Mechanized Brigade "Aosta"

After Charles Albert of Sardinia ascended to the throne of the Kingdom of Sardinia on 27 April 1831 a major reform of the kingdom's military was started. Thus on 25 October 1831 the Brigade "Aosta" was raised with two infantry regiments.[1] These two regiments were the "His Royal Highness; Fusilier Regiment" (Italian: Reggimento Fucilieri di Sua Altezza Reale) founded on 20 February 1690 and a newly raised infantry regiment. Earlier from 1 November 1815 to 25 October 1831 the "HRH Fusilier Regiment" was already known as "Brigade of Aosta" (Italian: Brigata di Aosta), however in size and function this unit was an infantry regiment with two battalions. Between 1774 and 1799 the "HRH Fusilier Regiment" was known as the "Regiment of Aosta" (Italian: Reggimento di Aosta). After the founding of the Brigade "Aosta" its two regiments consisted of three battalions each: the regiment's 1st and 2nd battalions fielded three companies of fusiliers and one company of grenadiers, while the third battalions consisted of four companies of skirmishers. Later a fourth battalion was added to each regiment and the companies' strength was increased. By 1839 each regiment fielded four battalions, which in turn fielded 4 companies of 250 men each. In 1839 the regiments of the "Aosta" were numbered and renamed as 5th Infantry Regiment Brigade "Aosta" and 6th Infantry Regiment Brigade "Aosta".[1]

The brigade participated in the First Italian War of Independence, fighting in the battles of Santa Lucia, Goito, Pastrengo and Novara, where the brigade's two regiments earned a Silver Medal of Military Valor. In 1855 the brigade provided two battalions for the Sardinian Expeditionary Corps in the Crimean War. In the Second Italian War of Independence the brigade was employed in the battles of Magenta and Solferino. The brigade was awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor for its conduct at Solferino. Furthermore, the IV Battalion of the 5th Regiment was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor for its conduct during the Battle of Aspromonte. In the following years the brigade was employed in Calabria and the region of Salerno to suppress the popular revolt of the peasant population against the annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies into the new Kingdom of Italy. In the Third Italian War of Independence the brigade fought in the Battle of Custoza.

Personnel of the brigade was also employed in the First Italo-Ethiopian War and the Italo-Turkish War.

Monte Rombon

At the outbreak of World War I the brigade was based in the city of Gemona with its two regiments fielding three battalions each and each of the battalions consisting of four companies and a machine gun section. The 6th Regiment was the first to see action on the Italian front when it tried to conquer the Plöcken Pass on 3 July 1916. Afterwards the brigade reinforced by two battalions of Alpini was given the task to conquer Monte Rombon. In 1916 the brigade was engaged in combat in the region of Kras. From 22 to 26 November 1917 the brigade defended the summit of Col della Berretta on the Monte Grappa massif during the Battle of Monte Grappa, which put an end the Austrian offensive after the Battle of Caporetto.

In October 1918 the brigade conquered the summit of Monte Valderoa and held it against repeated Austrian counterattacks. For this last engagement of the war the "Aosta" Brigade's two regiments were awarded their second Gold Medal of Military Valor.

After the end of World War I the brigade moved to Sicily and was garrisoned in the city of Palermo. In November 1926 the brigade assumed the name of XXVIII Infantry Brigade and received the 85th Infantry Regiment "Verona". The brigade was the infantry component of the 28th Territorial Division of Palermo, which also included the 22nd Artillery Regiment. In 1934 the division changed its name to 28th Infantry Division "Vespri". On 20 May 1937 the division ceded the 85th Infantry Regiment "Verona" to the newly raised 60th Infantry Division "Sabratha" in Gharyan in Libya. On the same date the XXVIII Infantry Brigade raised the 76th Infantry Regiment "Napoli" as replacement in Trapani.[1]

On 15 April 1939 the 76th Infantry Regiment "Napoli" was transferred to the newly activated 54th Infantry Division "Napoli" and on the same date the XXVIII Infantry Brigade was dissolved and the two remaining infantry regiments came under direct command of the division, which changed its name to 28th Infantry Division "Aosta".[1]

On 9 July 1943 the Allied invasion of Sicily began and the division was badly mauled by US Army troops during the Battle of Troina in the North of the island. The remnants of the division were evacuated to mainland Italy between 9 and 12 August 1943. After the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces of 8 September 1943 the division was disbanded by German Forces near the city of Trento.[1]

On 20 September 1944 the Italian Co-Belligerent Army formed in Sicily the III and IV internal security brigades with the regiments of the disbanded 47th Infantry Division "Bari". On 14 October 1944 the two brigades entered the newly activated Internal Security Division "Aosta", which was tasked with public duties, demining and airfield protection tasks until the end of the war.

On 15 August 1946 the Internal Security Division "Aosta" was reorganized as Infantry Brigade "Aosta". On 1 September 1946 the regiments of the brigade returned to their old names 5th respectively 6th Infantry Regiment "Aosta" and were based in Messina and Palermo. With the expansion of the Italian Army after World War II the brigade was expanded to a full division on 1 February 1948 and the two "Aosta" infantry regiments were joined by the 46th Infantry Regiment "Reggio" and the 22nd and 24th Field Artillery regiments from the dissolved Infantry Brigade "Reggio".[1] However already on 15 June 1955 the division began to shrink with the disbandment of the 6th Infantry Regiment. The III Battalion of the 5th Infantry Regiment received the colors and traditions of the disbanded regiment. The Division was under the command of the XI Military Territorial Command/Sicily Military Region in Palermo, which had administrative command of all units based in Sicily and was tasked with the defense of the islands of Sicily, Pantelleria and Pelagie.

