Norrbotten Brigade


The Norrbotten Brigade, 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 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 formed the Norrland Mechanised Brigade. 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.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the Norrbotten Regiment and Norrbotten Brigade 1994–2000 was also used by the Norrbotten Armoured Battalion 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".

March

By the end of the 1800s, Norrbotten Regiment adopted the march "Norrbottens fältjägare". In 1916 it adopted the march "Hakkapeliittain Marssi" which was used from 1916 to 1927 together with Karlskrona Grenadier Regiment. Karlskrona Grenadier Regiment used the march as an inheritance from the Småland Hussar Regiment. 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.

Commanding officers

Brigade commander from 1949 to 2000.

Footnotes

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