Life Guards Brigade

Life Guards Brigade
Livgardesbrigaden
File:Livgardet vapen.svg
Active	1949–2000 2024–present
Country	Sweden
Branch	Swedish Army
Part of	Life Guards (peacetime) 1st Division (wartime)
Headquarters	Kungsängen Garrison
Beret colour	Black
March	"Kungl. Svea livgardes marsch"
Commanders
Commander	Col Martin Johansson

The Life Guards Brigade, also known as the 1st Infantry Brigade (IB 1), is a reduced infantry brigade of the Swedish Army based in Stockholm County. It has been active since 2024, having previously served between 1949 and 2000. The brigade is headquartered at Kungsängen Garrison.

History

The brigade was established in 1949 as the peacetime subordinate of the Uppland Regiment under the name Uppland Brigade, with Roslagen as its area of responsibility. However in 1957, the Uppland Regiment was disbanded, and the brigade was transferred and would henceforth act as the peacetime subordinate to the Svea Life Guards instead.

In the Defence Act of 2000, the government proposed that the army undergo further post–Cold War downsizing and that many brigades, including the Life Guards Brigade, be disbanded.

Upon the re-establishment of the brigade in 2024, its wartime organisation would be within the 1st Division along with the rest of the Swedish Army's active brigades.

The brigade would be unique among all other brigades and units within the Swedish Army upon its establishment. It would hold a permanent responsibility for defending Stockholm, and would be the only reduced infantry brigade, using only armoured personnel carriers instead of the standard Strf 90 and Strv 122.

Organisation

As of 2022, the planned wartime organisation of the Life Guards Brigade at full operational capacity is as follows, with full capability expected to be reached no sooner than 2029:

• 1st Infantry Brigade
  • 1st Brigade Staff
    • 1st Headquarters Company
    • 1st Air Defence Company
  • King's Guards Battalion
  • 1st Motorised Infantry Battalion
  • 2nd Motorised Infantry Battalion
  • 1st Artillery Company

Traditions

In line with the standard beret colour of Swedish light infantry, black is the most common beret colour within the brigade.

Adopted in 1994, the brigade march is "Kungl. Svea livgardes marsch" by Wilhelm Körner.

Commanders

The commanders of the brigade throughout its history are as follows:

• 1949–1988: ?
• 1988–1993: Col Johan Hederstedt
• 1993–1997: Col Kim Åkerman
• 1997–1000: Col Sverker Göranson
• 2000–2024: Inactive
• 2024–present: Col Martin Johansson

Attributes

Name	Translation	From		To
Upplands­brigaden	Uppland Brigade	1949-10-01	–	1985-06-30
Gula brigaden	Yellow Brigade	1985-07-01	–	1994-06-30
Liv­gardes­brigaden	Life Guards Brigade	1994-07-30	–	2000-06-30
Liv­gardes­brigaden	Life Guards Brigade	2024-08-26	–
Designation		From		To
IB 28		1949-10-01	–	1957-03-31
IB 38		1957-04-01	–	1985-06-30
IB 1		1985-07-01	–	2000-06-30
IB 1		2024-08-26	–
Location		From		To
Uppsala Garrison		1949-10-01	–	1957-03-31
Sörentorp Garrison		1957-04-01	–	1970-06-30
Kungsängen Garrison		1970-07-01	–	2000-06-30
Kungsängen Garrison		2024-08-26	–

See also

• List of Swedish Army brigades