Bersaglieri
The Bersaglieri, singular Bersagliere, (Italian pronunciation: [bersaʎˈʎɛːri], "sharpshooter") are a troop of marksmen in the Italian Army's infantry corps. They were originally created by General Alessandro Ferrero La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Royal Sardinian Army, which later became the Royal Italian Army. They can be recognized by their distinctive wide-brimmed hats decorated with black western capercaillie feathers, which is worn with the dress uniform. The feathers are also applied to their combat helmets.
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Description
The Bersaglieri Corps were a high-mobility light infantry at their inception in 1836, with their specific situation evolving with changes in warfare. In the nineteenth century, Bersaglieri acted as skirmishers or shock troops, moving from place to place by running. An elaborate system of bugle calls allowed their units to be deployed and commanded quickly, singly or in combination. The tradition of running continues today in parades and during barracks duty. In World War I, some Bersaglieri served as bicycle troops, better to execute their mission of maneuver warfare. During the Cold War, the Bersaglieri were exclusively employed as mechanized infantry.
Bersaglieri are well-known for their extraordinary performances in parades and military tattoos, always running instead of marching, with hundreds of black capercaillie feathers flowing from their wide-brimmed black hats. These feathers are also worn on Bersaglieri combat helmets. They once served a military purpose, acting as camouflage and as a sunshade for the marksman's shooting eye. Today, they are a badge of honour, attracting new recruits and fostering esprit among their wearers.[1]
Origins and history
The relatively poor Kingdom of Sardinia could not afford large numbers of cavalry, so a quick-moving infantry corps of marksmen were needed. These troops were trained to high physical and marksmanship standards. Like the French chasseurs à pied, a level of independence and initiative was encouraged so that they could operate in looser formations, in which direct command and control was not required. They fired individually and carried 60 rounds instead of the standard 40 rounds of traditional line infantry. The first uniform was black with brimmed hats, called "vaira". These were intended to defend the head from sabre blows.
The first public appearance of the Bersaglieri was on the occasion of a military parade on 1 July 1836. The First Company marched through Turin with the rapid, high-stepping gait (180 paces/minute) still used by the Bersaglieri in World War II and later. The modern Bersaglieri still run both on parade and even during barracks duty – on penalty of punishment if they do not. The new corps impressed King Charles Albert, who immediately had them integrated as part of the Piedmontese regular army. The corps grew rapidly and by 1852 there were already 10 battalions, each with four companies.
Throughout the nineteenth century the Bersaglieri filled the role of skirmishers, screening the slow-moving line and column formations, but acting as special shock troops if required. They were originally intended to serve as mountain troops, as well; the climber Jean-Antoine Carrel was a Bersagliere. When the Alpini Corps were created in 1872 a strong rivalry arose between the two elite corps.
Unified Italy
During the First War of Italian Independence (1848–1849) the Bersaglieri distinguished themselves by storming the bridge at Goito in an episode known to later historiography as the Battle of Goito Bridge (la Battaglia del Ponte di Goito). In 1855 the Bersaglieri provided five battalions for the Sardinian expeditionary corps in the Crimean War, where they were involved in the Siege of Sevastopol and the Battle of the Chernaya. Most of the casualties were suffered due to a cholera epidemic. Their bravery at the Cernaia was widely recognized and played a key role in gaining Piedmont-Sardinia a seat in the negotiations at the war's end. For their effort in the Crimea, the Bersaglieri were rewarded a red fez with a blue tassel, in honour from the French zouaves troops, with whom they served, as they watched the Bersaglieri's bravery in the battle.
When the Armata Sarda became the Regio Esercito (Royal Italian Army) in 1860, the existing 36 battalions were used to create six Bersaglieri regiments, which had administrative and disciplinary duties. The regiments were assigned to the army corps', with the regiment's battalions assigned to the divisions in the corps as reconnaissance units.
1st Bersaglieri Regiment under I Army Corps with the I, IX, XIII, XIX, XXI and XXVII battalions
2nd Bersaglieri Regiment under II Army Corps with the II, IV, X, XV, XVII and XVIII battalions
3rd Bersaglieri Regiment under III Army Corps with the III, V, VIII, XX, XXIII and XXV battalions
4th Bersaglieri Regiment under IV Army Corps with the VI, VII, XI, XII, XXXV and XXXVI battalions.png.webp)
5th Bersaglieri Regiment under V Army Corps with the XIV, XVI, XXII, XXIV, XXVI and XXXIV battalions
6th Bersaglieri Regiment under VI Army Corps with the XXVIII, XXIX, XXX, XXXI, XXXII and XXXIII battalions
The most famous action of the Bersaglieri occurred on 20 September 1870, when the 12th Bersaglieri battalion stormed Rome through a breach created by Italian artillery in the Aurelian Walls near Porta Pia leading to the capture of Rome and end of the temporal power of the Pope, thus completing the unification of Italy. A monument was erected in 1932 in front of Porta Pia to commemorate the event at the same time as the National Museum of the Bersaglieri corps was moved to Porta Pia, where it resides still today.
In 1871, the Bersaglieri corps added another four battalions and the regiments were increased from six to 10 and given also operational command of the battalions. In 1883 a further two regiments were added for a total of 12 Bersaglieri regiments, one for each army corps with three battalions per regiment. Therefore, the four battalions raised in 1871 were disbanded.
- 1st Bersaglieri Regiment under I Army Corps with the I, VII and IX battalions
- 2nd Bersaglieri Regiment under II Army Corps with the II, IV, and XVII battalions
- 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment under III Army Corps with the XVIII, XX, and XXV battalions
- 4th Bersaglieri Regiment under IV Army Corps with the XXVI, XXIX and XXXI battalions
- 5th Bersaglieri Regiment under V Army Corps with the XIV, XXII and XXIV battalions
- 6th Bersaglieri Regiment under VI Army Corps with the VI, XIII and XIX battalions
7th Bersaglieri Regiment under VII Army Corps with the VIII, X and XI battalions
8th Bersaglieri Regiment under VIII Army Corps with the III, V and XII battalions
9th Bersaglieri Regiment under IX Army Corps with the XXVIII, XXX and XXXII battalions
10th Bersaglieri Regiment under X Army Corps with the XVI, XXXIV and XXXV battalions
11th Bersaglieri Regiment under XI Army Corps with the XV, XXVII and XXXIII battalions
12th Bersaglieri Regiment under XII Army Corps with the XXI, XXIII and XXXVI battalions
World War I
During World War I, the 12 existing Bersaglieri regiments were augmented by nine newly raised regiments and fought with distinction on the Italian Front. Of the 210,000 members of Bersaglieri regiments, 32,000 were killed and 50,000 wounded during the war. Italy's last surviving World War I veteran, Delfino Borroni, was a member of the 6th Bersaglieri Regiment from Bologna. Another member who served as Bersagliere on the front (and was wounded) was Benito Mussolini.
