1st Engineer Regiment (Italy)
Military unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1st Engineer Regiment (Italian: 1° Reggimento Genio) is an inactive military engineer unit of the Italian Army, which was last based in Trento in Trentino. Founded in 1848 it is the oldest engineer regiment of the Italian Army.[1]
1st Engineer Regiment | |
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1° Reggimento Genio | |
Active | 1848 - 1867 1 Jan. 1874 - 31 March 1920 15 Nov. 1926 - 8 Sept. 1943 1 March 1950 - 29 Feb. 1964 1 Jan. 1976 - 31 March 1991 4 Oct. 1993 - 13 Oct. 1995 |
Country | Italy |
Branch | Italian Army |
Role | Combat engineers |
Part of | Alpine Army Corps |
Garrison/HQ | Trento |
Motto(s) | "Ingegno e ardire" |
Anniversaries | 24 June 1918 - Second Battle of the Piave River |
Engagements | First Italian War of Independence Second Italian War of Independence Brigandage in Southern Italy Third Italian War of Independence Capture of Rome First Italo-Ethiopian War Italo-Turkish War World War I Occupation of Constantinople World War II |
Decorations | 1x Silver Medal of Army Valor |
Insignia | |
Sappers gorget patches |
The regiment was formed in 1848 as Sappers Regiment of the Royal Sardinian Army and tasked with training sapper units. The regiment's companies participated in the First Italian War of Independence, Crimean War, Second Italian War of Independence, Third Italian War of Independence, and capture of Rome. After the Italian unification the regiment provided companies or the First Italo-Ethiopian War and two sapper battalions for the Italo-Turkish War. During World War I the regiment's battalions and companies fought in all sectors of the Italian front. After the war the regiment was disbanded, but in November 1926 the regiment was reformed and on this occasion received its own battle flag. During the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and World War II the regiment formed engineer battalions and smaller units for deploying divisions. In September 1943 the regiment was disbanded by invading German forces. During the Cold War the regiment was reactivated as a training unit and then assigned to the IV Army Corps as corps engineer asset. In 1964 the regiment was disbanded, but in 1976 the regiment's flag and traditions were assigned to the 1st Miners Engineer Battalion "Garda", which remained active until 1991. From 1993 to 1995 the regiment was once more active.[1] The regimental anniversary falls, as for all engineer units, on June 24, the end of the Second Battle of the Piave River in 1918.[1]