Småland Regiment


The Småland Regiment, designations I 12 and I 12/Fo 17, was a Swedish Army infantry regiment that traced its origins back to the 16th century. The unit was disbanded as a result of the disarmament policies set forward in the Defence Act of 2000.

History

The regiment was formed in 1928 as Jönköping-Kalmar Regiment, following a merger of Jönköping Regiment, and the Kalmar Regiment. The regiment moved the same year to the Eksjö garrison.
In 1948 the regiment changed its name to Northern Småland Regiment. On July 1, 1974 the regiment formed with Jonkopings defense area a defensive field regiment to be known as The 12/Fo 17. When both the Kronoberg Regiment and Kalmar Regiment were dismantled in 1997, Smålands regiment took over responsibility for Kronobergs defense area and Kalmar defense area and integrated the Jönköping defense area, which then formed Smålands defense area.

Heraldry and traditions

Colours, standards and guidons

When the regiment was raised it carried two colours from the two disbanded regiments Jönköping Regiment and Kalmar Regiment. A new regimental colour was presented to the Northern Småland Regiment in Eksjö by His Majesty the King Gustaf VI Adolf on 11 September 1954 which replaced the two older ones. It was used as regimental colour by I 12 until 1 July 2000. The colour is drawn by Brita Grep and embroidered by hand in insertion technique probably by the company Libraria. The battle honours from the two previous regiments were now added to the new colour. Blazon: "On a quarterly cloth on the first and fourth bays the provincial badge of Småland; on yellow a red lion rampant, armed blue, in the forepaws a red crossbow with white arrowhead and black bow, string and trigger, on the second and third bays the town badge of Jönköping; on red, from a blue wavy base a tripletowered white castle embattled issuant, windows and gates black and a hoisted white gate grill. On a red border at the upper side of the colour, battle honours (Lützen 1632, Wittstock 1636, Warsaw 1656, Landskrona 1677, Klisow 1702, Malatitze 1708, Hälsingborg 1710 in yellow."

Coat of arms

The coat of the arms of the Northern Småland Regiment 1977–1994. Blazon: "Quarterly: I and IV or, the provincial badge of Småland, a double-tailed lion rampant gules armed and langued azure, in the forepaws a crossbow gules, arrow-head argent, bow and string sable. II and III gules, the town badge of Jönköping, from a wavy base azure a castle triple-towered and embattled issuant argent; masoned of the first. Windows and portcullis sable and raised gate grill argent. The shield surmounted two muskets in saltire or". The coat of arms of the Northern Småland Regiment 1994–1998, Småland Regiment 1998–2000 and the Northern Småland Group since 2000. Blazon: "Quarterly: I and IV or, the provincial badge of Småland, a double-tailed lion rampant gules armed and langued azure, in the forepaws a crossbow gules, arrow-head argent, bow and string sable. II and III gules, the town badge of Jönköping, from a wavy base azure a castle triple towered and embattled issuant argent; masoned of the first. Windows and portcullis sable and raised gate grill argent. The shield surmounted two swords in saltire or".

Medals

In 2000, the Smålands regementes och Smålandsbrigadens minnesmedalj and Småland Brigade in silver of the 8th size was established. The medal has different obverses. The medal ribbon is of yellow moiré with broad red edges and a blue stripe on the middle and a red line on each side.

Heritage

The regiment continued the traditions of Jönköping Regiment and Kalmar Regiment, and from 1985 the memory of the Småland Artillery Regiment was retained at the regiment. When Kalmar Regiment was raised again in 1994, the traditions were continued by the new regiment. After the regiment and the Småland Brigade was disbanded, its traditions were continued by Northern Småland Group. From 1 July 2013, Northern Småland Battalion, within the Northern Småland Group, is the traditional keeper of Småland Regiment.

Commanding officers

Regimental officers active at the regiment from 1928 to 2000.

Footnotes

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