8th Bersaglieri Regiment
Military unit of the Italian Army
| 8th Bersaglieri Regiment | |
|---|---|
| 8° Reggimento bersaglieri | |
 Regimental coat of arms | |
| Active | 1 Jan. 1871 — today |
| Country |  Italy |
| Branch | Italian Army |
| Part of | Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi" |
| Garrison/HQ | Caserta |
| Motto(s) | "Velox ad impetum" |
| Anniversaries | 18 June 1836 |
| Engagements | Battle of the Chernaya |
| Decorations |         2x Military Order of Italy[1] 2x Gold Medals of Military Valor 1x Silver Medal of Military Valor 5x Bronze Medals of Military Valor 1x Gold Medal of Army Valor 1x Silver Medal of Army Valor 1x Silver Medal of Civil Valor 1x 1908 Messina earthquake Medal of Merit[2] |
| Insignia | |
| Bersaglieri gorget patches |  |
Military unit
The 8th Bersaglieri Regiment (Italian: 8° Reggimento Bersaglieri) is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Caserta in Campania. The regiment is part of the army's infantry corps' Bersaglieri speciality and operationally assigned to the Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi".[3] The regiment was formed in 1871 by the Royal Italian Army with preexisting battalions, which had served in the First Italian War of Independence, Crimean War, Second Italian War of Independence, and Third Italian War of Independence. During the Italo-Turkish War the regiment fought against Ottoman Army forces in Libya. During World War I the regiment served on the Italian front.[4][5]
The regiment is one of the highest decorated units of the Italian Army with two Gold Medals of Military Valor, both of which the regiment earned during the North African campaign of World War II.[2][4][5] The regiment's anniversary falls, as for all Bersaglieri units, on 18 June 1836, the day the Bersaglieri speciality was founded.[3][4][5]
History
On 1 January 1871 the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment was formed in Palermo with the III Battalion, V Battalion, XII Battalion, and XXIII Battalion, which were transferred from the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment. The four battalions were renumbered as I, II, III, and IV battalion upon entering the new regiment. On 16 September 1883 the IV Battalion was transferred to the newly formed 12th Bersaglieri Regiment. On 18 June 1886, all Bersaglieri battalions resumed their original numbering and afterwards the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment consisted of the III Battalion, V Battalion, and XII Battalion:[5]
The III and V battalions had been formed by the Royal Sardinian Army in early 1849 during the First Italian War of Independence. On 23 March 1849, both battalions fought in the Battle of Novara, during which the III Battalion's 9th Company and the V Battalion distinguished themself. Both units were awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor. When the battalions joined the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment the two medal were affixed to the regiment's flag and added to the regiment's coat of arms.[2][4][5]
In 1855 the III Battalion's 9th and 10th companies were assigned to the II Provisional Bersaglieri Battalion, while the V Battalion's 17th and 18th companies were assigned to the III Provisional Bersaglieri Battalion. The two provisional battalions were part of the Sardinian Expeditionary Corps, which fought in the Crimean War. The two battalions fought in the Battle of the Chernaya and the Siege of Sevastopol.[4][5]
In 1859 the III and V battalions fought in the Second Italian War of Independence, during which the III Battalion's 9th Company distinguished itself in the Battle of Solferino and earned its second Bronze Medal of Military Valor.[2][5] The same year the XII Battalion was formed. In 1860-61 the three battalions participated in the Sardinian campaign in central and southern Italy and fought in the Battle of Castelfidardo and Siege of Gaeta. In 1866 the battalions participated in the Third Italian War of Independence and fought in the Battle of Custoza. In September 1870 the XII Battalion participated in the capture of Rome.[4][5]
In 1895-96 the regiment provided twelve officers and 409 troops to help form the I, III, IV, and VI provisional battalions, which were deployed to Eritrea for the First Italo-Ethiopian War. In 1897 the XII Battalion was deployed to Heraklion in Crete as part of the international force, which intervened in the Cretan Revolt. In 1900-01 the regiment's 7th Company, along with companies of the 2nd Bersaglieri Regiment, 4th Bersaglieri Regiment, and 5th Bersaglieri Regiment, was assigned to a provisional Bersaglieri battalion, which served with the Eight-Nation Alliance in China during the Boxer Rebellion. In December 1908 the regiment was deployed to the area of the Strait of Messina for the recovery efforts after the 1908 Messina earthquake. For its service the regiment was awarded the 1908 Messina earthquake Medal of Merit, which was affixed to the regiment's flag. On 1 October 1910 the regiment's depot in Palermo formed the VIII Cyclists Battalion. In 1911, the regiment deployed to Libya for the Italo-Turkish War. The regiment fought in October 1911 and February 1912 at El-Mergèb, and then in May 1912 at Lebda. For its service and conduct in Libya the regiment was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's flag and added to the regiment's coat of arms.[2][4][5]
World War I
Organization
As of 2024 the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment consists of:
The Command and Logistic Support Company fields the following platoons: C3 Platoon, Transport and Materiel Platoon, Medical Platoon, and Commissariat Platoon. The regiment is equipped with tracked Dardo infantry fighting vehicles. The Maneuver Support Company is equipped with M106 120mm mortar carriers and Dardo IFVs with Spike LR anti-tank guided missiles.
See also
External links
- Italian Army Website: 8th Bersaglieri Regiment
References
- ^ "L'Esercito e il 4 novembre". Italian Army. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "8° Reggimento Bersaglieri - Il Medagliere". Italian Army. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ a b "8° Reggimento Bersaglieri". Italian Army. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g "8° Reggimento Bersaglieri". Italian Army. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Primo - Tomo I. Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 429.
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Four-star rank (OF 9)
Three-star rank (OF 8)
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