On 1 January 1902, the Swedish Coastal Artillery was established as a separate military branch in the Swedish Armed Forces, following a decision taken in May the previous year. The decision meant that Karlskrona Artillery Corps and Vaxholm Artillery Corps was disbanded and that a coastal artillery was established. The Vaxholm Artillery Corps was transferred to the coastal artillery and formed the Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment. The regiment manned the Vaxholm Fortress and Oskar-Fredriksborg Fortress as well as Fårösund's coastal position and Hörningsholm's coastal position. The regimental buildings, drawn by Erik Josephson, were completed in 1906. The barracks were completed already in 1904 and had three floors unlike the design which had four. Parts of KA 1 was placed at Vaxholm and it was not until the 1940s that the operations were collocated to eastern Rindö next to Oskar-Fredriksborg Fortress. KA 1 consisted of artillery companies, naval mine companies and yrkes companies: an organization that was maintained until the 1940s. In 1941, the former buildings of the Vaxholm Grenadier Regiment became a part of the KA 1. The part of the KA 1 that has been placed at the Vaxholm Fortress was instead placed in the former barracks of I 26. In 1981 the regiment became subordinated to the Stockholm Coastal Artillery Defense and renamed Stockholm Coastal Artillery Defense with Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment. This organization was retained until SK was merge with the East Coast Naval Command in 1990. The regiment was renamed the Vaxholm Amphibian Regiment in 2000, when parts of the coastal artillery was converted into the Swedish Amphibious Corps. The Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment was disbanded on 31 October 2000 as a result of the disarmament policies set forward in the Defence Act of 2000.
The 1st Coastal Artillery Brigade was raised in 1956 as a coastal artillery brigade and was in the peace organization under the Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment. The brigade consisted initially in the war organization of a staff at Hamnholmen and two barrier battalions.
2nd Coastal Artillery Brigade
The 2nd Coastal Artillery Brigade was raised in 1956 as a coastal artillery brigade and was in the peace and war organization under the Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment. The brigade consisted initially in the war organization of a staff at Rindö and barrier battalion based on Korsö and two coastal ranger companies as well as two missile batteries. In 1984, the brigade's war organization consisted of the Korsö barrier battalion, three mobile barrier companies and three coastal ranger companies. On 1 July 1994, the brigade was reorganized into a mobile brigade command with assembly point in the middle of Stockholm archipelago. In 1996, the brigade consisted of, among other things, the Korsö barrier battalion, the 1st Amphibious Battalion and the Battle Group Oxdjupet. The brigade was disbanded on 30 June 2000 and, from 1 July 2000, formed the basis of the Vaxholm Amphibian Regiment.
The 3rd Coastal Artillery Brigade was raised in 1956 and was in the peace organization under the Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment. The brigade consisted in the war organization of a staff on Järflotta and three barrier battalions, Ornö, Mellsten and Askö. On 1 July 1994, the brigade was also separated from the regiment in the peace organization and reorganized into the Södertörn Marine Brigade.
Heraldry and traditions
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of the Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment 1902–1994, the 2nd Coastal Artillery Brigade with Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment 1994–2000 and Vaxholm Amphibian Regiment since 2000. Blazon: "Azure, the Swedish minor coat-of-arms, three open crowns or placed two and one, a cluster of rays or coming from the crown. The shield surmounted two gunbarrels of older pattern in saltire sable between two pyramids of three gunballs sable each in front of a wall embattled as a bastion, coloured brick".
