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72-404: Originally the unit, like all Italian tank units, was part of the army's infantry arm, but on 1 June 1999 the tankers specialty was transferred from the infantry arm to the cavalry arm. The battalion's anniversary falls, as for all tank units, which have not yet distinguished themselves on the battlefield, on 1 October 1927, the day the tankers speciality was founded. On 28 August 1941, the depot of

144-526: A command and services company, and three tank companies with M60A1 Patton main battle tanks . Both battalions fielded now 434 men (32 officers, 82 non-commissioned officers, and 320 soldiers). On 12 November 1976 the President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone assigned with decree 846 the flag and traditions of the 32nd Tank Regiment to the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas" and granted

216-565: A new flag to the battalion. In 1977 the battalion replaced its M47 Patton tanks with Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks . In 1986, the Italian Army abolished the divisional level and brigades, which until then had been under one of the Army's four divisions, came forthwith under direct command of the Army's 3rd Army Corps or 5th Army Corps . As part of the reform the Mechanized Brigade "Brescia"

288-644: Is a tank regiment of the Italian Army based in Tauriano in Friuli-Venezia Giulia . The regiment is equipped with Ariete main battle tanks and assigned to the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" . On 15 September 1936 the regiment was formed by the Royal Italian Army as 2nd Tank Infantry Regiment. On 1 December 1938, the regiment was reorganized and reformed as 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment and assigned to

360-616: The 132nd Armored Division "Ariete" as replacement for the VIII Tank Battalion M13/40 , which had been disbanded in July due to the heavy losses it had suffered in the First Battle of El Alamein . From 30 August to 5 September 1942, the battalion participated in the Battle of Alam el Halfa , during which the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment was heavily engaged at El Qattara. On 23 October 1942

432-424: The 1st Tank Infantry Regiment transferred its IV Tank Battalion M to the 2nd Tank Infantry Regiment, the 3rd Tank Infantry Regiment transferred its XXI Tank Battalion L to the 2nd Tank Infantry Regiment, and the 4th Tank Infantry Regiment transferred its V Tank Battalion M to the 2nd Tank Infantry Regiment. On 1 December 1938, the 2nd Tank Infantry Regiment was disbanded and the regiment's command and depot formed

504-404: The 32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli" was disbanded and the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti", and 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo" were transferred to the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" . On 25 August 1992, the 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" was disbanded, while the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas" lost its autonomy. The next day, on 26 August 1992,

576-538: The 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment in Verona formed the XIII Tank Battalion M13/40 (with M standing for Italian : "Medio" or Medium). The battalion was equipped with M13/40 tanks . On 21 November 1941, the battalion was assigned to the 31st Tank Infantry Regiment . In July 1942, the XIII Tank Battalion M13/40 was ordered to Libya , where it was assigned in early August to the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment of

648-540: The Friuli region in Northern Italy and assigned to V Army Corps . The brigade consisted of the following units. On 1 October 1952 the brigade was expanded to full division and consisted of the following units: In 1963, Italian divisions adapted their organization to NATO standards and thus added a brigade level to the division's structure. In the same year, the reconstitution of the 32nd Tank Regiment began. The Ariete

720-580: The Gold Medal of Military Valor . The 3rd Tank Battalion was named for Sergeant Bruno Galas , who, while serving with the III Tank Battalion M13/40 in North Africa, was gravely injured on 1 January 1941 during the Battle of Bardia and died two days later, on 3 January, in an Italian field hospital. On the same date, 1 October 1975, the regiment's V Tank Battalion became an autonomous unit and

792-652: The II Armored Brigade . In January 1941, the regiment deployed to North Africa, where it fought in the Western Desert campaign in Libya and Egypt . In December 1941, the regiment was taken out of the front and its role taken over by the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment . In September 1942, the regiment was reformed and sent to the island of Sardinia . After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943,