• Infantry Division "Aosta"
  • 5th Infantry Regiment "Aosta", in Messina
    • I Infantry Battalion
    • II Infantry Battalion
  • 6th Infantry Regiment "Aosta", in Palermo (disbanded on 15 June 1955)
    • III Infantry Battalion (joined the 5th "Aosta" on 15 June 1955)
    • IV Infantry Battalion
  • 45th Infantry Regiment "Reggio", in Catania (disbanded on 15 June 1955)
    • I Infantry Battalion
    • II Infantry Battalion (joined the 46th "Reggio" on 15 June 1955)
  • 46th Infantry Regiment "Reggio", in Palermo (left the division on 31 January 1959)
    • III Infantry Battalion
    • IV Infantry Battalion
  • 22nd Field Artillery Regiment "Vespri", in Palermo
    • I Artillery Group
    • II Artillery Group
  • 24th Field Artillery Regiment "Peloritani", in Messina
    • I Artillery Group
    • II Artillery Group
  • XI Engineer Battalion
  • 11th Signal Company

On 21 February 1961 the division was reduced once more to infantry brigade and consisted now of the 5th Infantry Regiment "Aosta" (with three infantry battalions), the LXII Armored Battalion and the Field Artillery Group "Aosta". The 46th Infantry Regiment "Reggio" became a training unit under direct command of the XI Military Territorial Command. After the reform the structure was as follows:[1]

• Infantry Brigade "Aosta", in Messina[2]
  • 5th Infantry Regiment "Aosta", in Messina[3][4]
    • Command and Services Company, in Messina
    • I Infantry Battalion, in Messina
    • II Infantry Battalion, in Catania
    • III Infantry Battalion, in Palermo
    • Regimental Anti-tank Company, in Messina (anti-tank guided missiles and M47 tanks)
  • LXII Armored Battalion, in Catania (M47 Patton tanks and M113 armored personnel carriers)
  • Field Artillery Group "Aosta", in Messina (M14/61 105mm towed howitzers)[5]
  • Light Aviation Unit "Aosta", at Catania-Fontanarossa Air Base[6] (L-21B Super Cub)
  • Engineer Company "Aosta", in Siracusa
  • Signal Company "Aosta", in Messina
  • Supply, Repairs, Recovery Unit "Aosta", in Messina[7]
  • Transport Unit "Aosta", in Messina[7]

With the 1975 reform the army abolished the regimental level and battalions came under direct command of the brigades. Therefore, on 1 October 1975 the 5th Regiment was disbanded and its three battalions came forthwith under direct command of the Motorized Brigade "Aosta". The new organization of the brigade was therefore:

• Motorized Brigade "Aosta", in Messina[3][8][9]
  • Command and Signal Unit "Aosta", in Messina[3][10]
  • 5th Motorized Infantry Battalion "Col della Berretta", in Messina (former I Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment)[3][4]
  • 46th Infantry Battalion "Reggio" (Recruits Training), in Palermo (former I Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment, disbanded 14 February 1978)[11]
  • 62nd Motorized Infantry Battalion "Sicilia", in Catania (former II Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment)[3][12]
  • 141st Motorized Infantry Battalion "Catanzaro", in Palermo (former III Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment)[3][13]
  • 62nd Armored Battalion "M.O. Jero", in Catania (Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks and VCC-2 armored personnel carriers)[3][14]
  • 24th Field Artillery Group "Peloritani", in Messina (M114 155mm towed howitzers)[3][15][16]
  • Logistic Battalion "Aosta", in Messina[3]
  • Anti-tank Company "Aosta", in Messina
  • Engineer Company "Aosta", in Syracuse

The brigade continued to be under command of the Sicily Military Region (Italian: Regione Militare della Sicilia – R.M.SI.) in Palermo. As the command was tasked with defending the outlying islands of Pantelleria and Pelagie a battalion staff was activated on Pantelleria and Aosta units rotated to the island for garrison duty. Besides the Aosta the following units were part of the XI Military Territorial Command after the reform:[17]

• Sicily Military Region, in Palermo
  • R.M.SI. Command Unit, in Palermo
  • 60th Infantry (Recruits Training) Battalion "Col di Lana", in Trapani (former I Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment)[18]
  • 46th Signal Battalion "Mongibello", in Palermo[19]
  • 30th Light Airplanes and Helicopters Squadrons Group "Pegaso", at Catania-Fontanarossa Air Base[6]
    • Command and Services Squadron
    • 301st Light Airplanes Squadron (SM.1019A planes)
    • 430th Reconnaissance Helicopters Squadron (AB 206 reconnaissance helicopters)
    • 530th Multirole Helicopters Squadron (AB 204B/205 multirole helicopters)
  • 11th Logistics Unit, in Messina
  • 11th Mixed Maneuver Transport Unit, in Palermo (became 11th Transport Battalion "Etnea" on 1 October 1987)[20]
  • 11th Medical Company, in Palermo
  • 11th Provisions Supply Company, in Palermo
  • 11th Army Repairs Workshop Type B, in Palermo
  • Military Hospital Type B, in Palermo
  • Military Hospital Type B, in Messina
  • Garrison Detachment, on Pantelleria island