A contingent of Bersaglieri drawn from the autonomous battalions of the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment was sent to participate in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in 1917, where they were attached to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force commanded by General Edmund Allenby. Their "mainly political" role was to assert "hereditary ecclesiastical prerogatives in connection with the Christian churches at Jerusalem and Bethlehem."[2][3][4]
Peacetime regiments
At the outbreak of World War I in 1914 the Bersaglieri corps consisted of 12 regiments each organized into a regimental HQ, three battalions on foot, and one cyclist's battalion. Each regiment also contained a machine gun section with two machine guns. The battalions on foot consisted of three companies of 250 men each, while the cyclist battalions consisted of three companies of 150 men each. Additionally, each cyclist's battalion had its own machine gun section with two machine guns.[5] Between the outbreak of the war and the Italian declaration of war on 23 May 1915 the Italian army was forced to send the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment and five battalions from other Bersaglieri regiments to Libya as the local population fiercely resisted the Italian occupation. On 29 December 1914 the army sent the 10th Bersaglieri Regiment to Albania, which was in turmoil after its freshly installed ruler William, Prince of Albania had fled the country in September 1914. Already since 4 May 1912 two battalions of the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment were in Rhodes to garrison the newly conquered Italian Islands of the Aegean.[6][7]
With war imminent the army began to raise new Bersaglieri battalions to replace the battalions deployed overseas and on 8 April 1915, the 10th bis Bersaglieri Regiment was formed to replace the 10th deployed in Albania. Starting in January 1915 additional battalions were raised starting, which remained autonomous and were not integrated into an existing regiment. When hostilities commended the Bersaglieri consisted of:[5]
- 13 regiments (one in Libya, one in Albania, eleven in Italy)
- 55 battalions on foot (41 grouped in 13 regiments (two deployed to Rhodes); 14 autonomous battalions, of which seven in Libya and seven at the Italian Front)
- 12 cyclist battalions
On 10 January 1916 the High Command ordered to increase all Bersaglieri battalions on foot by one company to four companies, with the battalions deployed to Libya being exempt, retaining three. Later that spring the Bersaglieri companies of the battalions on foot were reduced from 250 to 225 men, but in turn each battalion received its own machine gun section with two machine guns, a submachine-gun section with two Villar Perosa submachine guns, and a Sapper unit with 88 men. On 3 March 1916 the regimental command of the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment was disbanded and its battalions became autonomous.[5]
At the end of 1916 the Bersaglieri fielded:[5][8]
- 15 regiments (one in Albania, 14 in Italy)
- 48 battalions on foot (45 grouped in 15 regiments and three autonomous battalions). Each of these battalions consisted of four companies of 225 men each, a sapper unit, a machine-gun section, and two submachine-gun sections
- 15 autonomous battalions on foot (two deployed to Rhodes, thirteen in Libya). Each of these battalions consisted of three companies of 250 men each and a machine-gun section
- 12 cyclist battalions, each with three companies of 150 men and a machine-gun section
Early in 1917 each battalion in Italy received a second submachine-gun section and in May the battalions were thoroughly reorganized: the machine gun sections of each battalion were increased to a machine gun company with six machine guns, while the battalion's 4th companies were grouped in independent "marching" battalions (Battaglione di Marcia), which acted as personnel reserve for the armies deployed to the front.[8]
After the defeat at Caporetto the Italian army was forced to retreat from the Isonzo river to the Piave river. During the retreat four Bersaglieri regiments and three autonomous battalions were so badly mauled that they had to be disbanded: besides the wartime regiments 15 and 21, also the peacetime regiments 4 and 9 were disbanded.[9] Thus at the end of 1917 the Bersaglieri corps consisted of:[8]
- 16 regiments (one in Albania, 15 in Italy)
- 48 battalions on foot (grouped in 16 regiments). Each of these battalions consisted of three companies of 225 men each, a machine gun company, a sapper unit, and two submachine-gun sections.
- 15 autonomous battalions on foot (two deployed to Rhodes, ten in Libya). Each of these battalions consisted of three companies of 250 men each and a machine-gun section
- 12 cyclist battalions, each with three companies of 150 men and a machine-gun section
After the Battle of Caporetto the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army Luigi Cadorna was finally dismissed and replaced by Armando Diaz. Diaz reorganized the army and ordered the Bersaglieri battalions to be reorganized: the companies on foot were reduced to 150 men in three platoons – two of infantry and one of sappers and combat support troops. At the same, the machine-gun companies were increased to eight machine guns, and the submachine-gun sections increased to three and attached to the companies. Each battalion also received a Stokes mortar section, while each regiment received a flamethrower section and a "reparto cannoncini d'accompagnamento" (loosely translated: small accompaniment cannons unit), with Italian copies of the Austrian 3.7cm Infantry Gun M.15.[10][11] Additionally the command of the 16th Bersaglieri Regiment was disbanded and its battalions became autonomous, six of the autonomous battalions deployed to Libya were ordered to return and reorganized as the other battalions on the Italian front. The cyclist battalions were also reorganized (see the "Cyclist Battalions" section here below).[10]
At the onset of the last offensive of the war the Bersaglieri was organized on the following structure:
- 15 regiments (one in Albania, 14 in Italy)
- 45 battalions on foot (grouped in 15 regiments). Each of these battalions consisted of three companies of 150 men each, a machine gun company, three submachine-gun sections, and a Stokes mortar section
