The Ferrovieri Engineer Regiment (Italian: Reggimento Genio Ferrovieri) is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Castel Maggiore in the Emilia Romagna. The regiment is assigned to the army's Engineer Command and is the Italian Army's only unit capable of constructing and operating railways. The term "Ferrovieri" comes from the Italian word for railway (Italian: Ferrovia) and is used to denote units of the engineer arm tasked with the construction, restoration, maintenance, and operation of railways. Enlisted personnel in such units is addressed by the singular form: "Ferroviere".[2][3][4]
In 1873, the Royal Italian Army formed the first Italian Ferrovieri companies, which were tasked with the construction and repair of railways. In 1891, the first railway operations companies were formed. In 1910, the Ferrovieri units were used to form the 6th Engineer Regiment (Ferrovieri). During World War I the regiment's depots formed numerous units, which built and operated railways along the Italian front. In 1919, the regiment was renamed Ferrovieri Engineer Regiment. During World War II the regiment formed ten Ferrovieri battalions and three Pontieri battalions, as well as three railway operations groups. One of the Ferrovieri battalions served in the Western Desert campaign and Tunisian campaign, while two Ferrovieri battalions served with the Italian Army in Russia during the Italian campaign on the Eastern Front. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the regiment was disbanded by invading German forces, while the Ferrovieri units in Southern Italy joined the Italian Co-Belligerent Army. These units repaired and operated railway lines, which supported the advance of the allied15th Army Group during the Italian campaign. In 1957, the regiment was reformed and included a Ferrovieri battalion and an operations battalion. In 2017, the two battalions merged into a single unit.[3][4] The regiment's anniversary falls, as for all engineer units, on 24 June 1918, the last day of the Second Battle of the Piave River.[2]
History
Formation
In 1859, during the Second Italian War of Independence, the first use of railways for military purposes occurred in Italy, when personnel of the 1st Engineer Regiment was operated railways to transport French and Sardinian troops.[3] On 30 September 1873, the Italian government ordered that the Royal Sardinian Army's Sappers Corps should be split into two regiments and each of the two new regiments should include two Ferrovieri companies. On 1 January 1874, the Sappers Corps was split into the 1st Engineer Regiment and 2nd Engineer Regiment. The former regiment included one Ferrovieri Company, while the latter regiment included two Ferrovieri companies. The three companies were based in Turin and grouped together in the Ferrovieri Brigade, which was tasked with training the personnel of the two regiment's Ferrovieri companies. On 1 November 1877, the second Ferrovieri Company for the 1st Engineer Regiment was formed in Turin. On 1 November 1883, the four Ferrovieri companies were assigned to the Ferrovieri Brigade, which on the same date joined the newly formed 3rd Engineer Regiment. On 23 June 1887, the 3rd Engineer Regiment transferred the Ferrovieri Brigade to the 4th Engineer Regiment.[4][5]
In 1891, the Ferrovieri Brigade took over the operation of the Torino-Torre Pellice/Barge railway, which resulted in a reorganization of the brigade: the 1st and 3rd companies were reorganized as operations companies, while the 2nd and 4th companies were organized as construction companies. On 1 July 1895, the Ferrovieri Brigade became an autonomous unit and added the 5th and 6th construction companies. Afterwards the brigade's six companies were group into two Ferrovieri groups. In 1903, the I Ferrovieri Group, which consisted of the 1st Operations Company and 2nd Construction Company, moved to Rome. In September 1906, the brigade formed a Motorists Section in Turin. Between September 1907 and September 1910 the I Ferrovieri Group operated the Rome–Frascati railway.[4][5]
In October 1910, the Ferrovieri Brigade was renamed 6th Engineer Regiment (Ferrovieri). The new regiment consisted of a staff, a Ferrovieri battalion with four companies in Turin, a Ferrovieri battalion with two companies in Rome, a motorists battalion with two companies in Turin, a railway operations section in Turin, which operated the Turin-Pinerolo railway, a depot in Turin, and a branch depot in Rome.[4][6] The regiment's oldest and thus senior company, the 1st Operations Company, had been active as 6th Sappers Company during the Second Italian War of Independence and the following Sardinian campaign in central and southern Italy. On 20 October 1860, during the latter campaign, the 6th Sappers Company distinguished itself in Battle of Macerone Pass and was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor, which, upon the regiment's formation, was affixed to the regiment's flag.[1]
