The 1st Bersaglieri Regiment () is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Cosenza in the Calabria region. The regiment is part of the Italian infantry corps' Bersaglieri speciality and operationally assigned to the Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi". The regiment is the most often decorated unit of the Italian Army with 14 medals for military valor. The regiment was formed in 1861 by the Royal Italian Army with preexisting battalions. During World War I the regiment's battalions served initially in Libya and then on the Italian front.
During World War II the regiment fought in the Greco-Italian War and then in the Invasion of Yugoslavia. In 1942 the regiment participated in the Case Anton, occupation of Vichy France. The regiment was disbanded by German forces after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943. In 1953 the regiment was reformed and in 1958 it was assigned to the Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna". In 1964 the regiment was transferred to the Armored Division "Centauro". In 1975 the regiment returned to the Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna". In 1976 the regiment was disbanded and its flag and traditions assigned to the 1st Bersaglieri Battalion "La Marmora". The regiment was reformed in 1995. Between 2000 and 2005 the regiment was without personnel. In 2005 the 18th Bersaglieri Regiment of the Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi" was renamed 1st Bersaglieri Regiment. The regiment's anniversary falls, as for all Bersaglieri units, on 18 June 1836, the day the Bersaglieri speciality was founded.
History On 16 April 1861 the 1st Army Corps Bersaglieri Command was formed in Cuneo and assigned to the I Army Corps. The command had purely administrative functions and consisted of the preexisting I, IX, XIII, XIX, XXI, and XXVII battalions, and the I Bersaglieri Depot Battalion. On 31 December 1861 the command was renamed 1st Bersaglieri Regiment, but continued to exert only administrative functions. On 18 December 1864 the Bersaglieri regiments were reduced from six to five and consequently the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment was disbanded and its VI and VII battalions were transferred to the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment. In 1866, in preparation for the Third Italian War of Independence, the regiment formed the XLI Battalion, which was disbanded in December 1870.
On 1 January 1871 the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment was reorganized as an operational regiment with the I Battalion, VII Battalion, IX Battalion, and XXVII Battalion, while the VI Battalion, XIII Battalion, XIX Battalion, and XXI Battalion were transferred to the reformed 6th Bersaglieri Regiment. The four remaining battalions were renumbered as I, II, III, and IV battalion. On 16 September 1883 the IV Battalion was transferred to the newly formed 11th Bersaglieri Regiment. On 18 June 1886, all Bersaglieri battalions resumed their original numbering and afterwards the 2nd Bersaglieri Regiment consisted of the I Battalion, VII Battalion, and IX Battalion.
The I Battalion had been formed by the Royal Sardinian Army in 1848 and included the 1st Company, which had been formed in July 1836 and was the Bersaglieri speciality's oldest company. In 1848 the battalion fought in the First Italian War of Independence. On 6 May 1848, during the Battle of Santa Lucia, the battalion's 1st Company distinguished itself fighting inside the walls of the city of Verona. For this the 1st Company was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor. On 18 June 1848, the battalion's 3rd Company, which had been formed with volunteer students, distinguished itself fighting on Monte Baldo and was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor. On 22–25 July the battalion's 1st Company distinguished itself in the Battle of Custoza and was awarded its second Bronze Medal of Military Valor. On 5 April 1849 the battalion's 2nd Company and 4th Company helped crush the revolt of the citizens of Genoa against the Sardinian occupation. Each of the two companies was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor for the suppression of the revolt. All five Bronze Medals of Military Valor were affixed to the flag of the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment and added to the regiment's coat of arms, when the I Battalion joined the regiment.
In 1849 the Royal Sardinian Army formed the VII Battalion and in 1850 the IX Battalion. In 1855 the I Battalion's 1st and 2nd companies were assigned to the I Provisional Bersaglieri Battalion, while the VII Battalion's 25th and 26th companies were assigned to the IV Provisional Bersaglieri Battalion, and the IX Battalion's 33rd and 34th companies were assigned to the V Provisional Bersaglieri Battalion. The three provisional battalions were part of the Sardinian Expeditionary Corps, which fought in the Crimean War. The battalions fought in the Battle of the Chernaya and the Siege of Sevastopol.
In 1859 the three battalions participated in the Second Italian War of Independence. On 21–25 May 1859 the VII Battalion distinguished itself during the crossing of the Sesia river and the advance towards Palestro and Borgo Vercelli. Five days later, on 30–31 May 1859, the VII Battalion displayed exceptional bravery during the Battle of Palestro. For the crossing of the Sesia and advance to Palestro the VII Battalion was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor and for its conduct in the Battle of Palestro the VII Battalion was awarded Gold Medal of Military Valor. Both medals were affixed to the flag of the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment and added to the regiment's coat of arms, when the VII Battalion joined the regiment. On 24 June 1859 the three battalions fought in the Battle of Solferino, during which the I Battalion distinguished itself and was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the flag of the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment and added to the regiment's coat of arms, when the battalion joined the regiment.
