The Logistic Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna" (Italian: Battaglione Logistico "Granatieri di Sardegna") is an inactive logistics unit of the Italian Army, which was assigned to the Mechanized Brigade "Granatieri di Sardegna".[1] The regimental anniversary falls, as for all units of the Transport and Materiel Corps, on 22 May, the anniversary of the Italian Army's first major automobile use to transport reinforcements to counter the Austro-Hungarian Offensive at Asiago in 1916.[2]
| Logistic Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna" | |
|---|---|
| Battaglione Logistico "Granatieri di Sardegna" | |
 Battalion coat of arms | |
| Active | 1 Oct. 1975 - 2002 |
| Country |  Italy |
| Branch | Italian Army |
| Type | Military logistics |
| Part of | Mechanized Brigade "Granatieri di Sardegna" |
| Garrison/HQ | Civitavecchia |
| Motto(s) | "Per i primi, con i primi" |
| Anniversaries | 22 May 1916 - Battle of Asiago |
| Insignia | |
| Unit gorget patches |  |
History edit
The battalion is the spiritual successor of the logistic units of the Royal Italian Army's 21st Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna", which participated defended Rome against German forces after the Armistice of Cassibile, that ended the German-Italian alliance of World War II. The battalion is the spiritual successor of the logistic units of the Italian Co-belligerent Army's Granatieri Division, which was active from 15 May to 1 September 1944 and the logistic units of the Italian Army's Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna", which was formed on 1 April 1948 in Rome.[1]
On 1 September 1956 the logistic units of the division were assigned to the newly formed Service Units Command "Granatieri di Sardegna" in Rome. The command consisted of a reserve medical section, a provisions section, a mobile vehicle park, a mobile workshop, and an auto unit. On 1 November 1961 the mobile vehicle park, mobile workshop, and the light workshops of the division's regiments were merged to form the Resupply, Repairs, Recovery Unit "Granatieri di Sardegna".[1]
On 1 January 1972 the Service Units Command "Granatieri di Sardegna" was reorganized as Services Grouping Command "Granatieri di Sardegna" with a command, the Auto Unit "Granatieri di Sardegna", the Provisions Company "Granatieri di Sardegna", the Resupply, Repairs, Recovery Unit "Granatieri di Sardegna", and the reserve Medical Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna".[1]
As part of the 1975 army reform the units of the Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna" was split to form the Motorized Brigade "Acqui" in L'Aquila and as Mechanized Brigade "Granatieri di Sardegna" in Rome. As all of the Granatieri di Sardegna division's logistic units were based in L'Aquila the Service Units Command "Granatieri di Sardegna" received on 1 August 1975 II Services Battalion "Centauro" from the Armored Division "Centauro" in Civitavecchia. This battalion had been formed on 1 November 1964 to support the Centauro's II Armored Brigade "Centauro" in Civitavecchia.[1]
On 1 October 1975 the Service Units Command "Granatieri di Sardegna" assumed a new configuration: command, command and services platoon, Logistic Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna", which had been formed by reorganized the II Services Battalion "Centauro" and parts of the Auto Unit "Granatieri di Sardegna", and the Logistic Battalion "Acqui", which had been formed by merging the "Granatieri di Sardegna" division's Resupply, Repairs, Recovery Unit, Auto Unit, and Provisions Company in L'Aquila. On 31 October 1976 the Service Units Command "Granatieri di Sardegna" was disbanded and the next day the two logistic battalions became autonomous and joined their respective brigades.[1]
The Logistic Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna" received all the traditions of the preceding logistic, transport, medical, maintenance, and supply units of the Granatieri di Sardegna units. The battalion consisted of a command, a command platoon, a supply and transport company, a medium workshop, and a vehicle park.[1] At the time the battalion fielded 651 men (37 officers, 82 non-commissioned officers, and 532 soldiers).[3]
On 12 November 1976 the battalion was granted a flag by decree 846 of the President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone.[4]
On 1 October 1981 the battalion was reorganized and consisted then of the following units:[1]
Battalion Command, in Civitavecchia[1]
- Command and Services Company
- Supply Company
- Maintenance Company
- Medium Transport Company
- Medical Unit (Reserve)
In 1989 the medical unit received an airmobile chirurgical team, which included helicopter-transportable operation rooms in containers.[1]
On 15 May 1996 the Mechanized Brigade "Acqui"'s Logistic Battalion "Acqui" in L'Aquila joined the Granatieri di Sardegna brigade. On 30 June 1996 the Logistic Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna" was disbanded in Civitavecchia and the battalion's flag was sent to L'Aquila, where on the next day the Logistic Battalion "Acqui" was renamed Logistic Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna". In 2002 Logistic Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna" was disbanded and the battalion's flag was transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome.[1]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Primo - Tomo II. Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 385.
- ^ "Arma dei Trasporti e Materiali - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Stefani, Filippo (1989). La storia della dottrina e degli ordinamenti dell'Esercito Italiano - Vol. III - Tomo 2°. Rome: Ufficio Storico - Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito. p. 1190.
- ^ "Decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 12 novembre 1976, n. 846". Quirinale - Presidenza della Repubblica. Retrieved 19 December 2019.