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864-510: The Italian Army reform of 1975 the division had the following organization: In 1975, the Italian Army undertook a major reorganization of its forces: the regimental level was abolished, and battalions came under direct command of newly formed multi-arms brigades. The 8th Bersaglieri Regiment became the 8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi" based in Pordenone, the 32nd Tank Regiment became the 32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli" based in Tauriano , and

936-670: The Mechanized Brigade "Mantova" to the Ariete. On 30 November of the same year, the 63rd Tank Regiment was renamed the 132nd Tank Regiment, and the tank unit in Aviano was disbanded. In 1997, the 33rd Tank Regiment of the Mechanized Brigade "Friuli" arrived. When the Mechanized Brigade "Mantova" was disbanded on 30 August of the same year, the Ariete received the 82nd Mechanized Infantry Regiment "Torino" in Cormons . Still, on November 5, 2001,

1008-601: The Montorio Veronese quarter of Verona. Afterwards the regiment consisted of the following units: On 1 February 1939, the II Armored Brigade was disbanded and the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment, 8th Bersaglieri Regiment and newly formed 132nd Armored Artillery Regiment were assigned to the newly formed 132nd Armored Division "Ariete" . On 23 September 1939, the regiment received the III Tank Battalion L from

1080-522: The Second Battle of El Alamein commenced during which the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment clashed repeatedly with British armored formations, but on 4 November the entire Ariete Division was encircled by the 7th British Armoured Division and annihilated. The 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment was declared lost due to wartime events on 20 November 1942, while the XIII Tank Battalion M13/40 was declared lost due to wartime events on 8 December 1942. On 11 April 1961,

1152-699: The 132nd Tank Regiment became the 132nd Armored Brigade "Manin" in Aviano . All three brigades were named for personalities of the First Italian War of Independence . On 1 October 1975, the Ariete took command of the three brigades and additional units to bring it up to full strength. The division also stored the equipment for 16 companies of a second fortification battalion in Latisana , which in case of war would have been filled with reservists and named 74th Infantry Fortification Battalion " Pontida ". On 1 October 1986,

1224-494: The 1975 army reform were named for officers, soldiers and partisans of the tank speciality, who had served in World War II and been awarded Italy's highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valor . The 13th Tank Battalion was named for Lieutenant Luigi Pascucci , who, as commanding officer of the 10th Company of the XIII Tank Battalion M13/40, fell on 5 November 1942 during the Second Battle of El Alamein . The battalion

1296-553: The 1st Tank Infantry Regiment and in turn transferred on 1 November 1939 its CCCXXIII Tank Battalion M to the 1st Tank Infantry Regiment. At the same time the two remaining tank battalions M replaced their Fiat 3000 light tanks with M11/39 tanks . In April 1940 the CCCXXI and CCCXXII tank battalions were renumbered as I and II tank battalions M11/39, while the XXI Tank Battalion L was renumbered IV Tank Battalion L. On 10 June 1940,

1368-410: The 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment as an operational unit for the II Armored Brigade . The same day the new regiment transferred its IV Tank Battalion L and XXII Tank Battalion L to the 1st Tank Infantry Regiment, and its V Tank Battalion L and XI Tank Battalion L to the 3rd Tank Infantry Regiment. Upon entering the new regiment the tank battalion M were renumbered and moved to the regiment's expanded base in

1440-498: The 32nd Tank Regiment is organized as follows: The regiment is equipped with Ariete AMV main battle tanks . Armored Division %22Ariete%22 The 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" ( Italian : 132a Brigata Corazzata "Ariete" ) is currently the only active armored brigade of the Italian Army . Its core units are tank and Bersaglieri regiments. The brigade's headquarters is in Pordenone , and most of its units are based in

1512-487: The 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" a new flag, to which the battalions Silver Medal of Military Valor was affixed. For its conduct and work after the 1976 Friuli earthquake the battalion was awarded a Silver Medal of Army Valor, which was affixed to the battalion's flag and added to the battalion's coat of arms. After the end of the Cold War Italian Army began to draw down its forces: on 1 April 1991,

