Copyright © Hans Högman 2020-07-23
Uniforms of the Swedish Army -
1900s (page 1)
Introduction
The uniforms being developed and designed during
the second half of the 1800s were far better
adapted to battle conditions than previous
uniforms. The former tailcoat was replaced by the
military tunic (jacket) and the unwieldy high
headdresses were replaced by the custodian style
helmets and thereafter the cap. The colors of the
uniforms changed from bright colors to dark colors
to avoid early discovery under battle conditions.
The first camouflage color uniforms appeared at
the end of the 1800, for example in the Boer Wars
1899 - 1902. In the beginning of this war the British
soldiers fought in red tunics and became easy
targets for the Boer long-range rifles and therefore
the Britons changed to a khaki uniform.
The German Army switched to a field-gray uniform
in 1910.
Uniform m/1903
In 1902 Sweden developed a trial uniform of a new
type referred to as uniform fm/02 [fm =
Försöksmodell (sample model)]. In 1903 the newly
established Position Artillery Regiment was
equipped with the new uniform then with the
designation m/1903. The Position Artillery was a
heavy artillery with a better striking power than the
ordinary field artillery.
The m/1903 uniform was gray with a hue of brown
and green known as gray-brown-green color.
The blue collar was a standing collar open in-front
and cut on the bias. There were four pockets in in
front of the jacket equipped with pocket flaps.
Above the cuffs on each sleeve was a blue chevron
adornment (pointing upwards).
Headgear was a three-cornered hat
with brims folded upwards and in
the same gray color as the jacket.
There were no shoulder straps on
m/1903.
The image to the left shows a
soldier wearing uniform m/1903.
Photographer: Hulda Nyberg,
Stockholm.
Uniform m/1906
The m/1903 uniform was in 1906 issued to the
entire infantry with the designation m/1906. Some
changes were made to the uniform; the color was
fully gray, and the trousers equipped with a
medium blue stripes. The folded standing collar on
the jacket and greatcoat were kept. At the bottom
of each sleeve, above the cuffs, was a medium
blue chevron adornment attached (pointing
upwards). Like the m/1903 the m/1906 uniform
lacked shoulder straps. The greatcoat was, like the
jacket, gray.
The uniform was equipped with a branch insignia
(Swe: Truppslagstecken) on the right upper sleeve
made of blue broadcloth. Rank insignias were worn
on the lower part of the sleeves and on the hat.
Footwear were boots worn with
leather gaiters.
The image to the right shows a soldier
wearing uniform m/1906 (greatcoat)
equipped with an unit insignia on the
right upper sleeve. The unit insignia
(badge) consists of two crossed arrows
which was the insignia worn by the
Dal Regiment.
Photo: my own collection,
2012.
The image to the left shows an officer
wearing uniform m/1906. The unit
insignia on his right upper sleeve depict
two crossed rifles (infantry) above the
numeral “10” which indicate that the
officer served in the Södermanland
Regiment. Photo: Arsenalen Museum,
Photo Archives 2017.
Uniform m/1910
The uniform m/1906 was still regarded as a trial
uniform. The uniform was submitted to some
changes in 1910 and became now the stipulated
standard uniform for the entire army with the
designation m/1910. Unlike the two previous
uniforms m/1903 and m/1906 the m/1910 was
equipped with blue shoulder straps.
The unit designation (Swe: förbandstecken) for
private soldiers was moved from the sleeve to the
shoulder straps. The unit designation was made of
broadcloth in the color of respective army branch.
Most infantry regiments wore yellow numerals on
the shoulder straps (each regiment’s designated
number). Some regiments wore the army branch
tab on the shoulder straps.
Officers and NCOs wore rank insignias on the
shoulder straps. Officers rank insignias was in gold
or silver color and attached to the shoulder marks.
The blue chevron was kept on the lower part of the
sleeves and was 6 cm wide and pointing upwards.
The gray jacket and the greatcoat were equipped
with a folded standing collar. The jacket was
supplied 6 buttons and two breast pockets and two
large side pockets.
