Norrbotten Brigade

Norrbottensbrigaden
Active| 1949–2000, 2022–
Country| Sweden
Allegiance| Swedish Armed Forces
Branch| Swedish Army
Type| Infantry (1949–1994)
Armoured (1994–2000)
Mechanized (2022–)
Role| Infantry brigade (1949–1964)
Arctic brigade (1963–1994)
Armoured brigade (1994–2000)
Mechanized brigade (2022– )
Size| Brigade
Part of| Norrbotten Regiment (1949–1994)
Northern Military District (1994–2000)
Norrbotten Regiment (2022– )
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]
Commanders
Current commander| Col. Gustaf Dufberg
Insignia
Branch insignia|
Unit insignia|

Military unit

The Norrbotten Brigade (Swedish: Norrbottensbrigaden), also NMekB 19, is a Swedish Army mechanized brigade located in the province of Norrbotten, active since 2022. It was previously active from 1949 to 2000. The brigade is located at Boden Garrison, Norrbotten Regiment (I 19) in Boden.

## History

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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. The unit was re-established following the Defence Act of 2020 [sv].[2]

## Heraldry and traditions

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The Norrbotten Regiment and Norrbotten Brigade inherited heraldry and traditions from the Norrbotten Regiment.[3]

### Coat of arms

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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".[4]

### March

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By the end of the 1800s, Norrbotten Regiment adopted the march "Norrbottens fältjägare" (Sundgrén).[5] 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

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Brigade commander from 1949 to 2000[6] and since 2022.

* 1949–1993: ?
* 1993–1994: Colonel Bengt Jerkland
* 1994–1999: Colonel Lars-Gunnar Nilsson
* 1999–2000: Colonel Per Lodin
* 2000–2022: –
* 2022–2023: Colonel Lars O Jonsson
* 2023–present: Colonel Gustaf Dufberg

## Names, designations and locations

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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
Norrbottensbrigaden | Norrbotten Brigade  | 2022-01-01  | –  |
Designation  |  | From  |  | To
IB 19  |  | 1949-10-01  | –  | 1964-??-??
NB 19  |  | 1964-??-??  | –  | 1994-06-30
MekB 19  |  | 1994-07-01  | –  | 2000-06-30
NMekB 19  |  | 2022-01-01  | –  |
Location  |  | From  |  | To
Boden Garrison |  | 1949-10-01  | –  | 2000-06-30
Boden Garrison  |  | 2022-01-01  | –  |

## See also

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* Norrbotten Regiment
* List of Swedish Army brigades

## Footnotes

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1. ^ The march was adopted in 1994.[1]

## References

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### Notes

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1. ^ a b Sandberg 2007, p. 10
2. ^ "Totalförsvaret 2021–2025 (Proposition 2020/21:30)" (in Swedish). Riksdag. 2020-10-15. Retrieved 2023-07-15.
3. ^ Braunstein 2003, p. 336
4. ^ Braunstein 2006, p. 25
5. ^ Sandberg 2007, p. 76
6. ^ Kjellander 2003, pp. 290–291

### Print

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* 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.
* 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.
* Kjellander, Rune (2003). Sveriges regementschefer 1700-2000: chefsbiografier och förbandsöversikter (in Swedish). Stockholm: Probus. ISBN 91-87184-74-5. SELIBR 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. SELIBR 10413065.

## Further reading

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Norrbotten Brigade.

* Hultstrand, Birger, ed. (1972). Kungl. Norrbottens regementes historia 1841-1966 (in Swedish). Boden: Kungl. Norrbottens regementes kamratfören. SELIBR 784836.
* Janse, Stefan, ed. (2007). Minnesskrift: Norrbottens regemente 100 år i Boden : 1907-2007 (in Swedish). Boden: Norrbottens regemente, I 19 i samarbete med Norrbottens regementes kamratförening och Föreningen P5. ISBN 978-91-633-0008-0. SELIBR 10696040.