In 1912, the regiment's two motorists companies became responsible to train the personnel of the photo-electrical service, which operated searchlights. In December 1913, the branch depot in Rome formed the Special Photo-Electrical Section, which trained personnel of the army's artillery arm in the use of searchlights. In 1914, the Special Photo-Electrical Section was transferred to the Artillery Arm's newly formed Artillery Specialists Group.[4]
World War I
During World War I battalions and companies formed by the regiment operated in all sectors of the Italian front. In total the regiment's depot and branch depot formed three Ferrovieri battalions and 16 Ferrovieri companies, nine decauville operations companies, seven photo-electricians battalions and 36 photo-electricians companies. The two depots also formed 26 territorial photo-electricians sections which operated more than 1,200 searchlight stations.[4] During the war Ferrovieri units built 91mi (147km) of railway, 373mi (600km) of decauvilletrench railways, and repaired 144 bridges.[3][6]
On 21 November 1919, the 6th Engineer Regiment (Ferrovieri) was renamed Ferrovieri Engineer Regiment. At the time the regiment consisted of command, the I Ferrovieri Battalion with four companies in Turin, the II Ferrovieri Battalion with two companies in Treviso, a railway operations section in Turin, a depot in Turin, and a branch depot in Treviso. The Railway Operations Section operated the Chivasso–Ivrea–Aosta railway since 1915. In April 1920, the photo-electricians units were assigned to newly formed army corps telegraphers battalions.[4]
In November 1921, the 2nd Railway Operations Section was formed in Meran, which operated the Bolzano-Meran-Mals railway. In 1923, the two sections were united in the Operations Group. On 11 March 1926, the Ferrovieri Engineer Regiment was renamed Ferrovieri Regiment. On 25 April 1932, the 2nd Railway Operations Section was disbanded and the regiment then only operated the Chivasso–Ivrea–Aosta railway.[4]
1st Ferrovieri Grouping: I, VII, and VIII Ferrovieri battalions
2nd Ferrovieri Grouping: III, VI, and XIII Ferrovieri battalions, and III Railway Operations Group
3rd Ferrovieri Grouping: IV and X Ferrovieri battalions, and II Railway Operations Group
4th Ferrovieri Grouping: V and IX Ferrovieri battalions, and I Railway Operations Group
During the war, the VII Ferrovieri Battalion served in the Western Desert campaign and Tunisian campaign. The IX and X Ferrovieri battalions served on the Eastern Front,[7] where the X Ferrovieri Battalion fought in the Battle of Arbuzovka as infantry, earning the battalion a War Cross of Military Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's flag and is depicted on the regiment's coat of arms.[4][1] In 1941, the IV Ferrovieri Battalion's 9th Ferrovieri Company built a combined road and rail bridge over the Corinth Canal, using an Austrian Roth-Waagner-Brückengerät. The same battalion repaired the bridge over the Gorgopotamos river after the British-Greek Operation Harling had successfully destroyed the bridge on 25 November 1942.[8] Another bridge repaired by the regiment's troops was the Stampetta Bridge in Slovenia. The III and VI Ferrovieri battalions served during the campaign in Sicily.[4]
On 8 September 1943, the Armistice of Cassibile was announced and the regiment and most of its units were disbanded by invading German forces. However, the regiment's units in Southern Italy were unaffected by the German invasion of Italy and thus able to join the Italian Co-Belligerent Army, which assigned them to the Ferrovieri Grouping. The grouping repaired and operated railway lines, which transported supplies and materiel for the allied 15th Army Group fighting its way up the Italian peninsula during the Italian campaign. Initially the Ferrovieri Grouping consisted of the I and XIII Ferrovieri battalions, which were later joined by the II, III, and VI Ferrovieri battalions. The Ferrovieri repaired, and at times also operated, the Naples-Reggio Calabria, Naples-Caserta, Naples-Rome, Rome-Pisa, Rome-Florence, Bari-Ancona-Bologna, and Bologna-Verona railways. The grouping was disbanded on 1 November 1945, and only two of its dismountable metal bridges companies remained active. After the war, the two companies built 23 bridges and dismantled 13, which had been partially destroyed during the war. In 1947, the two companies were used to form a Ferrovieri Battalion in Castel Maggiore.[4]
Cold War