Trousers m/1910 was gray like the jacket and along
the outer seems was a blur 3 ck wide stripe. There
were also gray jodhpurs m/1910 for mounted
soldiers.
The greatcoat m/1910 was gray and double-
breasted with 5 buttons in each row and equipped
with shoulder straps. However, there were no
chevron on the sleeves on the greatcoat.
Footwear was shoes m/1897 and headgear the
three-cornered hat m/1910. The hat was made of
felt and on the left side of the up folded brim was a
badge attached with the Swedish national military
insignia, the three crowns, with designation
m/1906. Below the badge was the company
designation (numeral) attached.
Since 1914 rank insignias was also worn on the hat
designated m/1910-1914.
Part of the uniform was a fur cap, m/1909. It was
made of white sheepskin with a padded lining and
had a round shape. The leather visor was foldable
and could be worn folded in or out. There was also
a gray-green fur coat for winter wear, m/1905. In
1913 this fur coat was replace by a white fur coat
m/1913 made of sheepskin. The fur coat was
single-breasted with six buttons and equipped with
2 large side pockets.
The uniform m/1910 was used pretty much
unchanged until WWII by some older age groups of
conscripts and the “Landstorm” (a forerunner to the
Swedish Home Guards).
Due to shortage of m/1910 garments during WWI
the uniform was worn with a mixture of m/1910
garments and the former m/1886 infantry uniform
together with the old cap m/1865.
With uniform m/1910 the Swedish Army wore a
unified uniform worn by all regiments (even if there
were some differences between units and
branches).
Fatigue uniform m/1913
A new fatigue uniform (Swe: Lägermundering) was
introduced in 1913, m/1913, consisting of a coat
and a pair of trousers. The fatigue uniform was a
simple work uniform used when it wasn’t suitable
to wear the regular uniform such as duties that
would expose them to field
conditions and/or greasy and grimy
jobs.
The fatigue uniform was gray and
made of linen.
The image to the right shows fatigue
coat m/1913, Second Lieutenant,
Hälsinge Regiment. The image is
shown with consent of Fredrik Röjd.
Images of uniform m/1910
Uniforms of the Swedish
Army - 1900s (1)
Top of page
Uniform m/1923
A new uniform was introduced by the Army in 1923,
m/1923. Experiences drawn from WWI was taken
into considerations when this uniform was
developed. The former gray color on uniform
m/1910 was replaced by a gray-brown-green color
on m/1923. The jacket was equipped with a high
standing collar. A new headgear was adopted, the
peaked cap m/1923. The cap was in the same color
as the jacket. Soldiers wore white company numbers
on the cap while officers wore a badge, known as
agraffe, with yellow silk cockade and the
Three Crown medallion m/1865 on the cap.
The NCOs wore a silver medallion.
The image to the right shows the cap badge
(agraffe) m/1923 with a cockade and the
medallion for an Army Captain. Wikipedia.
Rank insignias was in silver and worn on the jacket’s
standing collar while the unit designation was worn
on the shoulder straps. However, on the greatcoat
m/1923 rank insignias were worn on the shoulder
straps together with the unit designation. The unit
designation was a numeral made in broadcloth. This
numeral was in different colors depending on unit.
The Infantry wore yellow designations, Cavalry white,
Artillery red, Army Supply Corps blue and the Army
Engineers black color.
Part of the m/1923 uniform was a leather shoulder
belt worn by officers.
The jacket was single-breasted with 6 buttons and
equipped with two chest pockets and two side
pockets. The shoulder straps were in the same color
as the jacket. The trousers were in the same color as
the jacket. There were both long trousers and
jodhpurs.
A new steel combat helmet was introduced in 1921
as a protective headgear, helmet m/1921. A beret
was introduced in 1930, beret m/1930, for armored
tank crews. It was initially blue but later changed to
black.
The steel helmet m/1923 was in 1926 replaced by a
new steel helmet, helmet m/1926.