- 12 autonomous battalions on foot (two deployed to Rhodes, four in Libya, and six battalions assigned to the two divisions of the Assault Army Corps. The overseas battalions consisted of three companies of 250 men each and a machine gun section, while the six battalions of the Assault Army Corps were organized as the regimental battalions
- 8 cyclist battalions, each with three companies of 150 men and a machine gun section (six in two groups and attached to cavalry divisions, and two assigned to the Assault Army Corps)[10]
| Peacetime regiments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regiment | Battalions | Based in | Notes | Battles |
| 1st Bersaglieri[12][13][14] | I VII IX  I Cyc. |
Naples | Regiment (without the I Cyclists Btn.) deployed in Libya Regimental command disbanded 3 March 1916; battalions became autonomous Regiment raised the:
|
I, VII, IX battalions:
I Cyclists:
|
| 2nd Bersaglieri[15][16] | (II) IV XVII LIII II Cyc. |
Rome | 29 Aug. 1918: VII Bersaglieri Bde.[17] II Btn. in Libya 24 June 1918: II Cyclists disbanded Regiment raised the:
|
1915: Monte Coston, Costa d'Agra, Monte Maronia, Val di Sole 1916: Plezzo, Oslavia, Zaibena, Nad Logem, Monte Kuk 1917 Monte Santo, Monte Mrzli, Monte Pleca, Kamno, Monte Stol, Sequals, Piave 1918: Montello, Vittorio Veneto: Paradiso |
| 3rd Bersaglieri[18][19][20] | XVIII XX XXV III Cyc.  |
Livorno | 29 Aug. 1918: VII Bersaglieri Bde.[17]
Regiment raised the:
|
1915: Col di Lana, Carso: Vermegliano, Monte Sei Busi 1916: Selz: quota 70 – Monte Sief, Piccolo Colbricon, Val Cismon, Carso: Monfalcone, quota 85, Jamiano, quota 144 1917 Carso: Flondar, Monte Ermada – Monfenera, Piave: Zenson, Ponte di Pinzano 1918: Monte Costalunga, 2nd Piave: Fosso Gorgazzo, Fossalta, Meolo – Vittorio Veneto: Serravalle, Fadalto Pass, Pieve di Cadore |
| 4th Bersaglieri[6][7] |
(XXVI) XXIX (XXXI) XXXVII XLIII IV Cyc. |
Turin | 8 June – 7 Nov. 1917: V Bersaglieri Bde.[21] XXVI Btn. and XXXI Btn. in Rhodes 9 Dec. 1917: Rgt. disbanded[9] (Caporetto) Regiment raised the:
Regiment received the XLIII Btn. from the 9th Rgt. as replacement for the XXVI Btn. |
1915: Isonzo: Ajba – St. Lucia di Tolmino 1916: St. Maria di Tolmino, Monte Mrzli, Zagora, Monfalcone, quota 85 1917: Bodrez, Semmer, Monte Fratta, Bainsizza: Ossoiuka, Oscedrilk, Monte Globokak, Monte Badenecche, Monte Tonderecar 1918: Monfenera, San Bartolomeo di Piave, Molino Novo, Grave di Papadopoli, Vittorio Veneto: Maniago, Flagogna, Tolmezzo |
| 5th Bersaglieri[22][23] |
XIV (XXII) XXIV XLVI V Cyc. |
Sanremo | 1 March 1918: V Bersaglieri Bde.[21] XXII Btn. in Libya Regiment raised the:
|
1915: Isonzo: Santa Lucia, Alture di Polazzo – Monte Mrzli 1916: Isonzo: Dolje, Monte Mrzli, Monte Vodil – Asiago: Monte Lemerle, Magnaboschi, Kaberlaba – Carso: Monfalcone, quota 85, quota 121, Nova Vas, quota 208, Jamiano, quota 144 1917: Monte Gallio, Monte Sisemol, Monte Melago, Col del Rosso 1918: Monte Valbella, Sernaglia |
| 6th Bersaglieri[24][25][26] |
VI XIII XIX VI Cyc. |
Bologna | 15 Feb. 1916: I Bersaglieri Bde.[27] 24 June 1918: VI Cyclists disbanded Regiment raised the:
|
1915: Plezzo 1916: Carso: Veliki Hribach, Pecinka, quota 308 1917: Isonzo: Monte Vodice – Bainsizza: Semmer, Oscedrilk, quota 808 – Monte Globokak, Pradamano, Monte Tonderecar 1918: Monte Cornone: Sasso Rosso |
| 7th Bersaglieri[28][29][30] |
VIII X (XI) XLIV VII Cyc. |
Brescia | 6 Nov. 1916: II Bersaglieri Bde.[31] XI Btn. in Libya Regiment raised the:
|
1915: Val di Ledro: Bezzecca, Monte Vies 1916–17 Carso: Jamiano, quota 144, Flondar 1918: 2nd Piave, Vittorio Veneto, Occupation of Triest |
| 8th Bersaglieri[32][33][34] |
(III) V XII XXXVIII VIII Cyc. |
Verona | 1 June 1918: VI Bersaglieri Bde.[35] III Battalion:
Regiment raised the:
|
1915–17: Cadore Candelù, Fagarè, Caserta island (Piave river), Vittorio Veneto: Piave, Livenza, Tagliamento, Ariis, Paradiso |
| 9th Bersaglieri[36][37] | XXVIII XXX XXXII IX Cyc. |
Asti | 11 Feb. – 6 Nov. 1916: II Bersaglieri Bde.[31] 28 Nov. 1917: Rgt. disbanded[9] (Caporetto) 24 June 1918: X Cyclists disbanded Regiment raised the:
|
Regiment:
IX Cyclists:
|
| 10th Bersaglieri[38][39] | XVI XXXIV XXXV X Cyc. |
Palermo | 29 Dec. 1914: Rgt. deployed to Albania 24 June 1918: X Cyclists disbanded Regiment raised the:
|
Regiment:
X Cyclists:
|
| 11th Bersaglieri[40][41][42] |
(XV) XXVII XXXIII XXXIX XI Cyc.[43] |
Naples | 11 Feb. 1916: II Bersaglieri Bde.[31] XV Battalion:
Regiment raised the:
|
Regiment:
XI Cyclists:
|
| 12th Bersaglieri[44][45][46] |
XXI XXIII XXXVI XII Cyc. |
Milan | 15 Feb. 1916: I Bersaglieri Bde.[27]
Regiment raised the:
|
1915: Monte Mrzli, Monte Sleme 1916: Carso: Veliki Hribach, Pecinka, quota 308, Vippacco 1917: Isonzo: Monte Vodice – Bainsizza: Semmer, Oscedrilk – Monte Globokak, Pradamano, Melette di Gallio 1918: Val Frenzela: Pizzo Razzea – Vittorio Veneto |
Regiments raised during the war
At the outbreak of the war the army fielded 13 Bersaglieri regiments: the twelve peacetime regiments and the 10th bis Bersaglieri Regiment, which had been raised with new battalions on 8 April 1915 to replace the 10th Bersaglieri Regiment sent to Vlorë in Albania on 29 December 1914. During 1915 two more regiments were raised; the 1st bis Bersaglieri Regiment with three autonomous battalions and then 13th Bersaglieri Regiment with three new battalions:[5]
- 8 April 1915: 10th bis Bersaglieri Regiment
- 8–25 June 1915: 13th Provisional Bersaglieri Regiment. The regiment was formed from new battalions and meant to replace the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment deployed to Libya, but it became never operational, and upon reaching the front the regiment was disbanded and its battalions became autonomous.
- 24 September 1915: 1st bis Bersaglieri Regiment, formed from the three autonomous of the short-lived 13th Provisional Bersaglieri Regiment
- 22 November 1915: 13th Bersaglieri Regiment
On 5 January 1916 the 1st bis Bersaglieri Regiment changed its name and became the 15th Bersaglieri Regiment, while on the same date the 10th bis Bersaglieri Regiment changed its name and became 16th Bersaglieri Regiment. During 1916 only one new regiment was raised: the 14th Bersaglieri Regiment on 11 March with two newly formed and one autonomous battalion.[5]
In 1917 the army raised five new Bersaglieri regiments: the 17th and 18th regiments with newly raised battalions, the 19th regiment with three autonomous battalions, and the 20th and 21st regiments with reserve battalions.[8]
- 31 Jan. 1917: 18th Bersaglieri Regiment
- 6 Feb. 1917: 17th Bersaglieri Regiment