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1584-551: The 82nd Regiment moved to Barletta in Southern Italy to join the Armored Brigade "Pinerolo" . On 1 December 2000, the Ariete received the 10th Engineer Regiment. When the Armored Brigade "Centauro" disbanded on 5 October 2002, the Ariete received the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment and the 4th Tank Regiment. On 25 November 2009, the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment moved to Sardinia and joined the Mechanized Brigade "Sassari" . In 1998,

1656-479: The Armored Division "Ariete" ceased to exist on 30 September in Pordenone , and the next day in the same location the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" was activated. The new brigade took command of the units of the 132nd Armored Brigade "Manin", whose name was stricken from the roll of active units of the Italian Army. After the end of the Cold War Italian Army began to draw down its forces: on 5 December 1989,

1728-537: The British Eighth Army commenced Operation Crusader and on 19 November the British 22nd Armoured Brigade attacked Bir el Gubi . The Ariete division repulsed the attack and then moved towards Sidi Rezegh , where on 29 November the Ariete pushed the 2nd New Zealand Division back in the Battle of Point 175 . On 6 December 1941, the division headed back to Bir el Gubi, where a second British attack on Bir el Gubi

1800-708: The British Western Desert Force commenced Operation Compass and the II Tank Battalion M11/39 was destroyed on the same day during the British Attack on Nibeiwa . On 13 December 1940, the V Tank Battalion M13/40 embarked in Naples and sailed for Libya. The battalion was assigned on 10 January 1941 to the Special Armored Brigade and arrived on the front on 15 January. On 21-22 January 1941,

1872-646: The CC Tank Battalion SOMUA, which had been formed by the 4th Tank Infantry Regiment and was equipped with captured French SOMUA S35 cavalry tanks . The regiment was assigned to the XIII Army Corps , which was tasked with the defence of the Southern part of the island. In October 1942, the XIII Army Corps assigned the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment to the army corps' Motorized-Armored Grouping and reinforced

1944-561: The I Tank Battalion M11/39 was destroyed during the British capture of Tobruk . On 24 January 1941, the III, V, VI, and XXI tank battalions M13/40 clashed with the British 7th Armoured Division in the action at Mechili . The end for the remnants of the Italian 10th Army came on 6–7 February 1941, when their retreat was blocked by the 7th Armoured Division at Beda Fomm and the furious and futile attempts of

2016-466: The III Tank Battalion M13/40 was awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor , while the V Tank Battalion M13/40 was awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor . Until 1975 both medals were affixed to the 32nd Tank Regiment's flag and displayed on the regiment's coat of arms. When the V Tank Battalion became an autonomous unit in 1975 the Silver Medal of Valor was transferred to the battalion's flag and added to

2088-465: The Italian Army abolished the divisional level, and brigades, which until then had been under one of the Army's four divisions, came forthwith under direct command of the Army's 3rd Army Corps or 5th Army Corps . As the Armored Division "Ariete" carried a historically significant name, the division ceased to exist on 30 September in Pordenone. Still, the next day, the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete"

2160-682: The Italian Army, from the Balkans to Multinational HQs worldwide, including OMLT mentors supporting and advising the Afghan National Army in its struggle against insurgents. The 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" together (the Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi" form the heavy component of the Italian Army . The brigade is part of the Division "Vittorio Veneto" based in Florence. During the 2013 reform

2232-564: The North-East of Italy. The brigade's name comes from the battering ram ( Italian : Ariete ). The brigade draws much of its historical traditions from the 132nd Armored Division "Ariete," which fought in the Western Desert Campaign of World War II . In 1948, the Ariete was reconstituted as a division and remained active until 1986. Today the brigade is part of the Division "Vittorio Veneto" . The 132nd Armored Division "Ariete"

13th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pascucci" - Misplaced Pages Continue