Images of uniform m/1923
Uniform m/1923-1937
Uniform m/1923 was partly changed in 1937, then
designated m/1923-1937. The collar was now turned
down instead of the former standing collar. A new
forage cap was introduced, m/1937, as well as a new
steel helmet, m/1937. The shape of the helmet was
more convex than the former m/1921 helmet and
was equipped with three leather pads on the inner
side for the comfort of the soldiers. The helmet was
later designated m/1937-1965.
The m/1923 uniform was never fully introduced. In the
1920s, after WWI, Sweden was downsizing its armed
forces and the budget was cut. Several regiments
were disestablished. The financial situation of the
Swedish Army was strained, and old uniforms was to
be worn out before new uniforms could be adopted.
It was foremost officers that acquired the new
uniform m/1923 with their own means.
The former uniform, m/1910, was continuously worn
by the soldiers, usually in a modified version
designated m/1910-1923. For example, the former
blue shoulder straps were replaced with straps in the
same color as the jacket in accordance with the
m/1923 uniform regulation, i.e. gray color.
Tabs of Special Skills m/1923
Many of the tabs of special skills worn on the former
m/1910 uniform were also used on uniform m/1923.
However, the background color was changed from
gray to gray-brown-green.
Following tabs of special skills were transformed to
m/1923:
•
Medical orderlies inclusive conscript army
surgeons: Red cross on a blue patch
•
Band members: Blue lyre
The tabs of special skills worn on uniform m/1923
were initially mad of fabric. However, from 1929
badges of metal was introduced.
In 1934 a new set of tabs of special skills were
introduced. Examples:
•
Medical orderly - Red cross on a white
background
•
Band members - Lyre on a blue background
•
Conscript veterinarian - Horse head on a blue
background
•
Farrier - Horseshoe on a blue background
•
Rifle artisan - Two crossed hammers on a blue
background
School Insignias m/1923
Initially there was no school insignias to be worn on
uniform m/1923. However, in 1925 several school
insignias were introduced for the uniform. The
school insignias were designated m/1925. Most
school insignias were worn on the left upper sleeve.
However, the insignias for graduated Corporal and
Sergeant Medical Orderlies, Corporal Rifle Artisans
were worn on the right upper sleeve.
Examples of a few school insignias:
•
Vice Corporal Exam - A white worsted ribbon
•
Corporal Exam - A silver stripe
•
Sergeant Exam - Two silver stripes (Swe rank:
Furir)
•
NCO Exam - Three silver stripes
•
Corporal Medical Orderly Exam or Corporal Rifle
Artisan Exam - One stripe
•
Sergeant Medical Orderly Exam - Two stripes
Unit Designation Tabs m/1923
The unit designation tabs were worn on the shoulder
straps and denoted with Arabic numerals or letters
in respective regiment’s color and made of fabric. In
1934 these unit designation tabs were replaced by
gray unit designation badges made of metal,
m/1934.
Examples:
•
Infantry - Yellow numerals
•
Cavalry - White numerals
•
Artillery - Red numerals
•
Army Service Corps - A blue "T", from 1934 blue
numerals
•
Army Engineers - Black numerals
Rank Insignias, m/1923
Rank insignias on jacket m/1923 were worn on the
collar but on the greatcoat on the shoulder straps.
•
Colonel: 3 stars plus a stripe along the edge of
the collar/shoulder strap
•
Lieutenant Colonel: 2 stars plus a stripe along
the edge of the collar/shoulder strap
•
Major: 1 star plus a stripe along the edge of the
collar/shoulder strap
•
Captain: 3 stars
•
Lieutenant: 2 stars
•
Second Lieutenant: 1 star
•
Master Sergeant: 1 star button
Before 1925 Master Sergeants wore 3
chevrons. (Swe: Fanjunkare)
•
Staff Sergeant: 2 chevrons
•
Sergeant: 3 stripes (Swe: Furir)
•
Corporal: 2 stripes
•
Vice Corporal: 1 stripe
Rank insignias m/1923 - Shoulder straps:
From Left: Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Master Sergeant
(fr. 1925), Lieutenant and Major.
Tabs of Special Skills, m/1939
Tabs of special skills m/1939 was worn on both collar
tips and made of bronze. However, the tabs for
medical orderlies was a red cross on a white felt
patch.