- 15 Feb. 1917: 19th Bersaglieri Regiment
- 1 April 1917: 20th Bersaglieri Regiment
- 27 April 1917: 21st Bersaglieri Regiment
Due to the defeat at the Battle of Caporetto the army was forced to disbanded the 15th and the 21st Bersaglieri regiments with their battalions in November 1917. In 1918 the command of the 16th Bersaglieri Regiment was disbanded and its three battalions became autonomous.[8][9]
After the war four of the regiments raised for the conflict were disbanded (13th, 14th, 17th, 18th), while the 19th Bersaglieri Regiment was renamed 4th Bersaglieri Regiment, and the 20th Bersaglieri Regiment was renamed 9th Bersaglieri Regiment. Of the nine regiments raised during the war none, except for 18th Bersaglieri Regiment, was ever activated again. The 18th was active again from 1 April 1935 until 31 December 1936, from 1 February 1942 until 8 September 1943, and for the last time from 10 September 1993 until 1 January 2005.[47]
| Regiments raised during the war | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regiment | Battalions | Raised on Raised by | Notes | Battles |
| 13th Bersaglieri[48][49] |
LIX LX LXII |
22 Nov. 1915 3rd Ber. LX 9th Ber. LXI 11th Ber. LXII |
1 Jan. 1918: VI Bersaglieri Bde.[35] 1919: disbanded |
1916: Alpi di Fassa 1917: Monte Pertica, Monte Grappa 1918: Caposile, Candelù, Breda, Cima Ninni, Vittorio Veneto: Grave di Papadopoli |
| 14th Bersaglieri[50][51] |
XL LIV LXI |
11 March 1916 2nd Ber. LIV, LXI 3rd Ber. XL |
Raised from two new (XL, LXI) and one autonomous battalion (LIV) 1 April 1917: IV Bersaglieri Bde.[52] 12 April 1919: Rgt. disbanded |
1916: San Michele, Asiago, Marcesina, Monte Zebio 1917: Val d'Astico, Val Posina, Borgo, Luico, Monte Sisemol 1918: Monte Valbella, 2nd Piave, Vittorio Veneto: Trento |
| 15th Bersaglieri[53][54] |
XLIX L LI |
5 Jan. 1916 6th Ber. XLIX, L 11th Ber. LI |
Raised from three autonomous battalions:
24 Sep. 1915 – 5 Jan. 1916:
|
1915: Redipuglia, Third Isonzo: Trincea delle Frasche 1916: Monfalcone, Monte Sei Busi, Doberdò, Jamiano: quota 208 sud 1917: Caporetto |
| 16th Bersaglieri[55][56] | LVII LVIII LXIII |
5 Jan. 1916 10th Bersaglieri |
8 April 1915 – 5 Jan. 1916:
7 March 1918: Rgt. disbanded and |
1915: Monte Mrzli, Monte Vodil 1916: Pal Piccolo 1917: Ampezzano, Monte Iof, Meduna river |
| 17th Bersaglieri[57][58] |
LXIV LXV LXVI |
6 Feb. 1917 2nd Ber. LXIV 3rd Ber. LXV 11th Ber. LXVI |
6 Feb. 1917: III Bersaglieri Bde.[59] March 1919: Rgt. disbanded |
1917: Valsugana, Castagnevizza, Tagliamento: Bridge of Madrisio, Piave: Cà Lunga 1918: Cavazuccherina, Cortellazzo, Vittorio Veneto: Giudicarie |
| 18th Bersaglieri[60][61][47] |
LXVII LXVIII LXIX |
31 Jan. 1917 10th Ber. LXIX 11th Ber. LXVII 12th Ber. LXVIII |
6 Feb. 1917: III Bersaglieri Bde.[59] 31 Dec. 1919: Rgt. disbanded |
1917: Castagnevizza: quota 244, Piave: Fagarè, Cà Lunga 1918: 2nd Piave, Vittorio Veneto: Castel Romano/Val Chiese |
| 19th Bersaglieri[62][63] | XLI XLII XLV |
15 Feb. 1917 4th Ber. XLI, XLII 7th Ber. XLV |
Raised from three autonomous battalions:
1 March 1918: V Bersaglieri Bde.[21] |
1915:
1916:
1917: Val Degano, Longarone |
| 20th Bersaglieri[64][65] | LXX LXXI LXXII |
1 April 1917 4th Bersaglieri |
Raised from the II, IV, VI Bersaglieri reserve battalions 1 April 1917: IV Bersaglieri Bde.[52] 20 Feb. 1919: renamed 9th Bersaglieri |
1917: Carzano, Lunico, Monte Sisemol 1918: Monte Valbella, Monte Maio, Vittorio Veneto: Passo Borcola, Monte Maggio |
| 21st Bersaglieri[66][67] |
LXXIII LXXIV LXXV |
27 April 1917 1st Bersaglieri |
Raised from the VII, X, XI Bersaglieri reserve battalions 18 June 1917: V Bersaglieri Bde.[21] 7 Nov. 1917: Rgt. disbanded[9] (Caporetto) |
1917: Plava: Monte Kuk/Monte Vodice, Bainsizza: Fratta, Semmer, quota 898 – Monte Globokak |
Cyclist Battalions
The twelve cyclist battalions of the peacetime regiments had been raised in 1910. Each consisted of three companies of 150 men, and a machine gun section with two machine guns.[5] For the duration of the war the cyclists battalions operated independently from their regiments and were assigned as needed to higher commands. On various occasions Bersaglieri Cyclist Battalion Groups were formed, but only after the Battle of Caporetto forced the Italian army to retreat from the Isonzo front, during which the cyclist battalions served as rearguard,[68] did the army institute permanent cyclist groups. These four groups were officially instituted on 15 January 1918 and each fielded three cyclist battalions and formed initially the mobile reserve of the Third Army on the lower Piave river:[68]
- 1st Group: IV, V, XII cyclist battalions
- 2nd Group: II, X, XI cyclist battalions
- 3rd Group: I, VII, VIII cyclist battalions
- 4th Group: III, VI, IX cyclist battalions
In April and May 1918 the 1st and 2nd Group were assigned to the 1st, respectively the 7th Army to defend the Western, respectively the Eastern shore of Lake Garda from possible Austro-Hungarian amphibious landings. By June all four groups had returned to the 3rd Army and were assigned to the army's corps as mobile reserve (1st Group to XI Corps, 2nd Group to XXVIII Corps, 3rd Group as army reserve, 4th Group to XXIII Corps).[68]
On 24 June 1918 the 2nd and 4th group and the II, VI, IX, and X battalions were disbanded and with their troops the Cyclist Assault Reserve Battalion formed. This battalion was assigned to the Assault Army Corps (Corpo d'Armata d'Assalto), which consisted of Bersaglieri and Arditi troops. The surviving III and XI cyclist battalions were assigned to 1st, respectively the 2nd Assault Division of the same carmy corps. The two remaining groups, the 1st and 3rd, left the 3rd Army on 16 October 1918 and were assigned for the last offensive of the war to the 1st, respectively 4th Cavalry division.[11]
Autonomous Battalions
During World War I the Bersaglieri regiments raised a number of battalions, which were not attached to a regiment and designated as "autonomous battalions". At the same time seven battalions of pre-war regiments, which were deployed to the Italian colonies, became autonomous and were replaced in their regiments by newly raised battalions. The 1st Bersaglieri Regiment was deployed to Italian Libya and its three battalions became autonomous in February 1916 when the regimental command returned to the mainland. Of the autonomous battalions raised during the war only the LII and LV battalions remaining autonomous and active for the entire duration of the conflict.