In 1860 the three battalions participated in the Sardinian campaign in central and southern Italy, during which the IX Battalion's 35th Company distinguished itself during the storming of the fortress of Spoleto. For this the company was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the flag of the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment and added to the regiment's coat of arms, when the battalion joined the regiment. On 2 October 1860, the I Battalion fought with Giuseppe Garibaldi's Redshirts in the Battle of the Volturno against the troops of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. In 1861, after the conquest of Southern Italy, the VII Battalion was awarded Bronze Medal of Military Valor for its conduct during the campaign. The same year the IX Battalion was awarded Bronze Medal of Military Valor for having suppressed the anti-Sardinian revolt in Abruzzo after region had been annexed, along with the rest of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, by the Kingdom of Sardinia. Both medals were affixed to the flag of the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment and added to the regiment's coat of arms, when the two battalions joined the regiment.
In 1866 the battalions participated in the Third Italian War of Independence, during which the battalions fought in the Battle of Custoza and at Borgoforte. In 1887-88 the regiment's 6th Company was deployed to Eritrea for the Italo-Ethiopian War of 1887–1889. In 1895-96 the regiment provided 12 officers and 274 troops to augment units fighting in the First Italo-Ethiopian War. On 1 October 1910 the regiment's depot in San Remo formed the I Cyclists Battalion. In 1911, the regiment provided 4 officers and 454 troops to augment units fighting in the Italo-Turkish War.
World War I
At the outbreak of World War I the regiment consisted of the I, VII, and IX battalions and the I Cyclists Battalion, which operated as an autonomous unit throughout the war. On 5 January 1915 the depot of the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment in Naples formed the LV Battalion, which operated as an autonomous unit. On 19 May 1915 the entire regiment, including the LV Battalion, but not the I Cyclists Battalion, was sent to Italian Libya on occupation duty. While the regiment landed in Tripolis, the LV Battalion disembarked in Misrata. On 24 February 1916, the regiment's command returned to Italy and its three battalions became autonomous units. On 23 April 1917 the three battalions formed a provisional company of 300 men for the Italian Palestine Detachment, which also included with 100 Carabinieri. The Italian troops arrived on 19 May 1917 in Port Said in Egypt and fought in the Sinai and Palestine campaign. During the Third Battle of Gaza the Italian Detachment was assigned to the division-sized Composite Force and defended the allied position at Khan Yunis.
On 27 April 1917 the regiment's depot in Naples formed the regimental command of the 21st Bersaglieri Regiment. The new regiment received three replacement battalions, which had been formed earlier by the depot of the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment. Upon entering the regiment the three battalions were renumbered as LXXIII, LXXIV, and LXXV battalions. On 15 May 1918 the I, VII, and IX battalions returned to Italy, followed by the LV Battalion, which left Libya on 31 May. Initially the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment was reformed as a complete unit, but already on 24 June, the day the Austro-Hungarian Army commenced the Second Battle of the Piave River, the regiment's battalions became autonomous again and were assigned to the 1st Assault Division, which also included Arditi battalions. Likewise the LV Battalion was assigned to the 2nd Assault Division.
For the Battle of Vittorio Veneto the 1st Assault Division was given the task to force the Piave river and create a bridgehead on the Northern shore between the villages of Moriago and Sernaglia. The battle commenced on 24 October 1918 and on 27 October the 1st Assault Division crossed the Piave. Initially the division made good progress, reaching as far as Falzè di Piave, before Austro-Hungarian counterattacks forced the division back to Moriago and Fontigo, but by then the Austrian-Hungarian lines had already been breached and by 30 October the division was on the move to Vittorio Veneto.
The I Cyclists Battalion fought in 1915 in the First Battle of the Isonzo at Fogliano, and then during the Third Battle of the Isonzo at San Martino del Carso. On 15 May 1916, Austro-Hungary commenced the Battle of Asiago. Four days later the battalion was transferred as reinforcements to the Asiago plateau. In the following days the battalion suffered 206 casualties. On 17 June 1916, the battalion was taken out of the front and disbanded the following day, with the remaining personnel assigned to the 14th Bersaglieri Regiment. On 12 July 1916, the I Cyclists Battalion was reformed. In October 1916 the battalion was deployed on Monte Pasubio. On 9 October the battalion attempted to conquer the Coston di Lora and the next day carried out attacks on the Alpe di Cosmagnon, for these actions, the battalion was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the flag of the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment and added to the regiment's coat of arms.
In spring 1917 the battalion was transferred back to the Izono front for the Tenth Battle of the Isonzo, during which the battalion fought at Opatje Selo. After the Battle of Caporetto the battalion fought delaying actions at Lestans and then Sequals and then retreated, along with the remainder of the Italian armies, behind the Piave river. In June 1918, the battalion fought during the Second Battle of the Piave River at Losson and then was tasked with liberating Capo d'Argine. However the battalion advanced past Capo d'Argine and reached the Piave river at Croce. During the Battle of Vittorio Veneto the battalion was assigned to the VII Cavalry Brigade, with which it pursued the fleeing enemy to San Odorico.
Interwar years