Examples:
•
Farrier - Horseshoe
•
Medical orderly, private soldiers - Red cross on a
white patch
•
Band members - lyre
•
Rifle and gun mechanics - Two crossed hammers
School Insignias m/1939
The school insignias worn on uniform m/1939 were
similar to the m/1925 school insignias worn on
uniform m/1923.
The school insignias were worn on left upper sleeve.
However, the insignia for graduated Rifle and gun
mechanics, Corporal medical orderlies and Sergeant
orderlies was worn on the right upper sleeve.
•
Reserve Sergeant Exam and Vice Corporal Exam
- A yellow worsted ribbon
•
Corporal Exam - One bronze stripe
•
Sergeant Exam - Two bronze stripes (Swe: Furir)
•
NCO Exam - Three bronze stripes
Since 1941 all school insignias were worn on the left
upper sleeve. In 1946 the schools insignias were
remodeled with a new appearance, m/1946. The
insignias were now made different for conscripts and
enlisted soldiers. Enlisted soldiers wore school
insignias with chevrons while conscripts wore
insignias with stripes.
School insignias, enlisted soldiers:
•
Volunteer Recruit Exam - 1 chevron
•
Corporal Exam - 2 chevrons
•
Sergeant Exam - 3 chevrons
•
NCO Exam - 4 chevrons
School insignias, conscripts:
•
Corporal Exam - 1 stripe
•
Sergeant Exam - 2 stripes
•
Special Exam - 3 stripes
•
Cadet Exam - 4 stripes
Rank Insignias, m/1939
Rank insignias was worn on the shoulder straps on
uniform m/1939. The rank insignia stars worn by
Majors, Lieutenant Colonels and Colonels were
slightly bigger than the stars worn by Second
Lieutenants, Lieutenants and Captains.
Unit insignias were also worn on the shoulder straps.
•
Colonel: 3 stars plus a stripe along the edge of
the shoulder strap
•
Lieutenant Colonel: 2 stars plus a stripe along
the edge of the shoulder strap
•
Major: 1 star plus a stripe along the edge of the
shoulder strap
•
Captain: 3 stars plus a thin border along
the edge of the shoulder strap
•
Lieutenant: 2 stars plus a thin border
along the edge of the shoulder strap
•
Second Lieutenant: 1 star plus thin border
along the edge of the shoulder strap
•
Sergeant Major: 2 stars. From 1946 3 star
buttons. (Swe: Förvaltare)
•
Master Sergeant: 1 star. From 1946 2 star
buttons. (Swe: Fanjunkare)
•
Staff Sergeant: 2 chevrons. From 1946 one star
button.
•
Senior Sergeant: 4 stripes. New rank from 1942.
(Swe: Överfurir)
•
Sergeant: 3 stripes (Swe: Furir)
•
Corporal: 2 stripes
•
Vice Corporal: 1 stripe
•
Private soldiers only wore unit insignias on their
shoulder straps.
Rank insignias m/1939:
From Left: Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Staff Sergeant (fr.
1946 star buttons), Lieutenant and Major.
Uniforms - 1900s: page 1, page 2
From left; bicycle orderly, signalman, medical
orderly and range estimator (infantry). Army
Museum.
Tabs of Special Skills m/1910 (Facktecken)
Tabs of special skills are symbols signifying a special
skill to an individual soldier and worn on the
sleeves of the uniform.
The tabs on uniform m/1910 were blue and was
worn on either left or right sleeve. Initially there
were 12 tabs of special skills, but the number of tabs
soon increased.
The tabs had a gray background with blue symbols.
