Before the mid-1800s there were basically three branches of the Army; infantry, cavalry and artillery. During the second half of the 1800s several new branches were established such as the Army Service Corps and Army Engineers. These new branches of the Army enacted their own individual uniforms.
Uniforms of the Swedish Army - 1800s (F)
Contents; Uniforms of the 1800s:
Army Service Corps (Trängen) 1885 - 1900
The Army Service Corps was established in 1885 when the Svea Army Service Battalion was raised in Marieberg, Stockholm. The battalion was divided in 1891 into two battalions; Svea and Göta Army Service battalions. The Norrland Army Service Battalion was established in 1893 and Wendes Army Service Battalion in 1894. These battalions became independent Corps in 1904.
Uniform m/1885
The Army Service Corps enacted their first uniform in 1885, m/1885. The dark blue tunic was double-breasted with 8 buttons in each row and equipped with shoulder straps. This tunic was similar to the tunic m/1875 worn by the dragoon regiments. Headgear was cap m/1865 and a spiked helmet. The unit designation (numeral) was worn on the shoulder straps.
Army Engineers and Fortification Corps
(Ingenjörtrupperna and Fortifikationskåren)
The Fortification Corps was established in 1635. In 1811 the Fortification Corps was merged with the in 1805 newly established Surveying Corps (Fältmätningskåren) into a new corps called the Sapper Corps (Sappörkåren). The Army Engineers originates from the Sapper Corps. A sapper, also called pioneer or combat engineer, is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing field defenses as well as building, and working on road and airfield construction and repair.The first sapper company was established in 1855 in Stockholm. In 1864 the Sapper Corps consisted of two companies and in 1867 the Pioneer Battalion (Pontonjärbataljonen) was established and in 1892 Svea Engineer BattalionThe in 1855 raised sapper company wore uniform m/1845. The single-breasted tunic was medium blue. The trousers were long trousers and the greatcoat was a surtout. Headgear was infantry style helmet with the Fortification Corps front-plate. Part of the also the cap kepi. In 1865 the helmet and kepi were replaced by the then new cap m/1865.In 1873 the kollett was introduced, kollett m/1873. See below. In 1878 the Engineers adopted a new double-breasted tunic, m/1878.
Kollett m/1873
Kollett was a type of jacket shorter than the coat, had a standing collar with very short tails or no tails at all and equipped with shoulder straps. The kollett was used during summers and drill exercises. It was not equipped with any adornments. The kollett was the service dress uniform. The kollett m/1873 was single-breasted, medium blue and equipped with shoulder straps and a high standing collar cut on the bias. Rank insignias were worn on the collar in the shape of stars. For example, a Second Lieutenant wore one star, Lieutenant two stars and Captain three stars.
Uniform m/1878
The Army Engineers adopted a new uniform, m/1878, in 1878. The uniform was medium blue and made of broadcloth. The tunic had a standing collar, was double-breasted, equipped with 8 buttons in each row and had yellow lining. Each side of the collar was equipped with flaps of black velvet and yellow buttonholes. The sleeve cuffs was also equipped with black flaps and three yellow horizontal buttonholes. The shoulder straps were black and with yellow ribbons around the edges.This uniform was worn by the Army Engineers and the Fortification Corps and the tunic has some resemblance with the infantry tunic m/1845.
Uniform m/1888
In 1888 the Army Engineers enacted a new uniform, m/1888. This was basically a variant of the infantry uniform m/1886 model IIworn by the guards’ regiments. However, since the Engineers adopted the uniform in 1888 it is referred to as uniform m/1888.The tunic was medium blue (the infantry’s was dark blue), single-breasted with yellow lining. Collar and cuffs were black velvet. The flaps on the cuffs were equipped with three horizontal buttonholes similar to the buttonholes worn by the guards’ regiments.In 1894 the helmet m/1894 was adopted.