In 1949, the a Railway Operations Section was reformed in Turin, which once again took over operation of the Chivasso–Ivrea–Aosta railway. The section was quickly expanded to Railway Operations Company. On 15 December 1949, the Ferrovieri Battalion in Castel Maggiore and the Railway Operations Company in Turin were assigned to the reformed 2nd Pontieri Engineer Regiment. On 1 January 1954, the Ferrovieri Battalion became an autonomous unit, which on 1 October 1957, was used to reform the Ferrovieri Engineer Regiment. On the same day, the 2nd Pontieri Engineer Regiment transferred the II Pontieri Battalion in Legnano and the Railway Operations Company in Turin to the Ferrovieri Engineer Regiment. The reformed regiment was assigned to the Tuscan-Emilian Military Region and consisted at the time of a command, a command company, the I Ferrovieri Battalion, the II Pontieri Battalion, the Railway Operations Company, and the 3rd Dismountable Metal Bridges Company. On 1 January 1962, the regiment received the VI Army Corps Engineer Battalion from the VI Army Corps. In 1963, the 3rd Dismountable Metal Bridges Company was disbanded. On 1 February 1964, the II Pontieri Battalion was returned to the 2nd Pontieri Engineer Regiment. On 1 July 1965, the Railway Operations Company was expanded to Railway Operations Battalion.[3][4][6]
As part of the 1975 Italian Army reform the VI Army Corps Engineer Battalion was disbanded on 31 October 1975. During the reform the regiment was transferred from the Tuscan-Emilian Military Region to the Engineering Inspectorate. After the reform the regiment's organization was as follows:[3][4][6]
On 8 October 1977, flood waters of the Toce river swept the railway bridge of the Domodossola–Milan railway between Fondotoce and Feriolo away and the Ferrovieri Engineer Regiment was called to rebuild the 120m (131yd) bridge. On 27 May 1978, the new bridge was opened and traffic between Milan and the Simplon Railway could resume. For the reconstruction of the bridge the regiment was awarded a Bronze Cross of Army Merit, which was affixed to the regiment's flag.[1][9]
Recent times
On 16 July 1992, the regiment's Command and Services Platoon was expanded to Command and Services Company. In 1996, after the Bosnian War, the regiment deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina, where it repaired the 186mi (300km) long Novi Grad–Bosanska Otoka–Martin Brod–Strmica railway in Northern Bosnia, which had been heavily damaged during the war. The regiment returned to Italy in 1998. For its service in Bosnia-Herzegovina the regiment was awarded a Silver Medal of Army Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's flag and added to the regiment's coat of arms.[1] On 1 December 1997 the regiment was assigned to the army's Engineer Grouping, which on 10 September 2010, was reorganized as Engineer Command.[3]
In July 1999, after the Kosovo War, the regiment deployed to Kosovo, where it operated the Skopje–Kosovo Polje–Pristina railway, and repaired/operated the Kosovo Polje–Peć and Klina–Prizren railways. The regiment returned to Italy in December 1999.[10][3][6] For its service in Kosovo the regiment was awarded a Gold Cross of Army Merit, which was affixed to the regiment's flag.[1][11]
On 27 September 2001, the regiment ceded the operation of the Chivasso–Ivrea–Aosta railway to the Ferrovie dello Stato. On 1 February 2002, the regiment formed the Operations Battalion in Ozzano Emilia, which consisted of the personnel and materiel of the 2nd Ferrovieri Battalion (Operations) in Turin, before the latter disbanded on 31 August of the same year and reformed as 32nd Engineer Battalion the next day. On 31 October 2017, the regiment disbanded its Operations Battalion and merged the battalion's functions and personnel into the Ferrovieri Battalion.[3][6]
The Lagunari Regiment "Serenissima" is the active unit of Italian Army's infantry arm's amphibious Lagunari speciality. The name of the speciality comes from the Italian word for lagoon, while the regiment's name "Serenissima" commemorates the Most Serene Republic of Venice. The regiment is based in Venice and assigned to the Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli". The "Pozzuolo del Friuli" brigade forms, together with the Italian Navy's Third Naval Division and San Marco Marine Brigade, the Italian Armed Forces' Sea Projection Force.
The 2nd Engineer Regiment is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Trento in Trentino. Founded in 1860 it is currently the oldest active engineer regiment of the Italian Army. Since 1954 it has been part of the 4th Alpine Army Corps and therefore has a strong association with the army's mountain infantry corps, the Alpini, with which the regiment shares the distinctive Cappello Alpino. The regiment is the engineer unit of the Alpine Brigade "Julia" and specializes in mountain combat.
