Southern Military District (Milo S)

Southern Military District (Swedish: Södra militärområdet, Milo S), originally I Military District (Swedish: I. militärområdet) was a Swedish military district, a command of the Swedish Armed Forces that had operational control over Southern Sweden, for most time of its existence corresponding to the area covered by the counties of Malmöhus, Kristianstad (now joined as Skåne County), Blekinge, Kronoberg, Jönköping and Kalmar. The headquarters of Milo S were located in Kristianstad.

Southern Military District
Södra militärområdet
Heraldic arms
Active1942–2000
Country Sweden
AllegianceSwedish Armed Forces
BranchMulti (Sea, Air and Land)
TypeMilitary district
RoleOperational, territorial and tactical operations
Garrison/HQKristianstad
March"På marsch" (Rydberg)[note 1]
Insignia
Command flag

History

Milo S was created in 1966 along with five other military districts as part of a reorganisation of the administrative divisions of the Swedish Armed Forces. It can be seen as the successor of the I Military District (I. militärområdet) created in 1942, but that did not have the same tasks as Milo S. The military district consisted of the land covered by the above-mentioned counties, with the exception of a small part of northern Kalmar County which instead was part of the Eastern Military District (Milo Ö) until 1983 when the whole county's area was incorporated into Milo S. In 1993, the number of military districts of Sweden was decreased to three, and as a consequence of that, Western Military District (Milo V) was merged with Milo S to form a new southern military district. In 2000, these last three military districts were disbanded and the command for the whole of Sweden was placed at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters, in accordance with the Defence Act of 2000.

Units 1989

In peacetime the Southern Military District consisted of the following units, which were training recruits for wartime units:

In wartime the Southern Military District would have activated the following major land units, as well as a host of smaller units:

  • 1st Division, in Kristianstad
  • 13th (Armoured) Division, in Kristianstad
    • PB 7 - Malmö Brigade, in Revingehed, a Type 63M armoured brigade based on the P 7 - South Scanian Regiment
    • PB 8 - Göinge Brigade, in Hässleholm, a Type 63M armoured brigade based on the P 2 - Scania Dragoon Regiment
    • IB 11 - Kronoberg Brigade, in Växjö, a Type 77 infantry brigade based on the I 11 - Kronoberg Regiment
    • IB 12 - Jönköping Brigade, in Eksjö, a Type 66M infantry brigade based on the I 12 - North Småland Regiment
    • PB 26 - Kristianstad Brigade, in Kristianstad, a Type 63M armoured brigade based on the P 6 - North Scania Regiment
    • IB 41 - Blekinge Brigade, in Växjö, a Type 66M infantry brigade based on the I 11 - Kronoberg Regiment
    • IB 42 - Kalmar Brigade, in Eksjö, a Type 77 infantry brigade based on the I 12 - North Småland Regiment

Heraldry and traditions

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the Southern Military District Staff 1983–1994. Blazon: "Azur, an erect sword with the area letter (S - South) surrounded by an open chaplet of oak leaves, all or."[2]

The coat of arms of the Southern Military District Staff 1994–2000. It was also used by the Southern Military District 2000–2005 and the Western Military Region 2018–present. Blazon: "Azure, with waves argent six times divided bendy-sinister argent, charged with a doubletailed crowned lion rampant or, armed and langued gules. The shield surmounted an erect sword or."[2]

Medals

In 2000, the Södra militärområdesstabens (MilostabS) minnesmedalj ("Southern Military District Staff (MilostabS) Commemorative Medal") in silver (MiloSSMM) of the 8th size was established. The medal is oval in shape and the medal ribbon is of yellow moiré with blue edges and a blue stripe on each side.[3]

Commanding officers
Chief of Staff, Major General Sigmund Ahnfelt (2nd from right) inspects Småland Artillery Regiment (A 6) in 1968.

Military commanders

Deputy military commanders

Chiefs of Staff
  • 1942–1945: Lieutenant colonel Miles Flach
  • 1945–1949: Lieutenant colonel James Axel John Maulé
  • 1949–1951: Lieutenant colonel Wilhelm Reuterswärd
  • 1951–1954: Lieutenant colonel Fred Ljunggren
  • 1954–1957: Lieutenant colonel Carl Gustav Henrik Gideon Linnell
  • 1957–1959: Major Ove Ljung
  • 1959–1966: Lieutenant colonel Valter Thomé
  • 1966–1966: Lieutenant colonel Kjell Nordström
  • 1966–1973: Major general Sigmund Ahnfelt
  • 1973–1978: Rear admiral Rolf Rheborg
  • 1978–1979: Rear admiral Bror Stefenson
  • 1980–1984: Major general Carl Björeman
  • 1984–1988: Rear admiral Göran Wallén
  • 1988–1991: Rear admiral Peter Nordbeck
  • 1991–1993: Senior colonel Hans Arne Hansson
  • 1993–1994: Major general Bertel Österdahl
  • 1994–1999: Major general Ulf Rubarth
  • 1999–2000: Senior colonel Mats Welff

Names, designations and locations
Name Translation From To
I. militärområdet I Military District 1942-10-01 – 1966-09-30
Södra militärområdet Southern Military District 1966-10-01 – 2000-06-30
Avvecklingsorganisation Decommissioning Organisation 2000-07-01 – 2001-03-31
Designation From To
I. Milo 1942-10-01 – 1966-09-30
Milo S 1966-10-01 – 2000-06-30
Location From To
Kristianstad Garrison 1942-07-06 – 2001-03-31

See also

Footnotes
  1. The march was adopted in 1994 and was established on 13 June 1996. It was used by the Southern Military District from 2000 to 2005.[1]

References

Notes
  1. Sandberg 2007, p. 64
  2. Braunstein 2006, p. 16
  3. Braunstein 2007, p. 111

Print
  • Braunstein, Christian (2006). Heraldiska vapen inom det svenska försvaret [Heraldry of the Swedish Armed Forces] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 9 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-9-6. SELIBR 10099224.
  • Braunstein, Christian (2007). Utmärkelsetecken på militära uniformer [Decorations on Swedish military uniforms] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 12 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 978-91-976220-2-8. SELIBR 10423295.
  • Holmberg, Björn (1993). Arméns regementen, skolor och staber: [en uppslagsbok] : en sammanställning (in Swedish). Arvidsjaur: Svenskt militärhistoriskt bibliotek (SMB). ISBN 91-972209-0-6. SELIBR 7796532.
  • Sandberg, Bo (2007). Försvarets marscher och signaler förr och nu: marscher antagna av svenska militära förband, skolor och staber samt igenkännings-, tjänstgörings- och exercissignaler (in Swedish) (New ed.). Stockholm: Militärmusiksamfundet med Svenskt marscharkiv. ISBN 978-91-631-8699-8. SELIBR 10413065.

Web

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