Fanteria di Linea - Line Infantry

The infantry Weapon has always been the image of armies, mass fighting trenches. Today the infantry soldier is a technical fighter, projected into the future, supported by sophisticated weapons systems that make it no longer isolated pawn of a mass of impact but valuable element of a complex weapon system. In these words the metamorphosis of the fighter "line infantry" to his name to the typical sides subsequent lines that operated on 19th-century battlefields.

Currently, seven regiments are framed in the operational units of the army while seven others between battalions and regiments are inserted into training organization of volunteers. A, 28° Regiment "Pavia", changed tasks and structure while maintaining war Flag, name and colors. Traditionally, infantry units are regiment-level fighter order employed by large units (brigades and divisions). The fifteen regiments that we mentioned are now framed in eight large following Units to the right of the page. Their Flags are decorated by 15 crosses of Knight of the military order of Italy, 16 gold medals, 17 silver medals and 6 bronze medals for military valour, 2 gold medals and 2 bronze medals of Valor, Army 4 silver medals of merit, 1 bronze medal of merit of the Italian Red Cross and 1 French war cross with Palm.

The development of new forms of struggle, have made necessary the creation of special branches of infantry, capable of operating in small light nuclei, fast and treacherous as the Bersaglieri, able to move and fight in the mountains like the Alps. Bold enough to use an emergency tool as primary means of input on the battlefield, the paratroopers are the exaltation of the best features of the Fante. Finally specializing in defensive operations and to attack the coastal Lagoon areas, specialty of very young Constitution although fifty already.

A Word to the Tank, infantry specialties from 1927 to 1999, today the cavalry Weapon specialities. Today the weapon of Infantry regiments and its specialities are prepared once more to the classic missions assigned to them. Alongside these, "Queen of the battles" has shown and demonstrated daily its wealth of humanity all latina, in peace support missions that see committed with his men and means.

Originated from Savoy infantry where the first organic units are established in 1619 under Carlo Emanuele I, but only in 1664 will be ordered permanently six regiments, each with the name of one of the provinces of the State, with the exception of the "guards", and with its own order of seniority.

Charles Emmanuel IV, December 9, 1798 following the French occupation of Piedmont, was unanimously acquitted by the oath of allegiance its troops, with the exception of Sardinia's Regiment, stationed on the island. With the restoration of 1814 began the reconstitution of infantry regiments which in total 20 1839 and 1848 campaign consist of four provisional. Over the years the weapon already sorted in two specific, line infantry and Grenadiers, gives rise to new bodies such as Bersaglieri, founded June 18, 1836, and the Alpine, founded October 15, 1872.

With subsequent Ordinances recording a significant increase of staff, which reaches its peak after the Annexations and the territorial expansion of the State, and on the eve of the first world war the regiments of the weapon are 94 plus two of Bersaglieri and 12 grenadiers, 8 Alpine Regiments. During the war the number of regiments up to 244 (21 for the 88 battalions Bersaglieri and Alpini 's) placed in 120 infantry brigades of which four ternary (three infantry regiments). After the conflict, for which all weapon unit receiving military order of Italy, the bulk of regiments formed is dissolved, except those who have earned on the gold medal for military valor.

With the 1926 law, which provides for the ternary Brigades, 90 infantry regiments in life are distributed in thirty Brigades. In 1927 he formed the first speciality departments today, Tanker Cavalry speciality. With the next reform, the army moved to binary Divisions and the weapon of infantry regiments included 119 aligns in 59 Divisions. In the course of the conflict until 1943 43 will be constituted other regiments. Since 1938 he was training in the most daring of the weapon, the paratroopers, who during the war will prove of great value on all fronts that will see them. During the war of liberation pluriarma units taking part in the fighting, 1° motorized Grouping Italian liberation Corps and then six combat Groups ("Friuli", "Lightning", "Legnano", "Mantua", "Cremona" and "Piceno"), with eight auxiliary Division.

After the second world war, the infantry Weapon follows the evolution of armed force. In November 1945 the existing units are placed in the army of transition that within three years will give life to the skeleton of the new armed force. From 1951 the youngest weapon specialities was the light: the Lagunari, amphibious component of the armed forces were formed in Venice. Strongly affected by restructuring of 1975 with the creation of independent Battalions, will be radically transformed during the 1990s. March 23, 1982 Decree also the infantry Weapon receives the flag of war, guarded by the Commandant of the infantry School.