Skaraborg Regiment (infantry)
The Skaraborg Regiment (), designation I 9, was a Swedish Army infantry regiment that traced its origins back to the 16th century. It was converted to an armoured regiment in 1942. The regiment's soldiers were recruited from Skaraborg County, and it was later garrisoned there. History. The regiment has its origins in "fänikor" raised in Skaraborg County in the 16th century. The oldest preserved documents dealing with "fänikor" and foot soldiers in Skaraborg County are from 1543. Of the "fänikor" from Västergötland and Dalsland, in 1613 a grand regiment of 3,000 men was formed. Sometime between 1621  and 1624, the grand regiment was permanently split into three smaller field regiments which formed the basis for Skaraborg Regiment, Älvsborg Regiment and Halland Regiment. Skaraborg Regiment got Bengt Pilefeldt as its first commander. The regiment was mentioned in the Instrument of Government of 1634 as "Det Andre Wästgöthe Regemente, där under hörer Scharaborgz Lähn" ("The second Västgöta regiment, which includes Skaraborg County"). The regiment was allotted in 1684. It was "roterat" (an old feudal method of recruiting) with 1,200 numbers (soldiers) in Skaraborg County. From 1696 to 1913 the regiment trained on Axevalla heath. In 1913, it moved to  new barracks in Skövde. The regiment received an armored battalion in 1939 and was reorganized in 1942 into an armored regiment, giving it the name Skaraborg Armoured Regiment (P 4). Heraldry and traditions. Colours, standards and guidons. When the regiment was reorganized into an armoured unit, the colour from the time as an infantry unit was kept. The colour was of the 1844 model, and had been presented on 24 June 1858 by Crown Prince Carl Ludvig Eugen (later Charles XV), then in the form of two battalion colours. The colour originally had only two battle honours, Lützen (1632) and  Malatitze (1708). After further investigations, the regiment was admitted in 1929 on the colour of the 2nd Battalion add six battle honours; Varberg (1565), Narva (1581), Leipzig (1642), Warsaw (1656), Lund (1676) and Landskrona (1677). Until 1994, the regimental colour was the oldest in use when it was replaced by a new colour. Medals. In 1942, the "" ("Royal Skaraborg Regiment Medal of Merit") in gold (SkarabregGM) was established. Commanding officers. Regimental commanders active at the regiment during the years 1634–1709 and 1709–1942. For regimental commanders after 1942, see Skaraborg Regiment (armoured).