Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps

Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps (Gotlands luftvärnskår), also Lv 2, was a Swedish Army Anti-aircraft unit that was active in various forms 1944–2000. The unit was based in Visby on Gotland.

History
Gotland's air defense has its origin in the Stockholm Anti-Aircraft Regiment's (Lv 3) artillery battery detachment on Gotland (Lv 3 G), established in 1944. When Stockholm Anti-Aircraft Regiment moved to Norrtälje in 1953, the responsibility for the artillery battery on Gotland was transferred to Östgöta Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Lv 2) in Linköping and thus the unit received the designation Lv 2 G. Östgöta Anti-Aircraft Regiment was disbanded in 1962. Lv 2 G took over its ensign and traditions on 2 April. On 1 April 1963, Lv 2 G became the new Lv 2. On 1 July 1968, the term "division" was changed to battalion. Lv 2 was then named Royal Gotland Anti-Aircraft Battalion. In 1969, the battalion received the heat-seeking anti-aircraft missile FIM-43 Redeye and could begin training.

In October 1978, Lv 2's basic training battalion moved from Korsbetningen (A 7's area) to Visborgsslätt, while the management for Lv 2, personnel and staff department, planning and production department and the artillery, simulation, fire-control system buildings remained at Korsbetningen. Every day from October 1978 to May 1986, the conscripts were transported between Visborgsslätt and Korsbetningen to be trained in their main service. In March 1983, the management moved from its old staff barracks at Korsbetningen to newly renovated premises in the top floor of the Chancellery building at Visborgsslätt. During the spring of 1986, Lv 2 could gradually settle in the newly built artillery/anti-aircraft building at Visborgsslätt. On 24 May 1986, Lv 2 officially moved from Korsbetningen to Visborgsslätt. At the same time, Lv 2 celebrated 50 years of air defense training on Gotland.

Through a reorganization of the Gotland Anti-Aircraft Battalion in 1994, the Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps (Lv 2) was formed. The corps was disbanded on 31 August 2000 by previous decisions in the 2000 Defense Act.

Locations and traning grounds
On 1 April 1944, the anti-aircraft defense on Gotland was transferred from the Coastal Artillery to Stockholm Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Lv 3), which formed the detachment Stockholm Anti-Aircraft Regiment's Battery on Gotland (Lv 3 G). The detachment was placed in a barracks camp by Söderväg in southwest Visby. In 1945, detachment moved into barracks 2 and 3, which were built the same year at Gotland Artillery Corps (A 7) barracks area at Östra Hansegatan. From 1 November 1952, the detachment was transferred to Östgöta Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Lv 2). From 1978, the conscript training was transferred to Gotland Regiment's (P 18) barracks area in southern Visby, where also the staff was moved on 17 March 1983.

Heraldry and traditions
On 6 June 1941, the Chief of the Army Ivar Holmquist handed over an unit ensign to Östgöta Anti-Aircraft Regiment, which was carried by the regiment until 31 March 1962. The unit ensign was then transferred to the Gotland battery, which at the same time was reorganized into an independent unit under the name of Gotland Anti-Aircraft Division (Lv 2), who came to carry the ensign on certain occasions. Gotland Anti-Aircraft Division also took over the regiment traditions, and carried them until 31 August 2000. From 1 September 2000, the Air Defence Regiment (Lv 6) retains the memory of all disbanded anti-aircraft units.

In 1963, an ensign was handed over to Gotland Anti-Aircraft Division by the Chief of the Army, Lieutenant General Curt Göransson. In 1990, the Gotland Anti-Aircraft Battalion Honorary Medal in Gold (Gotlands luftvärnsbataljon hedersmedalj i guld, GotlvbatGM) was established, and when Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps was disbanded in 2000, the Gotland Anti-Aircraft Corps Commemorative Medal in Silver (Gotlands luftvärnskår minnesmedalj i silver, GotlvkMM) was established.

Commanding officers
Commanding officers active at Lv 2:


 * 1944–1948: Cpt Ewald Fock
 * 1948–1952: Cpt Lars Falk
 * 1952–1954: Cpt Lars Falk
 * 1954–1957: Ltc Gunnar Almqvist
 * 1957–1961: Ltc Lars Erik Lidsjö
 * 1961–1963: Ltc Uno Engström
 * 1963–1968: Ltc Uno Engström
 * 1968–1972: Ltc Uno Engström
 * 1972–1976: Ltc Per-Olof Martin
 * 1976–1981: Ltc Lars Brunnberg
 * 1981–1989: Ltc Hans Ahldén
 * 1989–1992: Ltc Gunnar Jansson
 * 1992–1994: Ltc Benkt Kullgard
 * 1994–1997: Ltc Benkt Kullgard
 * 1997–1999: Ltc Kent Samuelsson
 * 1999–2000: Ltc Göran Wahlqvist