The Kalmar Regiment (Swedish: Kalmar regemente), designations I 20, I 21 and Fo 18, was a Swedish Army infantry regiment that traced its origins back to the 16th century. It was merged with another unit to form a new regiment in 1928. It was later reraised and disbanded again in 1997. The regiment's soldiers were originally recruited from Kalmar County, and it was later garrisoned there.

Kalmar Regiment
Kalmar regemente
Active1626–1709, 1709–1927, 1994–1997
Country Sweden
AllegianceSwedish Armed Forces
BranchSwedish Army
TypeInfantry
SizeRegiment
Part of2nd Military District (1833–1893)
2nd Army Division (1893–1901)
II Army Division (1902–1927)
Southern Military District (1990–1997)
Garrison/HQKalmar
ColorsRed and yellow
March"Kaiser-Friedrich-Marsch" (Friedemann)[not 1]
Battle honoursVarberg (1565), Narva (1581), Warszawa (1656), Tåget över Bält (1658), Kliszow (1702), Helsingborg (1710), Svensksund (1790)
Commanders
Colonel, 1623-1627Patrick Ruthven
Colonel, 1627-1638David Drummond
Colonel, 1699-1700Magnus Stenbock
Insignia
Cap badge

History

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The regiment has its origins in fänikor (companies) raised in Kalmar County in the 16th century. In 1616, these units—along with fänikor from the nearby Kronoberg County—were organised by Gustav II Adolf into Smålands storregemente, of which twelve of the total 24 companies were recruited in Kalmar County. Smålands storregemente consisted of three field regiments, of which Kalmar Regiment was one. Sometime around 1623, the grand regiment was permanently split into three smaller regiments, of which Kalmar Regiment was one.

Kalmar Regiment was one of the original 20 Swedish infantry regiments mentioned in the Swedish constitution of 1634. The regiment's first commander was Patrick Ruthven, 1st Earl of Forth. The regiment was allotted in 1686. The regiment was given the designation I 20 (20th Infantry Regiment) in a general order in 1816. The designation was changed to I 21 in 1892.

The regiment was garrisoned in Eksjö from 1906, before it was merged with Jönköping Regiment to form Jönköping-Kalmar Regiment in 1927. Kalmar Regiment was reorganised in 1994 as a local defence district with the designation Fo 18, although disbanded again just three years later in 1997.

Campaigns

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Organisation

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Heraldry and traditions

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Colours, standards and guidons

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The regiment has carried a number of colours over the years. On 24 June 1866, major general P E Lovén presented a new colour to the two battalions of the regiment, which then replaced the previous colours. The colours were used until the disbandment of the regiment, and were carried by Jönköping-Kalmar Regiment (I 12) from 1928 to 1954. When Kalmar Regiment was re-raised in the form of a defense district staff, the regiment was assigned a new colour. The new Kalmar Regiment adopted the same colour as the Kalmar Regiment which was disbanded in 1927. However, the regiment did not inherit the 1866 colour, but was presented with a new colour model 1994.[2] The colour was presented in Kalmar by the Chief of the Army, lieutenant general Åke Sagrén on 10 October 1992. It was used as regimental colour by Fo 18 until 15 December 1997.[3] The colour is drawn by Bengt Olof Kälde and embroidered by machine and hand in insertion technique by Gunilla Hjort. Blazon: "On red cloth in the centre on a circular yellow shield the provincial badge of Smaland; a red lion rampant, armed blue, in the forepaws a red crossbow with a white arrow and black bow, string and trigger. On a yellow border at the upper side of the colour, battle honours (Varberg 1565, Narva 1581, Warszawa 1656, Tåget över Bält 1658, Kliszow 1702, Helsingborg 1710, Svensksund 1790) in red."[3]

Coat of arms

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The coat of the arms of the Kalmar Regiment (Fo 18) 1994–1997 and the Kalmar Group (Kalmargruppen) 1997–2004. 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 cross-bow gules, arrow-head argent, bow and string sable. II and III azure, the provincial badge of Öland, a stag passant or, gorged with a necklace and armed, both gules. The shield surmounted two muskets in saltire or".[4]

Medals

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In 1997, the Kalmar regementes (Fo 18) minnesmedalj ("Kalmar Regiment (Fo 18) Commemorative Medal") in silver (KalmregSMM) of the 8th size was established. The medal ribbon is divided in red, yellow, red, yellow and red moiré.[5]

Heritage

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In connection with the disbandment of Kalmar Regiment through the Defence Act of 1996, its traditions was continued from 1 December 1998 onwards by Kalmar Group (Kalmargruppen).[2] From 1 July 2013, the Kalmar Battalion, within Kalmar and Kronoberg Group (Kalmar- och Kronobergsgruppen), is the traditional keeper of Kalmar Regiment.[6]

Other

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The original regiment had "Kalmar regementets marsch" (Meissner) and "Kaiser Friedrich-Marsch" (Friedemann) as their marches. The new Kalmar Regiment adopted the march "Kalmarbrigaden" (Badman), originally awarded to the Kalmar Brigade (IB 42).[2]

Commanding officers

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Regimental commander active at the regiment during the years 1623–1927 and 1994–1997.[7]