The 32nd Engineer Regiment is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Fossano in Piedmont. The unit is assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Taurinense" and the army's youngest engineer regiment. On 1 September 2002, the 32nd Engineer Battalion was formed, which, on 24 September 2004, was redesignated XXX Sappers Battalion and then entered the newly formed 32nd Engineer Regiment. The regiment's number was chosen to commemorate the XXXII Sappers Battalion, which fought in the Western Desert campaign of World War II, while the battalion's number commemorates the XXX Sappers Battalion, which fought in the Italian campaign on the Eastern Front. The regiment specializes in mountain warfare and shares with the other units of the Alpine Brigade "Taurinense" the distinctive Cappello Alpino. The regiment's anniversary falls, as for all engineer units, on 24 June 1918, the last day of the Second Battle of the Piave River.
The 57th Infantry Division "Lombardia" was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Lombardia was formed on 24 May 1939 in Pula and named for the region of Lombardy. The division was disbanded by the Germans after the Armistice of Cassibile was announced on 8 September 1943.
The 8th Paratroopers Engineer Regiment "Folgore" is an airborne military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Legnago in Veneto. The regiment is assigned to the Paratroopers Brigade "Folgore" and combines the lineage and traditions of the Royal Italian Army's 8th Engineer Regiment and VIII Paratroopers Sappers Battalion, and the Italian Co-Belligerent Army's CLXXXIV Mixed Engineer Battalion.
The Italian Liberation Corps was a corps of the Italian Co-belligerent Army during the Italian campaign of World War II. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the Italian government began the formation of units to fight on the allied side against Germany. On 18 April 1944 the Italian Liberation Corps was formed, which after an intense cycle of combat operations was disbanded on 24 September 1944 to form division-sized combat groups.
The Logistic Regiment "Taurinense" is a military logistics regiment of the Italian Army based in Rivoli in Piedmont. Originally a transport unit, the regiment is now the logistic unit of the Alpine Brigade "Taurinense" and shares with the brigade's infantry troops, the Alpini, the distinctive Cappello Alpino. The regiment's anniversary falls, as for all units of the Italian Army's Transport and Materiel Corps, on 22 May, the anniversary of the Royal Italian Army's first major use of automobiles to transport reinforcements to the Asiago plateau to counter the Austro-Hungarian Asiago Offensive in May 1916.
With the 1975 reforms the Italian Army abolished the regimental level and replaced it with brigades made up of multiple arms. During the reform the army disbanded 48 regimental commands and reduced its force by 87 battalions. A further ten regimental commands were used to raise ten new brigade commands. Ten training centers, which for traditional reasons had carried the names of regiments, were also disbanded. The reduction in units also allowed to mechanize most of the remaining units in Northern Italy and Italy's defense strategy changed from a hold-at-all-costs territorial defense to one of mobile warfare.
The 21st Engineer Regiment is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Caserta in Campania. The regiment is the engineer unit of the Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi". The regiment was formed in 1937 and assigned to the XXI Army Corps, which was based in Cyrenaica in eastern Libya. During World War II the regiment formed engineer units for the Italian forces fighting in the Western Desert campaign. After the Axis defeat in the Second Battle of El Alamein and the British conquest of Cyrenaica the regiment was declared lost due to wartime events.
The 11th Engineer Regiment is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Foggia in Apulia. The regiment is the engineer unit of the Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo" and was first formed in 1928 by the Royal Italian Army. During World War II the regiment's depot formed engineer battalions and smaller units, which deployed with divisions and corps to the fronts of the war. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the regiment was disbanded by invading German forces. In 1958, the Engineer Battalion "Ariete" was formed and assigned to the Armored Division "Ariete". In 1975, the battalion was named for the Livenza river and received the number 132nd, which had been used by the 132nd Engineer Company that served with the 132nd Armored Division "Ariete" during the Western Desert campaign in World War II. With the name and number the battalion was also assigned the flag and traditions of the 11th Engineer Regiment. In 1986, the Armored Division "Ariete" was disbanded and the battalion was assigned to the 5th Army Corps. In 1993, the battalion lost its autonomy and entered the reformed 11th Pioneers Regiment. In 2001, the regiment moved to Foggia in the South of Italy, where it was assigned to the Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo". The regiment's anniversary falls, as for all engineer units, on 24 June 1918, the last day of the Second Battle of the Piave River.
The 10th Engineer Regiment is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Cremona in Lombardy. The regiment is the engineer unit of the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete".