The uniform m/1885 was in 1895 replaced by uniform m/1895. This uniform was also worn by the Mounted Life Guards and the dragoon regiments. These regiments uniform was medium blue while the model of uniform m/1895 worn by the Army Service Corps was dark blue with a light blue collar. Colors, uniform m/1895:•Tunic and trousers: Dark blue. The tunic was single-breasted with 8 brass buttons. Light blue piping.•Collar: Light blue collar with a light blue piping on the top edge on the collar.•Shoulder straps: Dark blue shoulder straps equipped with regimental insignia and unit designation in Arabic numerals in white broadcloth. Light blue piping around the shoulder straps. •Cuffs: The cuffs were equipped with a white vertical buttonhole pointing upwards.
Army Service Corps, uniform m/1885, tunic
Army Service Corps, uniform m/1885. This soldier was serving in Svea Army Service Corps, T1. The photo is shown with consent of Birger Hagland.
Army Service Corps, uniform m/1885. Headgear is the spiked helmet. The soldiers are wearing a so-called fascine knife on their belts. The digit “1” is visible on the right soldier’s shoulder straps which is his regiment’s designation numeral. The regiment’s entire designation is T1 which was Svea Army Service Corps, T1. The photo is shown with consent of Mattias Olsson.
Tabs of Special Skills (Facktecken)
Theses tabs were symbols signifying a special skill to an individual soldier and worn on the sleeves of the uniform. The special skill’s tabs were introduced in 1855 and were made of red broadcloth.The first tab introduced was a qualification tab worn by medically trained soldiers, i.e. medical field soldiers. The symbol on the tab was red chevron pointing upwards.Tabs of special skills:•Medical field soldiers: one red chevron•Soldiers authorized upon completion of farrier exam: Red horseshoe worn on the left upper sleeve•Rifle artisan: A red pincer on the left upper sleeve•Infantry carpenters: A red ax worn on the left cuff •Infantry artisan: two crossed res axes worn on the left cuff (further educated carpenter)Marksmanship tabs was authorized for soldiers who held a special skill in shouting: •Infantry marksmanship tab: two crossed red rifles worn on the cuff of the right sleeve•Cavalry marksmanship tab: two crossed red carbines worn on the cuff of the right sleeve•Artillery marksmanship tab: two crossed red canons worn on the cuff of the right sleeve
School Insignias/Training Insignias (Skoltecken)
The special skills tabs were qualification tabs denoting personnel that have been undergoing special training to become specialists within their field of expertise. The school insignias were qualification tabs for graduates of military schools/classes to to obtain positions of command or rank, other ranks, for example Corporal School.The term used to refer to all ranks below officers is "other ranks". It includes warrant officers, non-commissioned officers ("NCOs") and ordinary soldiers with the rank of private or regimental equivalent. The school insignias/tabs were worn on the left upper sleeve and the schools tabs consisted of one, two or three stripes. The school tabs were different for different branches of the army.
Infantry/Cavalry
In 1870 the infantry introduced three stages (classes) of education and the cavalry in in 1873 to obtain positions of rank. The graduates received the marks; Approved (godkänd) or With Praise Approved (Med beröm godkänd). After the examination the graduates wore one to three stripes on their upper left sleeve depending on the course taken. •Stage I - Graduates of Corporal School •Stage II - Graduates of Non-commissioned School •Stage III - Graduates of stage II that were able to assimilate the skills and knowledge taught in the class
Artillery
The artillery was early introducing school insignias. The artillery school insignias were changed in 1872. Since 1872 the artillery school insignias were worn on the left upper sleeve. The rank of a Swedish Artillery “1. Konstapel” corresponds to Corporal in the Swedish infantry. Exempel:•2. Konstapel (Artillery Vice Corporal) graduate - one stripe•1. Konstapel (Artillery Corporal) - two stripes•Styckjunkare (Artillery Master Sergeant) graduate- two stripes below a narrow gold braid
Tunic m/1895 of the Army Service Corps, enlisted men.
