-X. LIBRIS 9815350.
  • Kjellander, Bo, ed. (1992). Pansartrupperna 1942–1992 (in Swedish). Skövde: Arméns pansarcentrum. ISBN 91-630-1253-7. LIBRIS 7449092.
  • 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.
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