Middle Army Division
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Middle Army Division
|native_name= Mellersta arméfördelningen
| image = Mellersta arméfördelningen vapen.svg | image_size = 160px
| caption =
| dates = 1941–1997
| country = Sweden
| allegiance = Swedish Armed Forces
| branch = Swedish Army
| type = Infantry
| role =
| size = Division
| command_structure = Middle Military District{{#tag:ref|The army division staff was subordinated to the Svea Life Guards (1946–1966), the Life Grenadier Regiment (1966–1984) and the Södermanland Regiment (1984-1994).|group=note}}
| garrison = Linköping
| garrison_label =
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto =
| colors =
| colors_label =
| march = "Svensk lösen" (Modéer){{#tag:ref|The march was established on 13 June 1996 by TFG 960005. It was taken over in 2000 by the 1st Mechanized Division (1. mekaniserade divisionen).{{harvnb|Sandberg|2007|p=55}}|group=note}}
| mascot =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles =
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| battle_honours_label =
| disbanded =
| website =
| commander1 =
| commander1_label =
| notable_commanders1 =
| identification_symbol = 100px
| identification_symbol_label = Standard m/1995
| identification_symbol_2 = 100px
| identification_symbol_2_label = Standard m/1950
}}
The Middle Army Division ({{langx|sv|Mellersta arméfördelningen}}, 14. förd), was a division of the Swedish Army which operated in various forms from 1941 to 1997. Its staff was located in Linköping Garrison in Linköping.{{harvnb|Braunstein|2003|p=313}}
History
The Middle Army Division was raised on 1 August 1941 as the XIV Division (XIV. fördelningen), a doubling division of the IV Division. The army division was directly subordinate to the military commander of the IV Military District, while the Svea Life Guards was responsible for raising and mobilization of the army division staff. In 1966, the mobilization responsibility for the army division was transferred to the Life Grenadier Regiment in Linköping. On 1 October 1966, the designation was changed from being given in Roman numerals to Arabic numerals, that is, the division was termed the 14th Division (14. fördelningen). On 1 July 1984, the mobilization responsibility for the army division was transferred to Södermanland Regiment (P 10/Fo 43) in Strängnäs.
On 1 July 1991, the Bergslagen Military District and the Eastern Military District merged and formed the Middle Military District. The army division, together with the Eastern Army Division, thus came to be subordinate to the military commander of the Middle Military District. Through the Defence Act of 1992, the Riksdag decided that the Swedish Armed Forces' war organization should reflect the peace organization. As of 1 July 1994, the army division staff, together with the Eastern Army Division, came to be organized as cadre-organized units within the Middle Military District.{{cite web |url=http://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-lagar/dokument/proposition/totalforsvarets-utveckling-till-och-med-budgearet_GF03102/html |publisher=Riksdag |title=Regeringens proposition 1991/92:102: Totalförsvarets utveckling till och med budgetåret 1996/97 samt anslag för budgetåret 1992/93 |first1=Carl |last1=Bildt |first2=Anders |last2=Björck |author-link1=Carl Bildt |author-link2=Anders Björck |location=Stockholm |date=13 February 1992 |access-date=14 January 2018 |language=sv}} With this reorganization, the division was relocated to Linköping Garrison.
Prior to the Defence Act of 1996, the Swedish government proposed to the Riksdag that the war organization to be reduced. Where, among other things, the three military areas would be covered by each division staff. Of the six division staffs, three with division units and 13 army brigades would be maintained. Within the Middle Military District, the government proposed that the Middle Army Division should be disbanded. On 13 December 1996, the Riksdag adopted the government's bill, which meant that the Middle Army Division was disbanded on 31 December 1997.{{cite web |url=https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-lagar/dokument/proposition/totalforsvar-i-fornyelse---etapp-2_GK034 |publisher=Riksdag |title=Proposition 1996/97:4: Totalförsvar i förnyelse - etapp 2 |first1=Göran |last1=Persson |first2=Thage G. |last2=Peterson |author-link1=Göran Persson |author-link2=Thage G. Peterson |location=Stockholm |date=12 September 1996 |access-date=2 January 2017 |language=sv}}
Barracks and training areas
Although the division was mobilized by other units, it was in peace time grouped together with the military area staff. When the division staff was raised, it came to be co-located with the Eastern Military District Staff at Stureplan in Stockholm. In 1949, the two staffs were moved to the barracks of the Life Regiment of Horse (K 1) at Lidingövägen 28 in Stockholm. On 14 June 1963, both staff were transferred to a new property complex in Strängnäs Garrison.{{cite web |url=http://www.fht.nu/Dokument/Armen/arme_publ_dok_hogre_reg_ledn.pdf |publisher=Försvarets Historiska Telesamlingar |title=Högre regional ledning |first=Christian |last=Jansson |date=2013-09-27 |access-date=14 January 2018 |page=124 |language=sv}}{{harvnb|Holmberg|1993|p=87}} When the staff became independent on 1 July 1994, the staff was placed to the barracks area in Linköping Garrison.
Heraldry and traditions
=Coat of arms=
The coat of arms of the Middle Army Division used from 1994 to 1997. Blazon: "Azure, the provincial badge of Östergötland, a griffin with dragon wing and tail or, armed and langued gules. The shield surmounted two batons, charged with open crowns azure in saltire or".{{harvnb|Braunstein|2006|p=20}}
=Medals=
In 1995, the Mellersta arméfördelningens förtjänstmedalj ("Middle Army Division Medal of Merit") in silver (MellfördSM) of the 8th size was established. In 1997, this medal was renamed Mellersta fördelningens (14.förd) minnesmedalj ("Middle Division (14.förd) Commemorative Medal") in silver (MellfördSMM). The medal ribbon is blue with red edges followed by a yellow stripe.{{harvnb|Braunstein|2007|pp=99–100}}
Commanding officers
- 1941–1994: ?