| Autonomous Battalions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Battalion | Raised on Raised by | Deployed to | Notes |
| XLI Battalion[62][63] | 7 Jan. 1915 4th Bersaglieri |
Italian Front | 15 Feb. 1917: entered 19th Bersaglieri |
| XLII Battalion[62][63] | 22 Feb. 1915 4th Bersaglieri |
Italian Front | |
| XLV Battalion[62][63] | 19 May 1915 7th Bersaglieri |
Italian Front | |
| XLVII Battalion[69] | 1 Feb. 1915 5th Bersaglieri |
Italian Front | 18 Nov. 1917: disbanded (Caporetto) |
| XLVIII Battalion[70] | 6 Feb. 1915 8th Bersaglieri |
Italian Front | 10 Nov. 1917: destroyed (Caporetto) |
| XLIX Battalion[53][54] | Jan. 1915 6th Bersaglieri |
Italian Front | 5 Jan. 1916: entered 15th Bersaglieri |
| L Battalion[53][54] | Jan. 1915 6th Bersaglieri |
Italian Front | |
| LI Battalion[53][54] | 1915 11th Bersaglieri |
Italian Front | |
| LII Battalion[71] | Jan. 1915 12th Bersaglieri |
Libya | |
| LIV Battalion[50][51] | 1915 2nd Bersaglieri |
Italian Front | 11 March 1916: 14th Bersaglieri Rgt. |
| LV Battalion[72] | 5 Jan. 1915 1st Bersaglieri |
1915–18: Libya 1918: Italian Front |
In Libya until 31 May 1918, returned to Italy and entered 6th Group/2nd Assault Division |
| LVI Battalion[73] | 17 Jan. 1915 12th Bersaglieri |
Italian Front | 18 Nov. 1917: disbanded (Caporetto) |
During the war a number of battalions of existing regiments became autonomous either for geographic reasons (battalion deployed to the colonies) or organizational reasons (regimental command disbanded). The following table gives an overview of these battalions:
| Temporarily Autonomous Battalions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Battalion | Regiment | Deployed to | Notes |
| I Battalion[12][13] | 1st Bersaglieri | 1915–18: Libya 1918: Italian Front |
24 Feb. 1916: 1st Bersaglieri Regiment disbanded and battalion became autonomous 28 May 1918: returned to Italy 29 June 1918: entered 1st Group/1st Assault Div. |
| II Battalion[15][16] | 2nd Bersaglieri | Libya | Battalion fighting rebels in Libya since 15 Feb. 1915. Replaced in the regiment by the LIII battalion. |
| III Battalion[32][33] | 8th Bersaglieri | 1915–18: Libya 1918: Italian Front |
Battalion fighting rebels in Libya until 28 May 1918 Replaced in the regiment by the XXXVIII battalion. 29 June 1918: battalion entered 4th Group/2nd Assault Div. |
| VII Battalion[12][13] | 1st Bersaglieri | 1915–18: Libya 1918: Italian Front |
24 Feb. 1916: 1st Bersaglieri Regiment disbanded and battalion became autonomous 28 May 1918: returned to Italy 29 June 1918: entered 2nd Group/1st Assault Div. |
| IX Battalion[12][13] | 1st Bersaglieri | 1915–18: Libya 1918: Italian Front |
24 Feb. 1916: 1st Bersaglieri Regiment disbanded and battalion became autonomous 28 May 1918: returned to Italy 29 June 1918: entered 3rd Group/1st Assault Div. |
| XI Battalion[28][29] | 7th Bersaglieri | Libya | Battalion fighting rebels in Libya since 11 Feb. 1915. Replaced in the regiment by the XLIV battalion. |
| XV Battalion[40][41] | 11th Bersaglieri | 1915–18: Libya 1918: Italian Front |
Battalion fighting rebels in Libya from 4 Jan. 1915 until 28 May 1918 Replaced in the regiment by the XXXIX battalion. 29 June 1918: battalion entered 5th Group/2nd Assault Div. |
| XXII Battalion[22][23] | 5th Bersaglieri | Libya | Battalion fighting rebels in Libya since 15 Feb. 1915. Replaced in the regiment by the XLVI battalion. |
| XXVI Battalion[6][7] | 4th Bersaglieri | Rhodes | Battalions on garrison duty in Rhodes since 12 May 1912. Replaced in the regiment by the XLIII, respectively XXXVII battalion. |
| XXXI Battalion[6][7] | |||
| LVII Battalion[55][56] | 16th Bersaglieri | Italian Front | 7 March 1918: 16th Bersaglieri Regiment disbanded and its battalions became autonomous |
| LVIII Battalion[55][56] | |||
| LXIII Battalion[55][56] | |||
Machine Gunner Companies
At the outbreak of war each infantry and Bersaglieri battalion of the Italian Army fielded one machine gun section with two Maxim 1911 machine guns carried by horses. After the outbreak of the war this proved quickly to be inadequate and in spring 1916 the army began to raise dedicated machine gunner companies (Compagnia Mitraglieri). These companies were attached to brigades, divisions and army corps, which deployed them with tactical units (regiments, battalions, companies) as needed. 2,277 Machine Gunner companies were raised and numbered continuously. The Bersaglieri depots raised 31 companies equipped with six St. Étienne Mle 1907 machine guns each, and 84 companies equipped with six Fiat–Revelli Modello 1914 machine guns each.[74]
Special Bersaglieri Division
At the outbreak of war seven Bersaglieri regiments were assigned to divisions or army corps, while four Bersaglieri regiments formed on 20 May 1915 the Special Bersaglieri Division (Divisione Speciale Bersaglieri). The four regiments were joined by IV Mountain Artillery Group of the 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment and minor support units. On 11 February 1916 the four regiments were grouped together in two brigades: the I Bersaglieri Brigade consisted of the 6th and 12th Bersaglieri regiments, while the II Bersaglieri Brigade consisted of the 9th and 11th Bersaglieri regiments. After not even a year of existence the division is transformed on 5 March 1915 into a standard infantry division and the two Bersaglieri brigades are attached like the regiments to divisions and army corps as needed.[75]
| Division | Regiment | Battalions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Bersaglieri Division (Divisione Speciale Bersaglieri) |
6th Bersaglieri Regiment | VI Battalion XIII Battalion XIX Battalion |
11 Feb. 1916: formed the I Bersaglieri Brigade with the 12th Bersaglieri Regiment |
| 9th Bersaglieri Regiment | XXVIII Battalion XXX Battalion XXXII Battalion |
11 Feb. 1916: formed the II Bersaglieri Brigade | |
| 11th Bersaglieri Regiment | XXVII Battalion XXXIII Battalion XXXIX Battalion | ||
| 12th Bersaglieri Regiment | XXI Battalion XXIII Battalion XXXVI Battalion |
11 Feb. 1916: formed the I Bersaglieri Brigade with the 6th Bersaglieri Regiment | |
| IV Mountain Artillery Group | 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment |
Bersaglieri Brigades
After the Special Bersaglieri Division had been disbanded the two Bersaglieri brigades were attached to higher commands as needed. On 6 November 1916, the 7th Bersaglieri Regiment replaced the 9th Bersaglieri Regiment in the II Bersaglieri Brigade, but there were no further changes to the brigades during that year.
In 1917 the army decided to activate a further three Bersaglieri brigades of two regiments each, bringing the Bersaglieri closer in line with the regular infantry, all of whose regiments were grouped together in brigades composed of a headquarters and two infantry regiments. During the year the III, IV, and V Bersaglieri brigades were raised, with respectively the 17th and 18th, 14th and 20th, and 4th and 21st regiments belonging to their parent brigades. However the defeat in the Battle of Caporetto led to the destruction of the V Bersaglieri Brigade, which, together with the 21st Bersaglieri Regiment, was annihilated during the retreat from the Isonzo river to the Piave river.