Army Service Corps, uniform m/1885. The soldier is wearing epaulettes on the shoulders and saber. Spiked helmet with plume. The photo was taken at O. Sundberg’s photo-studio in Söderhamn. He had his studio there between 1901 - 1904.The photo is shown with consent of Catharina Willebrand.
Army Engineer J.P. Englund with the Svea Engineer Corps wearing kollett m/1873. The soldier is Annette Ewald’s great grandfather and the photo is shown with her consent.
Army Engineer soldiers with the Svea Engineer Corps. The soldier to the extreme left is J.P. Englund and he is wearing uniform m/1888 (single-breasted tunic). The other soldiers are wearing uniform m/1878 (double-breasted tunics). The soldiers are having carbines in their hands. The photo is shown with the consent of Annette Ewald.
Tunic m/1878 for enlisted men with the Fortification and the Army Engineers. Army Museum, INV-46929.
Tunic m/1888 for enlisted men with the Fortification and the Army Engineers. Army Museum, INV-46878.
Before the mid-1800s there were basically three branches of the Army; infantry, cavalry and artillery. During the second half of the 1800s several new branches were established such as the Army Service Corps and Army Engineers. These new branches of the Army enacted their own individual uniforms.
The Army Service Corps was established in 1885when the Svea Army Service Battalion was raised in Marieberg, Stockholm. The battalion was divided in 1891 into two battalions; Svea and Göta Army Service battalions. The Norrland Army Service Battalion was established in 1893 and Wendes Army Service Battalion in 1894. These battalions became independent Corps in 1904.
Uniform m/1885
The Army Service Corps enacted their first uniform in 1885, m/1885. The dark blue tunic was double-breasted with 8 buttons in each row and equipped with shoulder straps. This tunic was similar to the tunic m/1875 worn by the dragoon regiments. Headgear was cap m/1865 and a spiked helmet. The unit designation (numeral) was worn on the shoulder straps.
Army Engineers and Fortification
Corps
(Ingenjörtrupperna and
Fortifikationskåren)
The Fortification Corps was established in 1635. In 1811 the Fortification Corps was merged with the in 1805 newly established Surveying Corps (Fältmätningskåren) into a new corps called the Sapper Corps (Sappörkåren). The Army Engineers originates from the Sapper Corps. A sapper, also called pioneer or combat engineer, is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing field defenses as well as building, and working on road and airfield construction and repair.The first sapper company was established in 1855 in Stockholm. In 1864 the Sapper Corps consisted of two companies and in 1867 the Pioneer Battalion (Pontonjärbataljonen) was established and in 1892 Svea Engineer BattalionThe in 1855 raised sapper company wore uniform m/1845. The single-breasted tunic was medium blue. The trousers were long trousers and the greatcoat was a surtout. Headgear was infantry style helmet with the Fortification Corps front-plate. Part of the also the cap kepi. In 1865 the helmet and kepi were replaced by the then new cap m/1865.In 1873 the kollett was introduced, kollett m/1873. See below. In 1878 the Engineers adopted a new double-breasted tunic, m/1878.
Kollett m/1873
Kollett was a type of jacket shorter than the coat, had a standing collar with very short tails or no tails at all and equipped with shoulder straps. The kollett was used during summers and drill exercises. It was not equipped with any adornments. The kollett was the service dress uniform. The kollett m/1873 was single-breasted, medium blue and equipped with shoulder straps and a high standing collar cut on the bias. Rank insignias were worn on the collar in the shape of stars. For example, a Second Lieutenant wore one star, Lieutenant two stars and Captain three stars.
