italian collars

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52nd Torino Field Artillery Regiment: badge and collar patches

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A classic Republic ribbons'bar belonging to a Navy officer, who previously saw actions in Albania and WW2 (four years) and won a medal for military valor and three war crosses

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WW2 medal and collar patch of the 24th Infantry Regiment Como of the Isonzo Division

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WW2 badge and collar patch of the 37th Infantry Regiment of the Ravenna Division

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In Italian historiography, the Engineers’ Assault Sappers have played the lion's share, so I believe it is right to give space also to the Infantry Assault Sappers, who, despite their showy collar patches, are absolutely misunderstood.

The training (six weeks) of these new units began during the war and was entrusted to Colonel Pietro Steiner who led, starting from August 1, 1940, two consecutive training courses at Campo dell'Oro (near the Lake of Bracciano in the area of Civitavecchia - Rome). At the end of 1940 (with as many as 9 companies: 1^st, 2^nd, 7^th and 8^th Coys from the first course; 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th and 9^th from the second course) the famous 30^th, 31^st and 32^nd Assault Engineers’ Battalions were formed. After the two courses of Engineers' Assault Sappers (volunteer personnel), in 1941 the Assault Sappers’ School passed to the training of the Infantry Assault Sappers (no volunteer personnel ). Therefore two distinct schools began to exist: one for the Infantry Sappers in Campo dell'Oro and another for the Engineers’ Sappers led by Colonel Mario Ferrari, at first in Ronchi dei Legionari (near Monfalcone) and then in Banne (near Trieste).

The Infantry Assault Sappers’ School carried out five courses (each with 1000 sappers) and originated:
- 5^th Assault Sappers’ Battalion "Spouse of Death", built with Bergamo and Sassari divisions’ personnel
- 11^th Assault Sappers’ Battalion "Ariete", built with Re and Isonzo divisions’ personnel (CO Major Domenico Proto)
- 1^st Assault Sappers’ Battalion "Spezzareni", built with Assietta and Superga divisions’ personnel
- 2^nd Assault Sappers’ Battalion
- 15^th Assault Sappers’ Battalion "Red Devils", built with personnel coming from two Coys. of the the 1^st and 5^th Border Guard Sectors and from two Coys. of the Cosseria and Modena divisions, which training started on May 7, 1941 (see post no. 1501)

During the war the Infantry Sappers’ units began to be used as Army Corps’ troops. So much so that, the Infantry Assault Sappers’ Battalions carried the number of the Army Corps in red roman numerals in the badges’ roundel. Following the increasingly massive bombings, the school was finally moved to Gubbio (near Perugia). At the moment as a curiosity, there were also Artillery Assault Sappers with a School in Città di Castello (perhaps a detachment of the school of Gubbio?) but here the information are really incomplete.

This is the fate of the various units:
September 8, 1943
5th Infantry Assault Sappers Battalion with the Sassari Division of the Rome Army Corps
The School of the Infantry Assault Sappers (two bns.) with the 12^th Army Corps
ARMIR in Russia
2^nd Infantry Assault Sappers Battalion with the 2^nd Army Corps
15^th Infantry Assault Sappers Battalion with the 35^th Army Corps
(30^th Engineers’ Assault Battalion with the Alpine Army Corps)

The 1st Battalion was decimated in the torpedoing of the steamship Aventino which carried it to North Africa on December 2, 1942 in the shallows’ sea of Skerki.
The 11^th Battalion was assigned to the Livorno division for the defense of Sicily and it was able to ferry the strait at the end of the battle, acting as a rearguard and retreating to Calabria before the armistice.

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With regards to the Engineers’ Assault Sappers, a tribute to the 2^nd-lieutenant Rolando De Angelis, war volunteer and officer of the 31^st Battalion, two silver medals, one bronze medal, one war cross for military valour and Knight of the Order of the Colonial Star, KIA in North Africa on July 17, 1942.

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Nice drawing of a Captain of the 31st Battalion in North Africa

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Corporal (appuntato in the horse troops) of the Savoy Cavalry Regiment in Russia

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Artillery Lieutenant of the 1st Motorized Group, fighting alongside the Allies after the armistice

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Alpine corporal in Russia

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Folgore Paratroopers' lieutenant in El Alamein

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Alpine chaplain in field uniform

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10th (X) Assault Regiment

[Semovente]

As always my good friend superb stuff ...

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Hallo semovente

Many thanks for your appreciated evaluation !!!

Tank crewmen in North Africa