In 1918 the army raised the V Bersaglieri Brigade again and also activated the VI and VII Bersaglieri brigades. The VI consisted of the 8th and 13th, respectively the 2nd and 3rd Bersaglieri regiments belonged to the VII Brigade. With this, all Bersaglieri regiments in Italy were now assigned to one of the seven Bersaglieri brigades.
| Brigade | Regiment | Battalions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| I Bersaglieri Brigade[27] | 6th Bersaglieri Regiment | VI Battalion XIII Battalion XIX Battalion |
formed 11 Feb. 1916 |
| 12th Bersaglieri Regiment | XXI Battalion XXIII Battalion XXXVI Battalion | ||
| II Bersaglieri Brigade[31] | 7th Bersaglieri Regiment | VIII Battalion X Battalion XLIV Battalion |
formed 11 Feb. 1916 with the 9th and 11th Bersaglieri regiments 9th Regiment replaced by the 7th Regiment on 6 Nov. 1916 |
| 11th Bersaglieri Regiment | XXVII Battalion XXXIII Battalion XXXIX Battalion | ||
| III Bersaglieri Brigade[59] | 17th Bersaglieri Regiment | LXIV Battalion LXV Battalion LXVI Battalion |
formed 18 March 1917 |
| 18th Bersaglieri Regiment | LXVII Battalion LXVIII Battalion LXIX Battalion | ||
| IV Bersaglieri Brigade[52] | 14th Bersaglieri Regiment | XL Battalion LIV Battalion LXI Battalion |
formed 1 April 1917 |
| 20th Bersaglieri Regiment | LXX Battalion LXXI Battalion LXXII Battalion | ||
| V Bersaglieri Brigade[21] (1st formation) |
4th Bersaglieri Regiment | XXIX Battalion XXXVII Battalion XLIII Battalion |
formed 18 June 1917 destroyed 7 Nov. 1917[9] |
| 21st Bersaglieri Regiment | LXXIII Battalion LXXIV Battalion LXXV Battalion | ||
| V Bersaglieri Brigade[21] (2nd formation) |
5th Bersaglieri Regiment | XIV Battalion XXIV Battalion XLVI Battalion |
formed 1 March 1918 |
| 19th Bersaglieri Regiment | XLI Battalion XLII Battalion XLV Battalion | ||
| VI Bersaglieri Brigade[35] | 8th Bersaglieri Regiment | V Battalion XII Battalion XXXVIII Battalion |
formed 1 June 1918 |
| 13th Bersaglieri Regiment | LIX Battalion LX Battalion LXII Battalion | ||
| VII Bersaglieri Brigade[17] | 2nd Bersaglieri Regiment | IV Battalion XVII Battalion LIII Battalion |
formed 29 August 1918 |
| 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment | XVIII Battalion XX Battalion XXV Battalion |
Assault Divisions
At the end of 1915 each infantry regiment the Italian Army began to create Arditi platoons modeled after the German Stormtroopers. These units remained a regimental asset until 1917 when the 2nd Army on its own initiative an Arditi school in Sdricca di Manzano. The first unit raised from volunteers was officially activated with a live-fire exercise in front of King Victor Emmanuel III on 29 July 1917. Named I Assault Battalion (I Reparto d'Assalto) the successful exercise led to the creation of a second battalion, with both units having their baptism of fire during the Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo on the Banjšice Plateau.[76]
After the success of the Arditi during the Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo all armies were ordered to raise Arditi battalions. However each army raised and employed these battalions in different ways and only after the disastrous Battle of Caporetto did the Italian High Command take control of the formation and use of the Arditi units. Each army corps was to receive an Assault Battalion organized into a battalion HQ, three Arditi companies, three machine gun sections, six machine pistol section, and six flamethrower sections. The Bersaglieri raised three Assault battalions with similar composition.[76]
On 10 June 1918 the I Assault Division was created with three regiment-sized groupings of three Arditi battalions each with assigned HQ. On 25 June 1918 the II Assault Division was raised and the two divisions thus formed the Assault Army Corps (Corpo d'Armata d'Assalto). Each division consisted of three groupings with two assault battalions and a Bersaglieri battalion, with an attached group HQ. Additionally each division fielded one Bersaglieri cyclists battalion, a cavalry squadron, a mountain artillery group, a sapper battalion, and various support units. The six Bersaglieri battalions in the groupings had been deployed to Libya until 28 May 1918. Additionally the corps fielded the Cyclist Assault Reserve Battalion formed on 24 June 1918 from the remaining men of the II, VI, IX, and X cyclist battalions.[11]
The corps's two divisions had the following structure:
| Division | Group | Battalion | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Assault Division[77] (1a Divisione d'Assalto) |
1st Group | X Assault Battalion | |
| XX Assault Battalion | |||
| I Bersaglieri Battalion | 1st Bersaglieri Regiment | ||
| 2nd Group | XII Assault Battalion | ||
| XIII Assault Battalion | |||
| VII Bersaglieri Battalion | 1st Bersaglieri Regiment | ||
| 3rd Group | VIII Assault Battalion | ||
| XX Assault Battalion | |||
| IX Bersaglieri Battalion | 1st Bersaglieri Regiment | ||
| III Cyclists Battalion | 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment | ||
| 5th Cavalry Squadron | Cavalry Rgt. Piacenza (18th) | ||
| IX Mountain Artillery Group | 3rd Mountain Artillery Regiment | ||
| XCI Sapper Battalion | |||
| 2nd Assault Division (2a Divisione d'Assalto) |
4th Group | XIV Assault Battalion | |
| XXV Assault Battalion | |||
| III Bersaglieri Battalion | 8th Bersaglieri Regiment | ||
| 5th Group | I Assault Battalion | ||
| V Assault Battalion | |||
| XV Bersaglieri Battalion | 11th Bersaglieri Regiment | ||
| 6th Group | VI Assault Battalion | ||
| XXX Assault Battalion | |||
| LV Bersaglieri Battalion | Autonomous Battalion | ||
| XI Cyclists Battalion | 11th Bersaglieri Regiment | ||
| 6th Cavalry Squadron | Cavalry Rgt. Piacenza (18th) | ||
| XII Mountain Artillery Group | 3rd Mountain Artillery Regiment | ||
| Sapper Battalion | |||
Geographical Distribution
In 1914 the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment moved its depot from Sanremo to Naples to be closer to its upcoming area of deployment in Libya, while the 5th Bersaglieri Regiment moved from Ancona into the vacant barracks located at Sanremo.
Interwar years
After the war the nine wartime regiments were disbanded and the number of Bersaglieri battalions in the remaining regiments reduced to two per regiment. A new role was seen for the light infantry as part of Italy’s commitment to Mobile Warfare. The post-war Bersaglieri were converted into bicycle troops to fight alongside cavalry in the Celeri (fast) divisions. Elite units with high morale and an aggressive spirit were seen as one way to break such tactical stalemates as the trench warfare of 1915–18. The Bersaglieri gave Italy highly trained formations suitable for service with both cavalry and tanks. When the armoured divisions were formed in 1939, the link between the Bersaglieri and mobile warfare continued. Each new armoured and motorised division was allocated one Bersaglieri regiment.
Interwar Period
A single Bersaglieri regiment, the 3rd Bersagleri, took part in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War in October 1935, invading from Eritrea as part of the 30th Infantry Division Sabauda under General Italo Gariboldi. There, they took part in the Christmas Offensive and the Battle of Amba Aradam, among others. The regiment was detached and sent back to Asmara in March 1936 to join a new unit, the East Africa Fast Column under Achille Starace.
World War II
Italy began the Second World War with twelve Bersaglieri regiments of three battalions each. Over the preceding years the Army had resisted suggestions to dilute the regiment's quality, and recruits continued to be of above-average size and stamina, endured intense physical training and had to qualify as marksmen. During the war an additional Bersaglieri regiment, the 18th, with three battalions was raised, but only one of its battalions saw combat.