Uniform m/1878
The Army Engineers adopted a new uniform, m/1878, in 1878. The uniform was medium blue and made of broadcloth. The tunic had a standing collar, was double-breasted, equipped with 8 buttons in each row and had yellow lining. Each side of the collar was equipped with flaps of black velvet and yellow buttonholes. The sleeve cuffs was also equipped with black flaps and three yellow horizontal buttonholes. The shoulder straps were black and with yellow ribbons around the edges.This uniform was worn by the Army Engineers and the Fortification Corps and the tunic has some resemblance with the infantry tunic m/1845.
Uniform m/1888
In 1888 the Army Engineers enacted a new uniform, m/1888. This was basically a variant of the infantry uniform m/1886 model IIworn by the guards’ regiments. However, since the Engineers adopted the uniform in 1888 it is referred to as uniform m/1888.The tunic was medium blue (the infantry’s was dark blue), single-breasted with yellow lining. Collar and cuffs were black velvet. The flaps on the cuffs were equipped with three horizontal buttonholes similar to the buttonholes worn by the guards’ regiments.In 1894 the helmet m/1894 was adopted.
The uniform m/1885 was in 1895 replaced by uniform m/1895. This uniform was also worn by the Mounted Life Guards and the dragoon regiments. These regiments uniform was medium blue while the model of uniform m/1895 worn by the Army Service Corps was dark blue with a light blue collar. Colors, uniform m/1895:•Tunic and trousers: Dark blue. The tunic was single-breasted with 8 brass buttons. Light blue piping.•Collar: Light blue collar with a light blue piping on the top edge on the collar.•Shoulder straps: Dark blue shoulder straps equipped with regimental insignia and unit designation in Arabic numerals in white broadcloth. Light blue piping around the shoulder straps. •Cuffs: The cuffs were equipped with a white vertical buttonhole pointing upwards.
School Insignias/Training Insignias
(Skoltecken)
The special skills tabs were qualification tabs denoting personnel that have been undergoing special training to become specialists within their field of expertise. The school insignias were qualification tabs for graduates of military schools/classes to to obtain positions of command or rank, other ranks, for example Corporal School.The term used to refer to all ranks below officers is "other ranks". It includes warrant officers, non-commissioned officers ("NCOs") and ordinary soldiers with the rank of private or regimental equivalent. The school insignias/tabs were worn on the left upper sleeve and the schools tabs consisted of one, two or three stripes. The school tabs were different for different branches of the army.
Infantry/Cavalry
In 1870 the infantry introduced three stages (classes) of education and the cavalry in in 1873 to obtain positions of rank. The graduates received the marks; Approved (godkänd) or With Praise Approved (Med beröm godkänd). After the examination the graduates wore one to three stripes on their upper left sleeve depending on the course taken. •Stage I - Graduates of Corporal School •Stage II - Graduates of Non-commissioned School •Stage III - Graduates of stage II that were able to assimilate the skills and knowledge taught in the class
Artillery
The artillery was early introducing school insignias. The artillery school insignias were changed in 1872. Since 1872 the artillery school insignias were worn on the left upper sleeve. The rank of a Swedish Artillery “1. Konstapel” corresponds to Corporal in the Swedish infantry. Exempel:•2. Konstapel (Artillery Vice Corporal) graduate - one stripe•1. Konstapel (Artillery Corporal) - two stripes•Styckjunkare (Artillery Master Sergeant) graduate- two stripes below a narrow gold braid
Army Engineer J.P. Englund with the Svea Engineer Corps wearing kollett m/1873. The soldier is Annette Ewald’s great grandfather and the photo is shown with her consent.
Army Engineer soldiers with the Svea Engineer Corps. The soldier to the extreme left is J.P. Englund and he is wearing uniform m/1888 (single-breasted tunic). The other soldiers are wearing uniform m/1878 (double-breasted tunics). The soldiers are having carbines in their hands. The photo is shown with the consent of Annette Ewald.
Tunic m/1878 for enlisted men with the Fortification and the Army Engineers. Army Museum, INV-46929.
Tunic m/1888 for enlisted men with the Fortification and the Army Engineers. Army Museum, INV-46878.
