1st Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment (Italy)

Inactive Italian Army air-defence unit

1st Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment

1° Reggimento Artiglieria Controaerei

Regimental coat of arms

Active| 1 June 1930 — 8 Sept. 1943
1 July 1947 — 31 May 1964
Country|  Italy
Branch| Italian Army
Garrison/HQ| Albenga
Motto(s)| "Del volo spezzo la superba audacia"
Anniversaries| 15 June 1918 - Second Battle of the Piave River
Insignia
Regimental gorget patches|

Military unit

The 1st Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment (Italian: 1° Reggimento Artiglieria Controaerei) is an inactive air defence regiment of the Italian Army, which was based in Albenga in Liguria. Originally an air defence regiment of the Royal Italian Army, the unit was last active from 1947 to 1964.[1] The regimental anniversary falls, as for all Italian Army artillery regiments, on June 15, the beginning of the Second Battle of the Piave River in 1918.[1]

## History

[edit]

On 31 October 1926 the 8th Anti-aircraft Artillery Center was formed in Rome, which incorporated the existing 7th Anti-aircraft Group. On 1 January 1927 the center consisted of a command, a trucked group with 75/27 C.K. anti-aircraft guns, a positional group with 76/45 anti-aircraft guns, a photo-electricians unit, and a depot. The center's photo-electricians operated searchlights.[1]

On 1 April 1930 the positional group was transferred to the 6th Anti-aircraft Artillery Center, while the 2nd Anti-aircraft Artillery Center ceded its trucked group with 75/27 C.K. anti-aircraft guns in Genoa to the 8th Anti-aircraft Artillery Center. At the same time the center formed a second photo-electricians unit. On 1 June of the same year the center changed its name to 1st Trucked Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment. In April 1931 the two photo-electricians units were disbanded and in each of the two trucked groups a photo-electricians section and a acoustic locator squad were formed.[1]

In 1933 the regiment moved from Rome to Rivoli. On 1 January 1934 the regiment changed its name to 1st Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment. In 1935-36 the regiment was mobilized for the Second Italo-Ethiopian War: on 28 May 1935 the 4th Battery with 75/27 C.K. anti-aircraft guns, was sent to Asmara in Italian Eritrea, followed by the regiment's I Group with three batteries in September of the same year. In October the regiment sent its II Group with the regiment's two remaining batteries to Italian Libya. An additional 350 troops were dispatched to East Africa to augment other deployed units. The regiment was demobilized on 15 July 1936. After being demobilized the regiment moved from Rivoli to Vercelli.[1]

### World War II

[edit]

British troops in Sicily inspect an abandoned Breda 52 truck with 90/53 anti-aircraft gun

On 2 September 1939 the regiment was mobilized for service in World War II. On 10 June 1940, the day Italy entered the war, the regiment was assigned to the Artillery Command of the 4th Army and consisted of a command, a command unit, the VII and XV groups with 75/46 mod. 34 anti-aircraft guns, and the XII and XXI groups with 75/27 C.K. anti-aircraft guns. The 4th Army participated in the invasion of France and after the Franco-Italian Armistice the regiment was assigned in July 1940 to the 8th Army, while the XII Group was transferred to Sicily and the XV Group assigned to the 6th Army.[1]

In April 1942 the regiment's depot in Vercelli formed the XXXVIII trucked group with 75/46 mod. 34 anti-aircraft guns, and the 31st, 40th, and 42nd batteries with 20/65 mod. 35 cannons for the 4th Anti-aircraft Artillery Grouping. The grouping was assigned to the 8th Army, which was sent to the Eastern Front.[1]

During the war the regiment's depot in Vercelli also mobilized the following units:[1]

* XXXIX Trucked Group with 75/46 mod. 34 anti-aircraft guns
* LXXIX Trucked Group with 75/46 mod. 34 anti-aircraft guns
* DIV Trucked Group with 90/53 anti-aircraft guns on Breda 52 trucks
* X Positional Group with 75/27 A.V. anti-aircraft guns
* XLI Positional Group with 7.5cm PL vz.37 anti-aircraft guns
* XLIV Positional Group with 7.5cm PL vz.37 anti-aircraft guns
* XXV Positional Group with 7.5 cm Flak M35 (d) anti-aircraft guns
* DI Positional Group with 20/70 autocannons, the group was used to protect naval transports

The regiment and its depot were disbanded by invading German forces near Ormea after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943.[1]

### Cold War

[edit]

On 1 July 1947 the regiment was reformed as 1st Light Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment in Chieri with the personnel and materiel of the VI Anti-aircraft Group and VI/bis Anti-aircraft Group of the 7th Field Artillery Regiment. The regiment was assigned to the Infantry Division "Cremona" and consisted of a command, a command unit, the I Group with 40/56 autocannons, and the II Group with 40/56 autocannons. The following August the regiment moved from Chieri to Albenga.[1][2] On 1 January 1951 the Infantry Division "Cremona" included the following artillery regiments:[1][2]

* Infantry Division "Cremona", in Turin
* 7th Field Artillery Regiment, in Turin
* 17th Field Artillery Regiment, in Novara
* 52nd Anti-tank Field Artillery Regiment, in Acqui
* 1st Light Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment, in Albenga