2304-618: The XVI Tank Battalion M14/41, which had been formed by the regiment's depot in Verona and was equipped with M14/41 tanks , and on 27 June with the XVIII Tank Battalion M15/42, which had been assigned to the 33rd Tank Infantry Regiment and was equipped with M15/42 tanks . The regiment had now the following organization: On 8 September 1943, the Armistice of Cassibile was announced and invading German forces disbanded

2376-579: The XXI Tank Battalion of the 182nd Armored Infantry Regiment "Garibaldi" was renamed XIII Tank Battalion. The battalion was based in Sacile and equipped with M47 Patton tanks. During the 1975 army reform the army disbanded the regimental level and newly independent battalions were granted their own flags for the first time. On 15 July 1976, the XIII Tank Battalion was renamed 13th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pascucci". Tank and armored battalions created during

2448-527: The army's drawdown of forces after the end of the Cold War in 1991: from the disbanded Armored Brigade "Mameli" came the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", the 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" and the 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo" and from the 8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi" , which had moved to Caserta in the south of Italy, came the 19th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group " Rialto " and 26th Bersaglieri Battalion "Castelfidardo" , which left

2520-442: The battalion lost its autonomy and entered the reformed 32nd Tank Regiment. Originally the unit, like all Italian tank units, was part of the army's infantry arm, but on 1 June 1999 the tankers specialty was transferred from the infantry arm to the cavalry arm. The battalion's anniversary falls on 8 February, the last day of the Battle of Beda Fomm , during which the remnants of the III Tank Battalion M13/40 continued to fight until

2592-691: The battalion's coat of arms. Due to the deteriorating situation at the Greco-Italian front the IV Tank Battalion M13/40 was sent in January 1942 to Albania , where the battalion was attached to the 31st Tank Infantry Regiment of the 131st Armored Division "Centauro" . On 22 January, the day Tobruk fell , the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment, together with the entire 132nd Armored Division "Ariete", embarked in Naples and sailed for Tripoli in Libya where

2664-539: The breach tanks battalion fielded Fiat 3000 light tanks. In 1938 the regiment received the XXII Assault Tanks Battalion "Coralli" , in Trento . The same year the all Assault Tank Battalions were renamed Tank Battalion L (with L standing for Italian : "Leggero" or Light), while Breach Tanks Battalions were renamed Tank Battalion M (with M standing for Italian : "Medio" or Medium). On 30 November 1938,

2736-521: The brigade already after half a year. In 1992 the brigade received the 2nd (Recruits Training) Battalion "Pordenone", while the 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion moved to Trapani in Sicily to join the Mechanized Brigade "Aosta" . The same year, the brigade's battalions returned to be called regiments, although size and composition did not change. On 31 July 1995, the 63rd Tank Regiment in Cordenons transferred from

2808-643: The brigade transferred the 4th Tank Regiment to the Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi" and received the Regiment "Lancieri di Novara" (5th) from the Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli" . The brigade headquarter is based in Pordenone and as of 4 October 2022 the brigade consists of the following units: All regiments are battalion sized. The tank regiments are equipped with Ariete main battle tanks . The Bersaglieri regiment fields Dardo infantry fighting vehicles . The "Lancieri di Novara " Cavalry regiment

2880-658: The brigade's headquarters, Command and Tactical Support Battalion, and Logistic Battalion were deployed for a tour of duty in Sarajevo ( Bosnia and Herzegovina ) under the provision of the SFOR mandate for Operation Constant Forge. Later, the brigade deployed three times to Kosovo (1999–2000, 2001, 2002) in Operation Joint Guardian and later in Operation Consistent Effort, attached to NATO's Kosovo Force . In 2001,

2952-451: The day Italy entered World War II the regiment consisted of the following operational battalions. On 1 August 1940, the regiment received the I and II tank battalions L from the 1st Tank Infantry Regiment, while transferring its I and II tank battalion M11/39 to the 4th Tank Infantry Regiment, with which the two battalions deployed to Libya for the Italian invasion of Egypt . As replacement

