Western Military District (Sweden)

Western Military District
Western Military District
Västra militärområdet
Active	1942–1993
Country	Sweden
Allegiance	Swedish Armed Forces
Branch	Multi (Sea, Air and Land)
Type	Military district
Role	Operational, territorial and tactical operations
Garrison/HQ	Skövde
Insignia
Command flag

Western Military District (Swedish: Västra militärområdet, Milo V), originally III Military District (Swedish: III. militärområdet) was a Swedish military district, a command of the Swedish Armed Forces that had operational control over Western Sweden, for most time of its existence corresponding to the area covered by the counties of Gothenburg and Bohus, Älvsborg, Skaraborg (all three now joined as Västra Götaland County) and Halland. The headquarters of Milo V were located in Skövde.

History

Milo V 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 III Military District (III. militärområdet) created in 1942, but that did not have the same tasks as Milo V. The military district consisted of the land covered by the above-mentioned counties. In 1993, the number of military districts of Sweden was decreased to three, and as a consequence of that, Milo V was merged into the Southern Military District (Milo S).

Units 1989

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

Western Military District (Milo V), in Skövde
- Army units:
  - K 3 - Life Regiment Hussars, in Karlsborg
    - Göta Signal Battalion
    - Parachute Jäger Training Battalion
    - Swedish Army Paratroop School
    - Army Intelligence School
    - Armed Forces Survival School
  - P 4/Fo 35 - Skaraborg Regiment / Skaraborg Defense District, in Skövde
  - I 15/Fo 34 - Älvsborg Regiment / Älvsborg Defense District, in Borås
  - I 16/Fo 31 - Halland Regiment / Halland Defense District, in Halmstad
  - I 17 - Bohuslän Regiment, in Uddevalla
  - Lv 6 - Göta Air Defence Regiment, in Gothenburg
  - T 2 - Göta Logistic Regiment, in Skövde
- Air Force units:
  - E 1 - Attack Command, in Gothenburg, also controls F 15 - Hälsinge Wing of Milo NN
    - F 6 - Västgöta Wing, in Karlsborg
      - 61st Attack Squadron, with AJ 37 Viggen attack aircraft
      - 62nd Attack Squadron, with AJ 37 Viggen attack aircraft
    - F 7 - Skaraborg Wing, in Lidköping
      - 71st Attack Squadron, with AJ 37 Viggen attack aircraft
      - 72nd Attack Squadron, with AJ 37 Viggen attack aircraft
      - 71st Transport Squadron, with 8x C-130H Hercules and 4x Super King Air 200
  - F 14 - Halmstad Air Force Schools, in Halmstad
    - Air Force Officer College
    - Air Force Command and Control School
    - Air Force Technical School
    - Air Force Ground Signal Engineering School
    - Air Force Liaison and Staff Service School
- Navy units:
  - MKV/Fo 32 - West Coast Naval Command / Gothenburg & Bohus Defense District, in Gothenburg
    - 12th Helicopter Group, at Säve Airfield with CH-46B Sea Knight anti-submarine and Bell 206B utility helicopters
    - KA 4 - Älvsborg Coastal Artillery Regiment, in Gothenburg
      - Three 75mm Tornpjäs m/57 batteries on Galterö, Marstrand and Stora Kornö islands, with the latter covering the entrance to the Gullmarn Naval Base
      - HSwMS Kalvsund (11) minelayer
      - HSwMS Grundsund (15) minelayer
    - 48th Patrol Boat Division in Gothenburg (part of 4th Surface Attack Flotilla of Milo S), with 4x Hugin-class patrol boats
      - HSwMS Hugin (P151)
      - HSwMS Munin (P152)
      - HSwMS Magne (P153)
      - HSwMS Mode (P1514

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

3rd Division, in Skövde
- PB 9 - Skaraborg Brigade, in Skövde, a Type 63M armoured brigade based on the P 4 - Skaraborg Regiment
- IB 15 - Västgöta Brigade, in Borås, a Type 66M infantry brigade based on the I 15 - Älvsborg Regiment
- IB 17 - Bohus Brigade, in Uddevalla, a Type 66M infantry brigade based on the I 17 - Bohuslän Regiment
- IB 45 - Älvsborg Brigade, in Borås, a Type 77 infantry brigade based on the I 15 - Älvsborg Regiment
- IB 46 - Halland Brigade, in Halmstad, a Type 77 infantry brigade based on the I 16 - Halland Regiment
- IB 47 - Gothenburg Brigade, in Uddevalla, a Type 77 infantry brigade based on the I 17 - Bohuslän Regiment

Heraldry and traditions

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the Western Military District Staff 1983–1993. Blazon: "Azur, an erect sword with the area letter (V - West) surrounded by an open chaplet of oak leaves, all or."^[1]

Commanding officers

Military commanders

1942–1949: Folke Högberg
1949–1950: Sven Ryman
1950–1951: Carl Årmann
1951–1955: Sven Colliander
1955–1957: Thord Bonde
1957–1963: Richard Åkerman
1963–1966: Fale Burman
1966–1968: Oscar Krokstedt
1968–1972: Henrik Lange
1972–1978: Claës Skoglund (leave of absence 1974–1977)
1974–1976: Lennart Ljung (acting)
1976–1980: Nils Personne
1980–1983: Kjell Nordström
1983–1985: Bengt Rasin
1985–1989: Jan Enquist
1989–1993: Bertel Österdahl

Deputy military commanders

1942–1946: Helmer Bratt
1946–1950: Carl Årmann (acting)
1951–1955: Gustaf Källner
1955–1959: Carl Fredrik Lemmel
1959–1966: Carol Bennedich

Chiefs of Staff

Senior colonel Magnus Olson as chief of staff (1984–1988)

1941–1943: Per Gösta Fridolf Jörlin
1943–1946: Fritz-Ivar Virgin
1946–1949: Bo Klint
1949–1951: Sven Holmberg
1951–1955: Gustav Frisén
1955–1961: Liss Johan Tage Broms
1961–1965: Sture Fornwall
1966–1968: Claës Skoglund
1968–1969: Nils Sköld
1969–1973: Bengt Liljestrand
1973–1977: Bengt Rasin
1977–1979: Robert Lugn
1979–1980: Gustaf Welin
1980–1982: Jan Enquist
1982–1984: Torsten Engberg
1984–1988: Magnus Olson
1988–1990: Nils Rosenqvist
1990–1992: Svante Kristenson
1993–1993: Vacant^[2]

Names, designations and locations

Name	Translation	From		To
III. militärområdet	III Military District	1942-10-01	–	1966-09-30
Västra militärområdet	Western Military District	1966-10-01	–	1993-06-30
Designation		From		To
III. Milo		1942-10-01	–	1966-09-30
Milo V		1966-10-01	–	1993-06-30
Location		From		To
Skövde Garrison		1942-10-01	–	1993-06-30

References

Notes

^ Braunstein 2006, p. 16
^ Almqvist 1993, p. 378

Print

Almqvist, Gerd, ed. (1993). Sveriges statskalender 1993 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. ISBN 9138128098. SELIBR 3682772.
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.
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.

Web

Kjelldorff, Lennart (2001). "Försvarets utveckling från Gustav Wasa till vår tid" (PDF) (in Swedish). Försvarets Historiska Telesamlingar. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2007-01-12.