Reggimento “Cavalleggeri Guide” (19º)

Coat of arms 19th Cavalry Rgt.

Reggimento “Cavalleggeri Guide” (19º) is the name of the 19th Cavalry Regiment of the Italian Army , which still has a total of nine such units. The tank reconnaissance regiment is stationed in Salerno ( Campania ) and reports to the Bersaglieri Garibaldi Brigade . With its Centauro- type armored vehicles and Puma- type reconnaissance tanks , it mainly takes on reconnaissance , security and support tasks . The Cavalleggeri Guide regiment maintains the traditions of the Chevaulegers and the Guiden away.

structure

Cavalleggeri Guide is a tank reconnaissance regiment in battalion strength . As a cavalry unit, it is divided into squadrons . In addition to the staff and supply squadron, it has three reconnaissance squadrons and a heavy squadron.

The three reconnaissance units each have eight Centauros , twelve Puma (4x4) and six Cagiva brand motorcycles . The heavy squadron is equipped with 14 Centauros .

In addition, the regimental commander and his deputy each have a Centauro . Overall, the regiment u. a. 40 Centauros and 36 Pumas (as of 2015).

history

Italian unification

In 1848, the Piedmontese army set up three squadrons guides , which were assigned with reconnaissance, liaison and orderly tasks at higher staffs. From these units, the Cavalleggeri di Monferrato cavalry regiment emerged on January 3, 1850 . On April 7, 1859, a new guiding squadron was set up for the aforementioned special tasks. In the course of the unification of Italy in February 1860, the personnel of some comparable units from other Italian states were incorporated into this squadron and this was then expanded into a guide regiment. Later it came as the 19th Chevauleger regiment to the light cavalry , but in contrast to the other Italian regiments of this type, it was allowed to use the name Cavalleggeri Guide as a reminder of the Guiden's origins . The tasks of the earlier guides were taken over by smaller units that set up the various cavalry regiments when necessary.

In the third Italian War of Independence , the Cavalleggeri Guide regiment and the Lancieri di Aosta stood out on June 24, 1866 at the battle of Custozza, which was unfortunate for Italy . It received a high award for its work at Oliosi.

From the end of 1911, parts of the regiment took part in the Italo -Turkish War in Libya . Two squadrons fought at Gargaresch on January 18, 1912. They stayed in North Africa to counter insurgency until early 1913 .

In the world wars

In the First World War, which had Cavalleggeri Guide because of the trench warfare mainly without their horses get along and formed various machine gun units. These units fought on the lower Isonzo until the end of October 1917 . After the breakthrough of the Central Powers at Karfreit , the mounted parts of the regiment at San Vito al Tagliamento covered the retreat of the 3rd Italian Army from the Isonzo to the Piave . The machine-gun units defended river crossings, especially on the Tagliamento . In autumn 1918 the Cavalleggeri Guide took part with their horses in the final Italian offensive on the Piave, which they crossed eastwards on October 30th.

In 1934, as a training regiment , the Cavalleggeri Guide became the center of the gradual transformation of the traditional cavalry into a motorized or lightly armored force. The regiment formed three light tank battalions, which were equipped with tankettes , and a mounted battalion. The three tank battalions were handed over to three fast divisions as support units in 1936 ; units formed later went to support some cavalry regiments on horseback.

During the Second World War , the Cavalleggeri Guide initially took part in the disastrous Italian campaign against Greece , where, however, they distinguished themselves several times at various critical points until April 1941. The regiment stayed in Albania until September 1943 , where it operated mainly against local resistance groups. After the armistice , various units of the regiment in Italy joined the Allies and the Corpo Italiano di Liberazione . On May 3, 1945 they were involved in the capture of Bologna .

post war period

The Cavalleggeri Guide re- emerged from 1949 as a tank reconnaissance unit for the Ariete tank brigade in Friuli, northeastern Italy . In 1963 they provided valuable help in and around Longarone after the Vajont disaster , and in 1976 after a violent earthquake in the region. The Cavalleggeri Guide (mixed mechanized reconnaissance battalion), which had been subordinate to the Mameli tank brigade since 1986 , surrendered their tracked vehicles in 1991 after the brigade was disbanded and were equipped with Centauro armored vehicles. They were relocated from their previous location in Casarsa della Delizia to Salerno in Campania , subordinated to the Bersaglieri Brigade Garibaldi , and there again assumed the name of regiment. In the summer of 1992 the regiment was one of the first to be professionalized in Italy and since then has consisted only of professional and temporary soldiers. Since the early 1990s, the Cavalleggeri Guide have participated in a number of peace missions, mainly in the former Yugoslavia , but also in Iraq and Afghanistan .

Web links