- 1st Bersaglieri Regiment (I, VII, IX battalions) – initially III Army Corps; from March 1942: 2nd Cavalry Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro"
- 2nd Bersaglieri Regiment (II, IV, XVII battalions) – garrison unit in Euboea (Greece)
- 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment (XVIII, XX, XXV battalions) – 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta"; served on the Eastern Front
- 4th Bersaglieri Regiment (XXVI, XXIX, XXXI battalions) – garrison unit in Split (Yugoslavia)
- 5th Bersaglieri Regiment (XIV, XXII, XXIV battalions) – 131st Armored Division "Centauro"; destroyed in the Tunisian campaign
- 6th Bersaglieri Regiment (VI, XIII, XIX battalions) – 2nd Cavalry Division "Emanuele Filiberto Testa di Ferro"; from March 1942: 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta" on the Eastern Front
- 7th Bersaglieri Regiment (VIII, X, XI battalions) – 102nd Motorized Division "Trento"; destroyed in the Tunisian campaign
- 8th Bersaglieri Regiment (III, V, XII battalions) – 132nd Armored Division "Ariete"; destroyed in the Tunisian campaign; reformed in July 1943
- 9th Bersaglieri Regiment (XXVIII, XXX, XXXII battalions) – 101st Motorized Division "Trieste"; destroyed in the Second Battle of El Alamein
- 10th Bersaglieri Regiment (XVI, XXXIV, XXXV battalions) – German Division von Broich/von Manteuffel; destroyed in the Tunisian campaign
- 11th Bersaglieri Regiment (XV, XXVII, XXXIII battalions) – 1st Cavalry Division "Eugenio di Savoia"; from early 1942 attached to the 158th Infantry Division "Zara"
- 12th Bersaglieri Regiment (XXI, XXIII, XXXVI battalions) – 133rd Armored Division "Littorio"; destroyed in the Second Battle of El Alamein
- 18th Bersaglieri Armored Reconnaissance Regiment (LXVII, LXVIII, LXIX battalions) – garrison unit in the South of France; in spring 1942 the LXVII battalion was sent to the Eastern Front; remaining regiment joined the 136th Armored Legionary Division "Centauro" on 9 September 1943 in Rome
The Bersaglieri fought in the Italian invasion of France and in the Greco-Italian War, later Bersaglieri regiments were deployed on the Eastern Front. One battalion of Bersaglieri participated in the East African Campaign. Six Bersaglieri regiments served and were destroyed during the North African Campaign.
After the Armistice of Cassibile between the Kingdom of Italy and Western Allies on 8 September 1943, Italy split in half. The Republic of Salò continued the war alongside Nazi Germany. Its Army, the fascist National Republican Army, raised the 1st Bersaglieri Division "Italia", which was attached to the German 14th Army in a sector on the Northern Apennines. The division fought along the Gothic Line, and at the end of the final allied offensive, along with two Wehrmacht and the last fascist divisions, surrendered after the Battle of Collecchio.[78][79][80]
On the other side of the front the Italian Co-belligerent Army raised a Bersaglieri battalion as part of the Combat Group "Legnano" from remnants of the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment.
Cold War
During the Cold War the Bersaglieri were exclusively employed as mechanized infantry. The three active Bersaglieri regiments were assigned to the Army's armored divisions, with the 3rd and 8th regiments fielding two Bersaglieri and one tank battalion, while the 1st Armored Bersaglieri Regiment fielded two tank and one Bersaglieri battalion. Additionally each of the three active tank regiments fielded one Bersaglieri and two tank battalions, while the four armored infantry regiments of the motorized divisions fielded one Bersaglieri and one tank battalion each. Without exception the Bersaglieri battalions were armed with M113 armored personnel carriers.
At the end of 1974 the following Bersaglieri regiments were active:
- 1st Armored Bersaglieri Regiment, in Civitavecchia[81][82]
- Command and Services Company
- I Bersaglieri Battalion
- 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment, in Milan[83]
- Command and Services Company
- XVIII Bersaglieri Battalion
- XXV Bersaglieri Battalion, in Solbiate Olona
- 8th Bersaglieri Regiment, in Pordenone[84]
- Command and Services Company
- III Bersaglieri Battalion
- XII Bersaglieri Battalion
At the end of 1974 the following tank regiments fielded one Bersaglieri battalion:
31st Tank Regiment, in Bellinzago Novarese[85]
32nd Tank Regiment, in Tauriano[86]
- XXIII Bersaglieri Battalion
132nd Tank Regiment, in Aviano[87]
- XXXVIII Bersaglieri Battalion
Together the three Bersaglieri and three tank regiments formed the army's two armored divisions:
Armored Division "Centauro" – 1st Armored Bersaglieri, 3rd Bersaglieri, and 31st Tank Regiment
Armored Division "Ariete" – 8th Bersaglieri, 32nd Tank, and 132nd Tank Regiment
The remaining four active Bersaglieri battalions were assigned to the army's four armored infantry regiments:
3rd Armored Infantry Regiment, in Persano[88][89][90] (Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna")
- IV Bersaglieri Battalion
4th Armored Infantry Regiment, in Legnano[91] (Infantry Division "Legnano")
- II Bersaglieri Battalion
22nd Armored Infantry Regiment "Cremona", in Turin[92] (Infantry Division "Cremona")
- VI Bersaglieri Battalion
182nd Armored Infantry Regiment "Garibaldi", in Sacile[93] (Infantry Division "Folgore")
- XI Bersaglieri Battalion
1975 army reform
During the Italian Army reform of 1975 the regimental level was abolished and battalions became independent units under newly formed brigades. The Army formed the 3rd Mechanized Brigade "Goito" with the regimental command and units of the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment and the 8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi" with the regimental command and units of the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment. Both brigades received one extra Bersaglieri battalion from disbanded armored infantry regiments and both fielded only personnel – with the exception of the tank crews and artillerists – from the Bersaglieri corps.
When the battalions became independent they received the flags and traditions of disbanded Bersaglieri regiments and each battalion was given an honorary name commemorating a significant event in which it had participated: e.g. the 3rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Cernaia" received its honorary name to commemorate the conduct of the battalion during the Battle of the Chernaya in Crimea during the Crimean War in 1855. In the following list of Bersaglieri units active in 1977.
- 1st Bersaglieri Battalion "La Marmora", in Civitavecchia (Mechanized Brigade "Granatieri di Sardegna")
- 2nd Bersaglieri Battalion "Governolo", in Legnano (Mechanized Brigade "Legnano")
- 3rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Cernaia", in Pordenone (8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi")
- 6th Bersaglieri Battalion "Palestro", in Turin (3rd Mechanized Brigade "Goito")
- 10th Bersaglieri Battalion "Bezzecca", in Solbiate Olona (3rd Mechanized Brigade "Goito")
11th Bersaglieri Battalion "Caprera", in Orcenico Superiore (8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi").png.webp)
14th Bersaglieri (Recruits Training) Battalion "Sernaglia", in Albenga (3rd Army Corps)- 18th Bersaglieri Battalion "Poggio Scanno", in Milan (3rd Mechanized Brigade "Goito")
- 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo", in Tauriano (32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli")
26th Bersaglieri Battalion "Castelfidardo", in Maniago (8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi")- 27th Bersaglieri Battalion "Jamiano", in Aviano (132nd Armored Brigade "Manin")
28th Bersaglieri Battalion "Oslavia", in Bellinzago Novarese (31st Armored Brigade "Curtatone")
67th Bersaglieri Battalion "Fagare", in Persano (Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo")
Additionally the Bersaglieri fielded five anti-tank companies, one per Bersaglieri and one per Armored Brigade (Armored brigades "Manin", "Centauro", and "Mameli").