- 1994–1996: Senior Colonel Hans Berndtson{{harvnb|Kjellander|2003|p=34}}
- 1996–1997: Lieutenant Colonel Anders Ihrén (acting){{cite web |url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/?postid=Arkis+5499ad94-16e7-4bde-a79c-6d2697e1ea46&vol=n%2cn&s=Balder |publisher=National Archives of Sweden |title=Mellersta arméfördelningen (14. fördelningen) |access-date=11 December 2019 |language=sv}}
Names, designations and locations
| class="wikitable"
! style="font-weight:bold;" | Name ! style="font-weight:bold;" | Translation ! style="text-align: center; font-weight:bold;" | From ! ! style="text-align: center; font-weight:bold;" | To |
| style="font-style:italic;" | XIV. arméfördelningen
| XIV Army Division | 1941-08-01 | – | 1966-09-30 |
| style="font-style:italic;" | 14. arméfördelningen
| 14th Army Division | 1966-10-01 | – | 1994-06-30 |
| style="font-style:italic;" | Mellersta arméfördelningen
| Middle Army Division | 1994-07-01 | – | 1997-12-31 |
| style="font-weight:bold;" | Designation
! style="font-weight:bold;" | ! style="text-align: center; font-weight:bold;" | From ! ! style="text-align: center; font-weight:bold;" | To |
|---|
| XIV. förd
| | style="text-align: center;" | 1941-08-01 | style="text-align: center;" | – | style="text-align: center;" | 1966-09-30 |
| 14. förd
| | style="text-align: center;" | 1966-10-01 | style="text-align: center;" | – | style="text-align: center;" | 1997-12-31 |
| style="font-weight:bold;" | Location
! style="font-weight:bold;" | ! style="text-align: center; font-weight:bold;" | From ! ! style="text-align: center; font-weight:bold;" | To |
| Stockholm Garrison
| | style="text-align: center;" | 1941-08-01 | style="text-align: center;" | – | style="text-align: center;" | 1966-09-30 |
| Linköping Garrison
| | style="text-align: center;" | 1966-10-01 | style="text-align: center;" | – | style="text-align: center;" | 1984-06-30 |
| Strängnäs Garrison
| | style="text-align: center;" | 1984-07-01 | style="text-align: center;" | – | style="text-align: center;" | 1994-06-30 |
| Linköping Garrison
| | style="text-align: center;" | 1994-07-01 | style="text-align: center;" | – | style="text-align: center;" | 1997-12-31 |
See also
Footnotes
References
=Notes=
{{Reflist}}
=Print=
{{Commonscat|Mellersta arméfördelningen|Middle Army Division}}
- {{cite book |last=Braunstein |first=Christian |title=Sveriges arméförband under 1900-talet |series=Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 5 |year=2003 |publisher=Statens försvarshistoriska museer |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=91-971584-4-5 |id={{LIBRIS|8902928}} }}
- {{cite book |url=https://www.sfhm.se/contentassets/84a6e4f1b2ce4e2b96c4ba578a41c503/heraldiska-vapen-inom-det-svenska-forsvaret-sfhm-skrift-9.pdf |last=Braunstein |first=Christian |title=Heraldiska vapen inom det svenska försvaret |trans-title=Heraldry of the Swedish Armed Forces |series=Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 9 |year=2006 |publisher=Statens försvarshistoriska museer |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=91-971584-9-6 |id={{LIBRIS|10099224}} }}
- {{cite book |url=https://www.sfhm.se/contentassets/84a6e4f1b2ce4e2b96c4ba578a41c503/sfhm-skriftserie-utmarkelsetecken-pa-militara-uniformer-christian-braunstein-2007.pdf |last=Braunstein |first=Christian |title=Utmärkelsetecken på militära uniformer |trans-title=Decorations on Swedish military uniforms |series=Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 12 |year=2007 |publisher=Statens försvarshistoriska museer |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=978-91-976220-2-8 |id={{LIBRIS|10423295}} }}
- {{cite book |last=Holmberg |first=Björn |title=Arméns regementen, skolor och staber: [en uppslagsbok] : en sammanställning |year=1993 |publisher=Svenskt militärhistoriskt bibliotek (SMB) |location=Arvidsjaur |language=sv |isbn=91-972209-0-6 |id={{LIBRIS|7796532}} }}
- {{cite book |last=Kjellander |first=Rune |title=Sveriges regementschefer 1700-2000: chefsbiografier och förbandsöversikter |year=2003 |publisher=Probus |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=91-87184-74-5 |id={{LIBRIS|8981272}} }}
- {{cite book |last=Sandberg |first=Bo |title=Försvarets marscher och signaler förr och nu: marscher antagna av svenska militära förband, skolor och staber samt igenkännings-, tjänstgörings- och exercissignaler |edition=New |year=2007 |publisher=Militärmusiksamfundet med Svenskt marscharkiv |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=978-91-631-8699-8 |id={{LIBRIS|10413065}} }}
Category:Military units and formations established in 1941
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1997
Category:1941 establishments in Sweden
Category:1997 disestablishments in Sweden