The 5th Engineer Regiment is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Macomer in Sardinia. The regiment is the engineer unit of the Mechanized Brigade "Sassari". In 1895, the Royal Italian Army formed the 5th Engineer Regiment. During World War I the regiment formed battalions and companies, which operated along the Italian front. In 1919, the regiment was renamed Miners Engineer Regiment. In 1922, the regiment was disbanded and its companies distributed among the army's ten army corps engineer groupings. In November 1926, the regiment was reformed by renaming the 5th Army Corps Engineer Grouping in Trieste. During the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and World War II the regiment's depot formed engineer battalions and smaller units, which deployed with divisions and corps to the fronts of the war. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the regiment was disbanded by invading German forces.
The 4th Engineer Regiment is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Palermo in Sicily. The regiment is the engineer unit of the Mechanized Brigade "Aosta". In 1926, the Royal Italian Army formed the 4th Engineer Regiment in Verona. During the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and World War II the regiment's depot formed engineer battalions and smaller units, which deployed with divisions and corps to the fronts of the war. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the regiment was disbanded by invading German forces.
The 3rd Engineer Regiment is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Udine in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The regiment is the engineer unit of the Cavalry Brigade "Pozzuolo del Friuli".
The Engineer Command in Rome-Cecchignola commands the specialized engineer regiments of the Italian Army and it is tasked with training of all officers and troops destined for engineer units, as well as with both doctrinal and operational tasks.
The 6th Pioneer Regiment is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in the Cecchignola quarter of Rome. The regiment is assigned to the army's Engineer Command and the army's sole pioneer unit, whose focus, unlike the army's other engineer units, is on rear area construction tasks.
The 2nd Pontieri Engineer Regiment is a military engineering regiment of the Italian Army based in Piacenza in the Emilia Romagna. The regiment is assigned to the army's Engineer Command and the Italian Army's only unit focusing on operational level water crossings. The term "Pontieri" comes from the Italian word for bridge and is used to denote units of the Italian Army's engineer arm tasked with the construction and repair of bridges. Enlisted personnel in such units is addressed by the singular form: "Pontiere". The regiment was formed in 1883 as an engineer regiment, which united all Pontieri companies of the Royal Italian Army. During World War I the regiment formed battalions and companies, which operated along the Italian front. In 1933, the regiment was split into the 1st Pontieri Regiment and 2nd Pontieri Regiment. During World War II the regiment formed battalions and smaller units, which were deployed on all fronts. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the regiment was disbanded by invading German forces. In 1949, the regiment was reformed and has been active since. The regiment's anniversary falls, as for all engineer units, on 24 June 1918, the last day of the Second Battle of the Piave River.
The 3rd Signal Regiment is a national support signals regiment of the Italian Army based in Rome in Lazio. The regiment is the army's oldest signal regiment and assigned to the army's Signal Command. The regiment's three battalions operate the army's telecommunications network in central Italy and Sardinia. The regiment was formed in 1883 as an engineer regiment, which, in 1895, became responsible for training the Royal Italian Army's telegraph personnel and for providing telegraph units to operational units. In 1912, the regiment added the training of wireless telegraphy personnel to its duties. During World War I the regiment formed a total of 127 companies, 59 of which were transferred in 1918 to the newly formed 7th Engineer Regiment (Telegraphers). In 1920, the regiment was disbanded and its companies formed into battalions, which were assigned to the Royal Italian Army's army corps.
The 7th CIMIC Regiment is a Civil-Military Co-operation regiment of the Italian Army based in Motta di Livenza in Veneto. The regiment is assigned to the Tactical Intelligence Brigade. In 1926, the Royal Italian Army formed the 7th Engineer Regiment in Florence. During the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and World War II the regiment's depot formed engineer battalions and smaller units, which deployed with divisions and corps to the fronts of the war. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the regiment was disbanded by invading German forces. In 1944, the Italian Co-Belligerent Army formed the CIV Mixed Engineer Battalion for the Combat Group "Mantova", which fought on the allied side in the Italian campaign of World War II. In 1946, the battalion split to form the Engineer Battalion "Mantova" and the Connections Battalion "Mantova", which were both assigned to the Infantry Division "Mantova". In 1975, the battalion was renamed 104th Engineer Battalion "Torre" and assigned the flag and traditions of the 7th Engineer Regiment. In 1986, the Mechanized Division "Mantova" and the 104th Engineer Battalion "Torre" were disbanded.
The 1st Engineer Regiment is an inactive military engineering 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.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Italy 
