186th Paratroopers Regiment "Folgore"

On 1 September 1941 the 2nd Paratroopers Regiment was formed in Viterbo. The regiment consisted of a command, the V, VI, and VII paratrooper battalions, and the 2nd Cannons Company, which was equipped with 47/32 anti-tank guns. The regiment was assigned to the Paratroopers Division, which had been formed in Tarquinia on the same date. The division was planned to participate in the proposed invasion of Malta and began to train for the operation.[4]

In July 1942 the invasion of Malta was postponed indefinitely and after the First Battle of El Alamein the General Staff of the Royal Italian Army decided to sent the Paratroopers Division to Libya as reinforcements for the depleted German-Italian Panzer Army Africa. As the division would be deployed as infantry it was renamed on 27 July 1942 185th Infantry Division "Folgore". On the same date the 2nd Paratroopers Regiment was renamed 186th Infantry Regiment "Folgore". The regiment consisted now of the following units:[1][4][5]

• 186th Infantry Regiment "Folgore"
  • V Paratroopers Battalion
    • 13th, 14th, and 15th Company
  • VI Paratroopers Battalion
    • 16th, 17th, and 18th Company
  • VII Paratroopers Battalion
    • 19th, 20th, and 21st Company
  • 186th Cannons Company (with 47/32 anti-tank guns)

After arriving in North Africa the division was sent to the extreme South of the Axis line at El Alamein between Deir el Munassib and Qaret el Himeimat, where the Qattara Depression began.[6] From 30 August to 5 September 1942 the division participated in the unsuccessful Axis attempt to outflank the British Eighth Army at El Alamein in the Battle of Alam el Halfa.[6]

On 29 September 1942 the British launched Operation Braganza against the paratroopers of the Folgore, who despite numerical inferiority managed to repulse the British attack.[6]

On 23 October 1942 the Second battle of El Alamein began and on 25 October the British launched an all out attack by three British divisions and a Free French Brigade against the Folgore's positions. The attack was repulsed by 3am of 26 October.[4][7]

When the Folgore received the order to abandon its positions and retreat westwards on 2 November 1942 none of the division's positions had been lost to the British. The division began its retreat during the night of 2 to 3 November 1942, leaving behind 1,100 dead.[7] During the retreat the division formed the Axis' rearguard. On 6 November the remnants of the division were overtaken and surrounded by motorized British forces and forced to surrendered. On 25 November 1942 the division was declared lost due to wartime events.[1][4]

The few survivors who managed to escape were organized into the CCLXXXV Paratroopers Battalion "Folgore", which fought in the Tunisian Campaign on the Mareth Line and was destroyed during the Battle of Takrouna on 20-21 April 1943.[1][4][8]

For their conduct and sacrifices during the Western Desert Campaign and at El Alamein the three regiments of the 185th Infantry Division "Folgore" were awarded Italy's highest military honor, the Gold Medal of Military Valour.[2][4][9][10][11]

In 1952 the Military Parachuting Center in Pisa formed a paratroopers battalion, which then expanded to become the 1st Paratroopers Tactical Group, which consisted of the II Paratroopers Battalion and V Paratroopers Battalion. On 1 January 1963 the two battalions were assigned to the reformed 1st Paratroopers Regiment. On the same date the regiment was assigned to the newly formed Paratroopers Brigade, which on 10 June 1967 was renamed Paratroopers Brigade "Folgore".[4]

During the 1975 army reform the Italian Army disbanded the regimental level and newly independent battalions were granted for the first time their own flags. On 30 September 1975 the 1st Paratroopers Regiment was disbanded and its two battalions became autonomous units: the II Paratroopers Battalion was renamed 2nd Paratroopers Battalion "Tarquinia" and assigned the flag and traditions of the 187th Infantry Regiment "Folgore", while the V Paratroopers Battalion was renamed 5th Paratroopers Battalion "El Alamein" and assigned the flag and traditions of the 186th Infantry Regiment "Folgore". The two battalions moved from Pisa to Livorno, but remained assigned to the Paratroopers Brigade "Folgore". Both battalions consisted of a command, a command and services company, three paratroopers companies, and a heavy mortar company with towed 120mm Mod. 63 mortars.[1][4][12]

In 1978 the 5th Paratroopers Battalion "El Alamein" moved from Livorno to Siena. In 1981 the brigade's Paratroopers Reconnaissance Company was reorganized as a standard paratroopers company and entered the battalion was 11th Paratroopers Company. From January to November 1983 personnel of the battalion was deployed with the Multinational Force in Lebanon. From May to October 1991 two companies of the battalion and two companies of the 9th Paratroopers Assault Battalion "Col Moschin" formed a tactical group, which was deployed to northern Iraq for the American-led Operation Provide Comfort.[4]

On 15 September 1992 the 5th Paratroopers Battalion "El Alamein" lost its autonomy and the next day the battalion entered the reformed 186th Paratroopers Regiment "Folgore". From 27 December 1992 to 8 June 1993 the regiment was deployed to Somalia for the American-led Unified Task Force. After the regiment's return to Italy it was awarded a Silver Medal of Army Valour for its conduct in Somalia.[1][2][4][13]

In March 2004 the regiment was deployed to Kosovo as part of NATO's Kosovo Force, when heavy interethnic unrest erupted in the province. The regiment intervened quickly and decisively to help quell the unrest. After the regiment's return to Italy it was awarded a Silver Medal of Army Valour for its conduct in Kosovo.[1][2][14]