With the end of the Cold War, the Italian army began a reduction in personnel and units which also affected the Bersaglieri. On 1 June 1991 the Mechanized Brigade "Goito" was disbanded, while the Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi" moved to the Southern city of Caserta, as the Army had decided to reduce the number of units in the north of Italy. The Garibaldi arrived in Caserta on 1 July 1991 and changed its name to 8th Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi". Also in 1991, the battalions of the Army were renamed as regiments without changing composition.
Current structure
While in the past the mobility of the Bersaglieri manifested itself in running and the use of bicycles, regiments currently in service are all mechanised with either Dardo or Freccia infantry fighting vehicles. To distinguish them from other infantry units the Bersaglieri collar patches are crimson-red and enlisted troops wear a red fez instead of berets. Officers wear black berets with their standard uniform, but a feathered "vaira" when dressed in ceremonial uniform. They also wear black gloves, while other Italian regiments wear white ones. Originally each Bersaglieri regiment had a band called a "fanfara", who played their instruments at the double while on parade. Today only the Garibaldi Brigade, 6th and 7th Bersaglieri Regiment retain a "fanfara", which are technically brass bands.
Since 1982 Bersaglieri have served as peacekeepers with the Multinational Force in Lebanon, and during the Yugoslav and Somali Civil Wars. Bersaglier units also served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and were repeatedly deployed to serve in the war in Afghanistan. As of 2019 the following Bersaglieri units are in active service:
- 1st Bersaglieri Regiment, in Cosenza as part of the Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi")
- 1st Battalion "La Marmora" (Dardo IFV)
- 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment, in Teulada (Mechanized Brigade "Sassari")
- 18th Battalion "Poggio Scanno" (Freccia IFV)
- 4th Bersaglieri Command and Tactical Supports Unit, in Caserta (Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi")
- 6th Bersaglieri Regiment, in Trapani (Mechanized Brigade "Aosta")
- 6th Battalion "Palestro" (Freccia IFV)
- 7th Bersaglieri Regiment, in Altamura (Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo")
- 10th Battalion "Bezzecca" (Freccia IFV)
- 8th Bersaglieri Regiment, in Caserta (Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi")
- 3rd Battalion "Cernaia" (Dardo IFV)
- 11th Bersaglieri Regiment, in Orcenico Superiore (132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete")
- 11th Battalion "Caprera" (Dardo IFV)
- 2nd Bersaglieri Company "Pantere", in Teulada (part of the 1st Armored Regiment)
- 3rd Bersaglieri Company "Celere", in Solbiate Olona (part of the Tactical and Logistic Support Regiment of the NRDC-ITA Support Brigade)
Bugle calls
In mid-1800 the Bersaglieri were born as light infantry sharpshooters fighting in loose skirmish formations, and specific bugle calls were used to direct the units in the confusion of the battlefield. Each battalion[94] had its own specific bugle call played repeatedly to rally the troops or used as a sort of "address" before tactical bugle calls, to identify who the order was intended for (for example, a composite bugle call could be "1st Bersaglieri" + "Company" + "Right/Nr.3" + "Deploy in open order").
| Regimental Bugle Calls | Tactical Bugle Calls | |
|---|---|---|
Notes
- Traficante, Tony (7 September 2017). "The Bersaglieri: Italy's Spectacular Military Group". ISDA Website. Italian Sons and Daughters of America. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
- Wavell 1968 pp. 90–1
- "Distaccamento Italiano di Palestina". Australian Light Horse Studies Centre. 18 April 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- fiammecremisiguerra1172. "Bersaglieri a Gerusalemme" (in Italian). Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- L'Esercito Italiano nella Grande Guerra 1915–18 – Volume III Tomo 1 – Le Operazioni del 1916 – Gli avvenimenti invernali. Rome: Ufficio Storico – Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito. 1940. p. 10. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 – Vol. Primo – Tomo I. Rome: SME – Ufficio Storico. p. 414.
- "4° Reggimento Bersaglieri". Fronte del Piave. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- L'Esercito Italiano nella Grande Guerra 1915–18 – Volume IV Tomo 1 – L'ampliamento dell'Esercito nell'anno 1917. Rome: Ufficio Storico – Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito. 1940. p. 14. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- L'Esercito Italiano nella Grande Guerra 1915–18 – Volume V Tomo 1 bis – Gli Avvenimenti 1918 dal Gennaio-Giugno. Rome: Ufficio Storico – Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito. 1940. p. 23. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
- L'Esercito Italiano nella Grande Guerra 1915–18 – Volume V Tomo 1 – Gli Avvenimenti 1918 dal Gennaio-Giugno. Rome: Ufficio Storico – Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito. 1940. p. 76. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- L'Esercito Italiano nella Grande Guerra 1915–18 – Volume V Tomo 2 – La conclusione del conflitto 1918. Rome: Ufficio Storico – Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito. 1940. pp. 157–159. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
- F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 – Vol. Primo – Tomo I. Rome: SME – Ufficio Storico. p. 397.
- "1° Reggimento Bersaglieri". Fronte del Piave. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- "1° Reggimento Bersaglieri – La Storia". Esercito Italiano. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 – Vol. Primo – Tomo I. Rome: SME – Ufficio Storico. p. 403.
- "2° Reggimento Bersaglieri". Fronte del Piave. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- "VII Brigata Bersaglieri". Fronte del Piave. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
- F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 – Vol. Primo – Tomo I. Rome: SME – Ufficio Storico. p. 408.
- "3° Reggimento Bersaglieri". Fronte del Piave. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- "3° Reggimento Bersaglieri – La Storia". Esercito Italiano. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- "V Brigata Bersaglieri". Fronte del Piave. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
- F. dell'Uomo, R. di Rosa (2001). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 – Vol. Secondo – Tomo I. Rome: SME – Ufficio Storico. p. 479.
- "5° Reggimento Bersaglieri". Fronte del Piave. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 – Vol. Primo – Tomo I. Rome: SME – Ufficio Storico. p. 419.
- "6° Reggimento Bersaglieri". Fronte del Piave. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
- "6° Reggimento Bersaglieri – La Storia". Esercito Italiano. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
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- Later each regiment.
- Half battalion
References
- Chase, Patrick J. Seek, Strike, Destroy: the History of the 894th Tank Destroyer Battalion in World War II Gateway Press, 1995. Page 90
- Giannasi, Andrea. "Il Brasile in guerra: la partecipazione della Força Expedicionaria Brasileira alla campagna d'Italia (1944–1945)" (in Italian) Prospettiva Editrice, 2004. ISBN 8874182848. Pages 146–48.
- Popa, Thomas A. "Po Valley 1945" WWII Campaigns, United States Army Center of Military History, 1996. ISBN 0-16-048134-1. CMH Pub 72-33.
- Wavell, Field Marshal Earl (1968) [1933]. "The Palestine Campaigns". In Sheppard, Eric William (ed.). A Short History of the British Army (4th ed.). London: Constable & Co. OCLC 35621223.
Further reading
- Triplet, William S. (2000). Ferrell, Robert H. (ed.). A Youth in the Meuse-Argonne. Columbia, Mo.: University of Missouri Press. pp. 47–48. ISBN 0-8262-1290-5. LCCN 00029921. OCLC 43707198.
See also
External links