13th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pascucci" - Misplaced Pages Continue

3024-547: The depot of the regiment in Verona formed the III Tank Battalion M13/40, followed on 8 October 1940 by the IV Tank Battalion M13/40 , and on 11 November 1940 the V Tank Battalion M13/40 . Each of the three battalions fielded 37 M13/40 tanks . At the same time the III and IV tank battalions L were disbanded. In fall 1940, the III Tank Battalion M13/40 was sent to Libya to bolster Italian forces in Egypt. On 9 December 1940,

3096-559: The disbanded regiment and formed a depot, which included training and maintenance units. The four battalions, like all tank battalions at the time, were named for infantry officers, who had served in World War I and been awarded posthumously Italy's highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valor . The regiment consisted of the following units after its founding: The assault tanks battalions fielded initially L3/33 tankettes, which were then replaced by slightly improved L3/35 , while

3168-581: The division arrived on 24 January, the day British spearheads engaged the last Italian units in Cyrenaica . After arriving in Libya the regiment was in no shape to contest the British advance as it consisted of the I, II, and III tank battalions L with obsolete L3 tankettes. The first useful M13/40 tanks joined the regiment in late February 1941 with the VII Tank Battalion M13/40 , which the regiment's depot in Verona had formed on 30 January 1941 with

3240-640: The first enlisted women joined the ranks of the brigade. Female NCOs and officers later followed these. In 2002, elements from the 10th Engineer Regiment and 2004, the 132nd Artillery Regiment were deployed to Afghanistan . A significant part of the brigade was deployed to Iraq twice - first in early 2004 and second from late 2005 to early 2006. The latest overseas commitments were two deployments to Lebanon from early October 2007 to Spring 2008, then again in early summer to late fall 2009. Minor contributions of personnel (staff officers and NCOs) have been made. They are being provided to nearly all overseas commitments of

3312-432: The first time their own flags. On 30 September 1975, the 32nd Tank Regiment was disbanded and the next day the regiment's III Tank Battalion became an autonomous unit and was renamed 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas". Tank and armored battalions created during the 1975 army reform were named for officers, soldiers and partisans of the tank specialty, who had served in World War II and been awarded Italy's highest military honor

3384-662: The flag of the 13th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pascucci" was transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome and on 10 December the battalion was reduced to a reserve unit, which was attached to the 63rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Fioritto" of the Mechanized Brigade "Mantova" . On 31 March 1991, the 13th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pascucci" was disbanded. 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment The 32nd Tank Regiment ( Italian : 32° Reggimento Carri )

3456-460: The front on 31 December 1941 and sent to the rear. On 8 January 1942, the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment ceded part of its remaining personnel to help bring the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment back up to strength, and on 16 January 1942 the regiment ceded all of its remaining troops and equipment to the 12th Auto Grouping in Tripoli to form a Tank Training Center. Afterwards the regiment command and flag of

3528-485: The personnel of the disbanded IV Tank Battalion L. The regiment also received an anti-tank company with German 3.7 cm Pak 36 anti-tank cannons. In early April 1941, the VIII Tank Battalion M13/40 formed by the 4th Tank Infantry Regiment arrived in Libya and joined the regiment, which at the time was fighting in Operation Sonnenblume . The battalion joined the regiment on 15-18 May in the area of Sallum , where

3600-559: The personnel of the disbanded battalion was merged into the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", which on the same date entered the reformed 32nd Tank Regiment. Between 29 December 1992 and 15 March 1994 the 32nd Tank Regiment served with the United Nations Operation in Somalia II , for which it was awarded a Bronze Medal of Army Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's flag and added to the regiment's coat of arms. As of 2024

3672-451: The regiment added the XXIII Bersaglieri Battalion, which was equipped with M113 armored personnel carriers. In 1968 the regiment moved from Cordenons to Tauriano and on 1 October of the same year, the headquarter of the II Armored Brigade "Ariete" was disbanded and the regiment came under direct command of the division. During the 1975 army reform the army disbanded the regimental level and newly independent battalions were granted for