  • 1623–16??: Patrick Ruthven
  • 1630–1639: David Drummund
  • 1639–1645: Thure Bremer
  • 1645–1656: Alexander Irving
  • 1656–1662: Gustaf Kruse
  • 1662–1674: Barthold
  • 1674–1677: Henrik Wulfvenkhu
  • 1677–1686: Erik Soop
  • 1686–1698: Hans v. Dellinghausen
  • 1698–1699: Magnus Stenbock
  • 1699–1700: Nils Djurklou
  • 1700–1701: N Djurklow
  • 1701–1709: G Ranck  
  • 1709–1716: C Björnberg
  • 1716–1730: S Sture  (POW),  
  • 1730–1733: G Zülich
  • 1733–1734: F C Marschalk
  • 1734–1736: L von Muners
  • 1736–1739: C de Frumerie
  • 1739–1740: A J Giertta
  • 1740–1747: L Fahlström
  • 1747–1757: C G von Roxendorff
  • 1757–1757: N Djurlkou
  • 1757–1770: E G Lillienberg
  • 1770–1772: E Armfelt (never took position)
  • 1772–1778: A W von Baltzar
  • 1778–1779: F Posse
  • 1779–1795: A D Schönström
  • 1795–1802: C Mörner
  • 1802–1804: A L von Frisendorff
  • 1804–1816: J H Tavast
  • 1812–1813: M F F Björnstjerna (acting)
  • 1813–1814: C M Klingström (acting)
  • 1816–1826: E G Ulfsparre
  • 1826–1832: C M Klingström
  • 1832–1847: C J Hederstierna
  • 1847–1853: G E A Taube
  • 1853–1859: G G H Stierngranat
  • 1859–1865: F M L Dandenell
  • 1865–1877: E O Weidenhielm
  • 1871–1877: P S W Björkman (acting)
  • 1877–1888: P S W Björkman
  • 1888–1894: O G Nordenskjöld
  • 1894–1895: H F Gyllenram
  • 1895–1902: Fredrik Kugelberg
  • 1902–1910: Carl Gustaf Knut Eklundh
  • 1910–1914: Carl Adam Constans Stålhammar
  • 1914–1926: Sam Gustaf Laurentius Myhrman
  • 1926–1927: Natanael Wikander
  • 1990–1994: Birger Jägtoft
  • 1994–1995: Birger Jägtoft
  • 1995–1997: Dan Albin Snell

Names, designations and locations

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Name Translation From To
Kungl. Kalmar regemente Royal Kalmar Regiment 1623-??-?? 1709-07-01
Kungl. Kalmar regemente Royal Kalmar Regiment 1709-??-?? 1927-10-01
Avvecklingsorganisation Decommissioning Organisation 1927-10-02 1927-12-31
Kalmar försvarsområde Kalmar Defense District 1990-07-01 1994-06-30
Kalmar regemente Kalmar Regiment 1994-07-01 1997-12-31
Designation From To
№ 20 1816-10-01 1892-12-31
№ 21 1893-01-01 1914-09-30
I 21 1914-10-01 1927-12-31
Fo 18 1990-07-01 1997-12-31
Locations From To
Staby ängar 1685-??-?? 1783-??-??
Mariannelund 1783-??-?? 1796-03-14
Hultsfred 1796-03-14 1906-11-01
Kulltorp 1844-06-03 1884-01-26
Eksjö Garrison 1919-10-01 1927-12-31
Kalmar Airport 1990-07-01 1997-12-31

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ The march was adopted before 1900. It was taken over by Jönköping-Kalmar Regiment in 1928 and by the Northern Småland Group (Norra Smålandsgruppen) in 2000.[1]
  2. ^ Participated as the various fänikor that later formed the regiment.
  3. ^ Participated as the various fänikor that later formed the regiment.

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Sandberg 2007, p. 32
  2. ^ a b c Braunstein 2003, pp. 93–95
  3. ^ a b Braunstein 2004, pp. 82–83
  4. ^ Braunstein 2006, p. 38
  5. ^ Braunstein 2007, p. 104
  6. ^ "Försvarets traditioner i framtiden – Bilaga 3" (PDF) (in Swedish). Statens försvarshistoriska museer/Försvarets traditionsnämnd. 2012-07-01. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  7. ^ Kjellander 2003, pp. 273–274

Print

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Further reading

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  • Frode, Rune; Balk, Steve (1984). Kungl. Kalmar regemente på Hultsfreds slätt 1685-1918. Skrifter / Hultsfreds kommun, 0282-891X ; 6 (in Swedish). Hultsfred: Hultsfreds kommun. ISBN 91-7810-072-0. SELIBR 7666643.
  • Kongl. Calmare regemente och Eksjö garnison: en jubileumsskrift till Norra Smålands regementes kamratförenings 50-årsjubileum (in Swedish). Eksjö: Kamratfören. 1995. SELIBR 2058274.
  • Mankell, Julius (1866). Anteckningar rörande svenska regementernas historia (in Swedish) (2nd ed.). Örebro: Lindh. pp. 354–361. SELIBR 1549756.
  • Rudelius, Folke (1940). Kalmar regementes mötesplatser: några anteckningar (in Swedish). Kalmar. SELIBR 3202962.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Rudelius, Folke (1952). Kalmar regementes personhistoria 1623-1927: biografiska anteckningar om officerare och likställda. D. 1, Officerare 1623-1799 och exspektanter 1723-1753 (in Swedish). [Åby]: [förf.] SELIBR 1983213.
  • Rudelius, Folke (1955). Kalmar regementes personhistoria 1623-1927: biografiska anteckningar om officerare och likställda. D. 2, Officerare 1800-1927 : reservofficerare och officerare i reserven 1892-1927 : civilmilitär personal 1623-1927 (in Swedish). Norrköping: [förf.] SELIBR 1983214.