Example of a few tabs of special skills:
•
Range estimators, infantry: a blue star
•
Gun-layers, artillery: two blue crossed canons
•
Infantry, Cavalry and artillery signalmen: two
blue crossed signal flags
•
Soldiers graduated from sapper school: a blue
ax
•
Bicycle orderlies: a blue wheel with six spokes
•
Medical field soldiers and drafted medical
surgeons: red cross on a white patch
•
Machine gunners: a red K (letter "K")
•
Auto drivers: a blue wheel with eight spokes
•
Motor mechanics: a blue wheel with eight
spokes below a capital “M”
•
Music band members: a blue lyre
Images; Tabs of special skills m/1910:
School Insignias m/1910
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 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 affixed on the left
upper sleeve upon completion of troop school or on
the right upper sleeve upon completion of vocational
school. The school tabs consisted of one, two or
three stripes. The stripes were either narrow (9 mm)
or wide (13 mm).
Troop school - left upper sleeve:
•
One narrow stripe - Reserve Sergeant School or
Vice Corporal training
•
One wide stripe - Corporal School or
equivalent
•
Two wide stripes - Sergeant
School or Volunteer School
•
Three wide stripes - NCO School
or Officer Cadets upon
completion of Cadet School.
See image to the right. Photo:
Arsenalen Museum, Photo
Archives 2017.
Vocational school - right upper sleeve:
•
One narrow stripe - Army Commissary School,
soldier suited to clerk work
•
One wide stripe - Corporal Medical Orderly
School, Corporal Rifle Artisan School or Corporal
Farrier School
•
Two wide stripes - Army Commissary School,
graduated soldier suitable for Commissary /
Sergeant Farrier School / Sergeant Medical
Orderly School / Sergeant Rifle Artisan School.
An armed forces commissary is a military official
responsible for supplying military arms and
provisions (Quartermaster units).
Rank Insignias, m/1910
The shoulder marks for officers and NCO were
adorned with braids forming a loop and a knot. On
top of this adornment were the rank insignias
affixed.
Shoulder marks, officers:
•
3 stars - Captain
•
2 stars - Lieutenant
•
1 star - Second Lieutenant
Shoulder marks, NCOs:
•
Master Sergeant - Braids forming a loop and a
knot - no rank insignia (Swe: Fanjunkare)
•
Staff Sergeant - Braids forming a loop and a
knot - no rank insignia
Initially Master Sergeants (Swe: Fanjunkare) weren’t
wearing rank insignias on the shoulder marks.
However, later they wore a button with an imprinted
star as a rank insignia (button). Also, Staff Sergeants
weren’t wearing rank insignias on the shoulder
marks but yellow (white) cords.
Shoulder straps:
•
Sergeant - gold (silver) stripe along the
edges of the shoulder strap (Swe: Furir)
•
Corporal - yellow (silver) worsted cord along
the edges of the shoulder strap
•
Vice Corporal - yellow (silver) thin worsted cord
along the edges of the shoulder strap
Images of rank insignias m/1910 (Wikipedia):
Hat badge m/1910 and cap badge m/1914
Three Crowns is a national emblem of Sweden and
is used as a symbol of official State authority. The
Three Crowns are also used as an official sign by the
armed forces.
Hats and caps were equipped with a round
medallion containing the Three Crowns. Officers
wore a blue enameled medallion while the
NCO wore a brass medallion.
The image to the right shows a Three Crown
cap medallion m/1914 worn by officers.
The hat badge m/1910 and cap badge
m/1914 contained, beside the medallion, several
chevrons (pointing downwards) and a yellow
cockade.
Cap badge m/1914 was worn on fur cap m/1909
while hat badge m/1910 was worn on hat m/1910.
•
Brass medallion and one chevron. - Staff
Sergeant
•
Brass medallion and two chevrons - Master
Sergeant (Fanjunkare)
•
Blue enameled medallion and one chevron -
Second Lieutenant
•
Blue enameled medallion and two chevrons -
Lieutenant
•
Blue enameled medallion and three chevrons -
Army Captain
•
Blue enameled medallion and one thin chevron
and one wider chevron - Major
•
Blue enameled medallion and two thin chevrons
and one wider chevron - Lieutenant Colonel
•
Blue enameled medallion and three thin
chevrons and one wider chevron - Colonel
Images of cap badges (Wikipedia):
Above; “13” is the unit number, 13th infantry
regiment (Dal Regiment).