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3744-436: The regiment joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army . In March 1944, the regiment was split to reform the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment. Both regiments were disbanded at the end of August 1944. The regiment was reformed in 1964 and assigned to the Armored Division "Ariete" . In 1976 the regiment's flag and traditions were assigned to the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", which had become an autonomous unit on 1 October 1975. In 1992

3816-486: The regiment left Libya and returned to Verona, where they arrived on 20 February 1942. On 20 September 1942, the regiment's command company was reformed and the regiment was transferred to Sanluri on the island of Sardinia , where the regiment was assigned the II Tank Battalion L, which had been part of the 33rd Tank Infantry Regiment and was equipped with L3/35 tankettes, the XIII Tank Battalion L, which had been based in Sardinia since its formation there in 1939, and

3888-427: The regiment split and the next day, on 21 March 1944, the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment was reformed in Sanluri. The 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment now consisted of the following units: On 15 May 1944, the Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna" was reformed in Sardinia and the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment and 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment were assigned to the division. On 27 August 1944, the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment

3960-429: The regiment was held in reserve during the British Operation Brevity . The regiment then participated in the Siege of Tobruk . On 21 July 1941 by the IX Tank Battalion M13/40 formed by the 3rd Tank Infantry Regiment arrived at the front and joined the regiment. As the regiment's L3/35 tankettes were useless Ariete division commander General Ettore Baldassarre demanded repeatedly to be sent M13/40 tanks to re-equip

4032-418: The regiment with four Motorcycle Machine Gunners companies. In November 1942, the XIII Tank Battalion L participated in the occupation of Corsica , which was part of the German-Italian Operation Anton to occupy Vichy France . During the year 1943, the regiment was reinforced on 23 March with the DLXI Self-propelled Battalion 75/18, which was equipped with Semovente 75/18 self-propelled guns, on 6 May with

4104-419: The regiment's depot in Verona, while the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment remained passive as the German 90. Panzergrenadier-Division and other German forces evacuated Sardinia. The regiment remained in Sardinia and joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army . As Italian forces had to leave Corsica the regiment received three tank and self-propelled battalions, which had been based on the French island. On 20 March 1944,

4176-415: The regiment's three tank battalions L or be sent additional tank battalions M. Ultimately the High Command in Rome settled on a plan to repatriate the men of the three tank battalions L and retrain them at the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment's depot in Verona. Therefore on 15 June 1941 the depot of the 4th Tank Infantry Regiment formed the command and a command company of the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment , which

4248-414: The same year the regiment formed the III Tank Battalion and the V Tank Battalion. The two battalions were equipped with M47 Patton tanks. On the same day the Gold Medal of Military Valor awarded to the III Tank Battalion M13/40 and the Silver Medal of Military Valor awarded to the V Tank Battalion M13/40 were affixed to the regiment's flag and displayed on the regiment's coat of arms. On 20 October 1964,

4320-414: The tank battalions to open a breach in the British line during the Battle of Beda Fomm came to naught. With 7 February 1941 the 10th Army with all its units and all the reinforcements sent to it had been destroyed or captured by the British XIII Corps . On 8 February 1941, the III and V tank battalions M13/40 were declared lost due to wartime events. For their valor and sacrifice during Operation Compass

4392-490: The total annihilation of the battalion. On 1 October 1927, the Royal Italian Army reorganized its Armed Tanks Formation Center in Rome and formed the Armed Tanks Regiment ( Italian : Reggimento carri armati ) as central training unit for the army's tank battalions. On 15 September 1936, the Armed Tanks Regiment was split into four tank infantry regiments, which had training and administrative functions only: The 2nd Tank Infantry Regiment received four battalions from

