Life Regiment Brigade Cuirassier Corp
Swedish military unit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Life Regiment Brigade Cuirassier Corps (Swedish: Lifregementsbrigadens kyrassiärkår), was a heavy elite cavalry unit in the Royal Swedish Army Regiment.[2][3]
| Life Regiment Brigade Cuirassier Corps | |
|---|---|
| Lifregementsbrigadens Kyrassiärcorps | |
Regimental Flag | |
| Active | 1791-1815 |
| Country |  Sweden |
| Allegiance | Swedish Armed Forces |
| Branch | Swedish Army |
| Type | Cavalry |
| Garrison/HQ | Utnäslot[1] |
History
Following the Russo-Swedish War, the Swedish High Command introduced structural reforms to reduce costs by cutting down the number of cavalry regiments. In 1791, three indelta cavalry regiments were wholly or partially converted into infantry. Among these, the senior Lifregementet til häst had its twelve squadrons split, and by 1805, these units were permanently established as a hussar corps, an infantry regiment under the Livregementsbrigaden, and the Life Regiment Brigade Cuirassier Corps.[4][5] In 1815 the corps became independent and changed its name to the Life Regiment Dragoon Corps, which in turn was changed to the Life Regiment Dragoons in 1892.[6]
Organization
Uniform
Headgear
From 1796, the regiment wore a distinctive Classical Greek-style brass helmet. The helmet featured a black leather body with a high polished brass front, an extended rear neck guard, and a curled black wool crest (raupe) mounted on top. It had an elongated crown, a characteristic that was often exaggerated in 19th-century illustrations. The helmet's neck guard was covered with brass scales, while the front displayed a painted black horsehair comb extending along the crest and terminating in a pointed peak above the forehead. The sides of the helmet were reinforced with narrow brass stiffener bands, and a yellow cockade was attached to the left side by a small leather strap secured with a single button. For everyday wear, the regiment used a plain black felt bicorne hat with black edge trim, a yellow bow, and the same yellow cockade. No evidence has been found that either the helmet or the bicorne was fitted with plumes or pompoms.[4]
Coat
In 1802 the regiment wore a buff coat of single breasted pattern with buff fall collar, Swedish cuffs, shoulder-strap and small turnbacks at the front and rear of the very short tails. The coats had originally been of the traditional buff leather worn by many heavy cavalry units, however by 1802 they appear to have been made of buff wool. In 1807 the coats were changed to a single breasted tunic similar to the infantry pattern of that year. The coat was single breasted with short tails having single turnbacks and straight inner edges. The cuffs were square-cut with two buttons, one on the cuff actual and one above.[4]
Officers and NCOs
Officer and non-commissioned officers of the cavalry wore the same rank distinctions as those of the infantry. The helmet was of the same style as those of the troopers, but all metal works were gilded and the raupe was white wool and slightly larger than those of the other ranks.[4]
The officer's coats were as for the men but generally of better quality cloth and after 1807 the facings of the senior officers were of dark blue velvet. All buttons were gilded and embossed with the royal coat of arms. The epaulettes of all rank were gold and followed the same sequence as those of the infantry officers; however, when the cuirass was worn the officers of the Lifregementetsbrigadens kyrassiercorps removed the epaulettes from the coat. From 1807 a 'jala' coat for dismounted ceremonial duties was worn which appears to have been of the same pattern as those of the dragoon officers, single breasted with long tails with double turnbacks. The coat was light buff with facings as for the service tunic.[4]
The officer pattern cuirass and back plate were of polished steel, possibly silver plated for the senior officers with a scalloped edging of gilded brass and a gilded badge of the royal coat-of-arms appeared on the breast. The cuirass was fastened at the shoulders with gilded shoulder scales and the lining and cuff was scarlet leather prior to 1807 and dark blue velvet faced leather after that date.[4]