On 1 July 1951 the regiment was reorganized as 1st Heavy Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment and transferred the I Light Anti-aircraft Group to the 7th Field Artillery Regiment and the II Light Anti-aircraft Group to the 17th Field Artillery Regiment. The regiment received in turn the CIV Group with 90/53 anti-aircraft guns from the Anti-aircraft Artillery School.[1][2]

In 1953 the regiment added a second group with 90/53 anti-aircraft guns and in 1954 a third group with 90/53 anti-aircraft guns. The same year the regiment also added the V Light Anti-aircraft Group with 40/56 autocannons. On 1 January 1956 the regiment received the VI Light Anti-aircraft Group with 40/56 autocannons from the 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment of the Alpine Brigade "Taurinense". The next month the V and VI groups were renumbered and as IV and V groups. Also in 1956 the 90/53 anti-aircraft guns were replaced by American 90/50 M1 anti-aircraft guns. At the end of the year the regiment consisted of the following units:[1][2]

* 1st Heavy Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment, in Albenga[1]
* Command Unit
* I Heavy Anti-aircraft Group with 90/50 M1 anti-aircraft guns
* II Heavy Anti-aircraft Group with 90/50 M1 anti-aircraft guns
* III Heavy Anti-aircraft Group with 90/50 M1 anti-aircraft guns
* IV Light Anti-aircraft Group with 40/56 autocannons
* V Light Anti-aircraft Group with 40/56 autocannons

On 21 May 1960 the V Light Anti-aircraft Group was disbanded. On 1 November 1961 the III Heavy Anti-aircraft Group was disbanded, followed by the IV Light Anti-aircraft Group on 31 August 1963. On 31 May 1964 the regiment and the II Heavy Anti-aircraft Group were disbanded and the regiment's flag was transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome. The I Heavy Anti-aircraft Group remained active until 30 June of the same year as I Heavy Autonomous Anti-aircraft Artillery Group.[1][2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o F. dell'Uomo, R. di Rosa (2001). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Secondo - Tomo II. Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 325.
2. ^ a b c d e Fossati, Ivo (2022). L'Esercito Italiano 1946 - 2020 - L'Artiglieria. Milan: Athena Books. p. 65. Retrieved 27 November 2023.

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Italian Army

Four-star rank (OF 9)|

Chief of the Army General Staff

Three-star rank (OF 8)|

* COMFOTER
* NRDC-ITA
* COMLOG
* COMFORDOT
* COMFOP Nord
* COMFOP Sud
* COMFOTER Support
* COMTA

Two-star rank (OF 7)|

| Divisions|

* "Acqui"
* "Tridentina"
* "Vittorio Veneto"

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Other|

* Army Aviation Command
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One-star rank (OF 6)|

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* "Aosta"
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* Army Special Forces
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Italian Army artillery units

Active|

| Field Artillery|

Field Artillery Regiment "a Cavallo", 1st Field Artillery Regiment (Mountain), 3rd Field Artillery Regiment (Mountain), 5th Field Artillery Regiment "Superga", 8th Field Artillery Regiment "Pasubio", 21st Field Artillery Regiment "Trieste", 24th Field Artillery Regiment "Peloritani", 52nd Field Artillery Regiment "Torino", 132nd Field Artillery Regiment "Ariete", 185th Paratroopers Artillery Regiment "Folgore"

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Anti-aircraft Art.|

4th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Peschiera", 17th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Sforzesca", 121st Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Ravenna"

Other units|

3rd Targeting Support Regiment "Bondone", 7th CBRN Defense Regiment "Cremona", 13th HUMINT Regiment, 41st Regiment "Cordenons"

Inactive|

| Field Artillery|

1st Artillery Regiment "Cacciatori delle Alpi", 3rd Artillery Regiment "Pistoia", 9th Artillery Regiment "Brennero", 10th Self-propelled Field Artillery Group "Avisio", 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 12th Artillery Regiment "Savona", 13th Artillery Regiment "Granatieri di Sardegna", 14th Artillery Regiment "Ferrara", 19th Artillery Regiment "Venezia", 20th Artillery Regiment "Piave", 27th Artillery Regiment "Marche", 28th Artillery Regiment "Livorno", 33rd Artillery Regiment "Acqui", 35th Artillery Regiment "Friuli", 46th Artillery Regiment "Trento", 47th Artillery Regiment "Bari", 48th Artillery Regiment "Taro", 108th Artillery Regiment "Cosseria", 120th Motorized Artillery Regiment, 131st Artillery Regiment "Centauro", 155th Artillery Regiment "Emilia", 184th Artillery Regiment "Nembo", 205th Artillery Regiment "Bologna"

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Heavy Field Artillery|

2nd Heavy Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment, 5th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment, 6th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment, 7th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment, 8th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment, 9th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment, 11th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment, 12th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment

Heavy Artillery|

1st Heavy Artillery Regiment, 3rd Heavy Artillery Regiment "Volturno", 9th Heavy Artillery Regiment

Mountain Art.|

2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment, 4th Mountain Artillery Regiment, 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment, 6th Mountain Artillery Regiment, Mountain Artillery Group "Agordo", Mountain Artillery Group "Asiago", Mountain Artillery Group "Belluno", Mountain Artillery Group "Sondrio", Mountain Artillery Group "Udine"

Anti-aircraft Art.|

1st Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment, 2nd Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment, 3rd Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Firenze", 5th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment "Pescara", 8th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment, 18th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment

Other units|

1st NBC Battalion "Etruria", 13th Target Acquisition Group "Aquileia"
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