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4464-436: Was 3,381 men (214 Officers, 516 non-commissioned officers, and 2,651 soldiers), and it was initially composed of the following units: On 10 January 1991, the brigade disbanded the 10th Tank Battalion and the 20th Artillery Group. In December 1989, the 13th Tank Battalion was reduced to a reserve unit and transferred to the Mechanized Brigade "Mantova" . As a replacement, the brigade received units from brigades disbanded during

4536-446: Was activated in the exact location. The new brigade took command of the units of the 132nd Armored Brigade "Manin" , whose name was stricken from the roll of active units of the Italian Army. The brigade came under direct command of the 5th Army Corps . The 5th Army Corps was tasked (with defending the Yugoslav -Italian border against possible attacks by either the Warsaw Pact , Yugoslavia , or both. The brigade's authorized strength

4608-415: Was assigned to the Mechanized Brigade "Brescia" and consisted of a command, a command and services company, and three tank companies with M47 Patton tanks. The battalion fielded now 434 men (32 officers, 82 non-commissioned officers, and 320 soldiers). In 1976 the battalion moved from Sacile to Cordenons and on 12 November 1976 the President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone granted with decree 846

4680-404: Was disbanded, followed on 31 August by the division and 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment. The regiment's personnel was used to form the 514th Guards Battalion, which guarded British Eighth Army installation during the Italian campaign . On 1 March 1964, the 32nd Tank Regiment was reformed in Cordenons and assigned to the II Armored Brigade "Ariete" of the Armored Division "Ariete" . On 1 July of

4752-400: Was formed in February 1939. In December 1940, the division was sent to Libya to fight in the Western Desert Campaign . The division was destroyed in the Second Battle of El Alamein and declared lost due to wartime events on 8 December 1942. On 23 May 1948, the Italian Army raised the Armored Brigade "Ariete" at Forte Pietralata in Rome . The same year, it was transferred to Pordenone in

4824-409: Was immediately sent to Libya, where the regiment joined the 132nd Armored Division "Ariete". On 31 August 1941, the VII, VIII, and IX tank battalions M13/40 left the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment and the next day, on 1 September 1941, the three battalions joined the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment. The regiment then continued to fight in North Africa with only its three tank battalions L as the return to Italy

4896-426: Was now organized as follows: On 1 October 1968, the brigade headquarters were disbanded, and the divisions returned to their former structure. The "Ariete" was part of the 5th Army Corps based in North-Eastern Italy. The 5th Army Corps was tasked (with defending the Yugoslav -Italian border against possible attacks by either the Warsaw Pact , Yugoslavia , or both. The Ariete was the corps' armored reserve. Before

4968-401: Was renamed 5th Tank Battalion "M.O. Chiamenti" , while the XXIII Bersaglieri Battalion became an autonomous unit and was renamed 23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo" . The three battalions were assigned to the 32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli" , which was formed on the same day by reorganizing the command of the 32nd Tank Regiment. Each of the two tank battalions consisted now of a command,

5040-430: Was repeatedly postponed. On 28 August 1941, the depot of the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment formed the XIII Tank Battalion M13/40 , which was assigned to the 31st Tank Infantry Regiment . In October 1941, the regiment contributed with some of its personnel to the formation of the LII Tank Battalion M13/40, which was formed in Libya and assigned to the Maneuver Army Corps as corps reconnaissance asset. On 18 November 1941,

5112-414: Was repulsed. The same day General Erwin Rommel ordered his forces to retreat to the Gazala line , where in December the Ariete continued the fight against the British advance. During the night of 15-16 December Axis forces abandoned the Gazala line and retreated to El Agheila . The Ariete division had lost 76% of its personnel during Operation Crusader and the 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment was taken out of

5184-473: Was transferred from the Mechanized Division "Mantova" to the 3rd Army Corps. Consequently the 13th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pascucci", which was based within the area of operations of the 5th Army Corps, was transferred on 1 August 1986 from the Mechanized Brigade "Brescia" to the 132nd Armored Brigade "Manin" of the Armored Division "Ariete" . As the latter division carried a historically significant name ,

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