Defense Act of 1936
In the Defense Act of 1936 the Government increased
the budget for the armed forces in order to
modernize military equipment. For example, as an
outcome of the Defense Act, a new steel helmet was
introduced in 1937, helmet m/1937.
Uniform m/1939
In 1939, shortly before the outbreak of WWII, a new
uniform was introduced, uniform m/1939. The plan
was to introduce both a battle dress uniform and a
service dress uniform. However, due to the outbreak
of the war, only the battle dress uniform was
introduced.
The color of the uniform was gray-brown-green.
The jacket was single-breasted with 4 buttons and
equipped with business suit style lapels. The collar
was turned down (no standing collar). There were
two breast pockets and two side pockets. A leather
belt was worn around the waist. The greatcoat
m/1939 was in the same color as the jacket.
There were three types of trousers to the uniform:
battledress trousers equipped with a strap at the
bottom making it possible to fasten the trousers to
the ankle boots; long service dress trousers and
jodhpurs. Short canvas anklets (gaiters) or puttees
typically covered the ankles keeping dirt out of the
boots without having to use a taller, more expensive
leather boot.
The shirt m/1939 was gray. A new headdress was
adopted in 1939, side cap m/1939 (Swe: båtmössa).
The side cap was in the same color as the jacket and
trousers.
A side cap is a foldable military cap with straight
sides and a creased or hollow crown sloping to the
back where it is parted. It is known as a garrison cap
or flight cap in the United States, wedge cap in
Canada) or field service cap in the United Kingdom.
The image to the right shows
garrison cap m/1939, equipped with
a nationality badge. Photo: Krister
Lihdén.
The garrison cap was equipped the Swedish
nationality insignia m/1941, a round cap badge,
roundel, in the Swedish colors yellow and blue.
The image to the left shows nationality
insignia m/1941.
In 1951 a further badge was added to the side
cap, a metal badge with respective conscript soldier’s
training company number.
Unit insignias were worn on the shoulder straps;
officers and other ranks. Army branch insignias was
made of bronze and worn on both collar tips.
Examples of army branch insignias; Infantry - two
crossed muskets, cavalry - two crossed sabers,
artillery - a flaming grenade, anti-aircraft defense - a
flaming grenade with wings.
Rank insignias were worn on the shoulder straps.
Being part of the uniform was also a white sheepskin
fur coat m/1913 for winter use. There was also white
snow dress: ski jacket and snow trousers m/1940.
The snow dress was made of thin fabric worn over
the uniform.
Beside the battle dress uniform there was also a
service dress greatcoat with open folded collar.
There was a belonging gray-brown-green service
dress shirt, tie and side cap.
Officers were also equipped with an English style
peaked cap and a brown leather shoulder belt.
Officers and NCOs were equipped with pistols and
the pistol holster was fixed onto the
shoulder belt.
The image to the right shows
peaked cap m/1939, officer. Photo
Krister Lihdén.
Images of uniform m/1939
Above; “13” is the unit number, 13th infantry regiment
(Dal Regiment).
Army branch insignias were worn on both collar tips
and made of bronze. Examples of army branch
insignias; Infantry - two crossed muskets, cavalry -
two crossed sabers, artillery - a flaming grenade, anti-
aircraft defense - a flaming grenade with wings.
Cap Badge m/1940
Cap badge m/1940 was worn on garrison cap
m/1939 and fur cap m/1909. The badge was made in
an ellipse shape. At the top of the bade was initially a
yellow cockade but from 1941 nationality insignia
m/1941. Below the nationality insignia was the rank
insignia. Private soldiers wore only the nationality
insignia.
The rank insignia was initially denoted with several
chevrons (depending on rank) pointing downwards.
From, 1946 the officer cap badges were
supplemented with a blue enameled medallion,
m/1865, and the NCO cap badges with a brass
medallion, both with the Swedish Three Crowns.
Images of cap badges:
From Left: Sergeant (fr. 1946), Staff Sergeant, Staff
Sergeant (fr. 1946), Lieutenant (fr. 1946) and Major (fr.
1946).
