page_title: Bersaglieri
section_title: 1975 army reform
hierarchical_section_title: Bersaglieri / Cold War / 1975 army reform
caption_attribution_description: English: Soldiers of the 2nd Bersaglieri Battalion "Governolo" in Lebanon 1982
context_page_description: The Bersaglieri, singular Bersagliere, are a speciality of the Italian Army's infantry corps. They were originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Army of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which later became the Royal Italian Army. They can be recognized by their distinctive wide-brimmed hats decorated with black capercaillie feathers, which is worn with the dress uniform. The feathers are also applied to their combat helmets.
context_section_description: During the Italian Army reform of 1975 the regimental level was abolished and battalions became independent units under newly formed brigades. The Army formed the 3rd Mechanized Brigade "Goito" with the regimental command and units of the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment and the 8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi" with the regimental command and units of the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment. Both brigades received one extra Bersaglieri battalion from disbanded armored infantry regiments and both fielded only personnel - with the exception of the tank crews and artillerists - from the Bersaglieri corps.
  When the battalions became independent they received the flags and traditions of disbanded Bersaglieri regiments and each battalion was given an honorary name commemorating a significant event in which it had participated: e.g. the 3rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Cernaia" received its honorary name to commemorate the conduct of the battalion during the Battle of the Chernaya in Crimea during the Crimean War in 1855. In the following list of Bersaglieri units active in 1977.
  1st Bersaglieri Battalion "La Marmora", in Civitavecchia (Mechanized Brigade "Granatieri di Sardegna")
  2nd Bersaglieri Battalion "Governolo", in Legnano (Mechanized Brigade "Legnano")
  3rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Cernaia", in Pordenone (8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi")
  6th Bersaglieri Battalion "Palestro", in Turin (3rd Mechanized Brigade "Goito")
  10th Bersaglieri Battalion "Bezzecca", in Solbiate Olona (3rd Mechanized Brigade "Goito")
  11th Bersaglieri Battalion "Caprera", in Orcenico Superiore (8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi")
  14th Bersaglieri (Recruits Training) Battalion "Sernaglia", in Albenga (3rd Army Corps)
  18th Bersaglieri Battalion "Poggio Scanno", in Milan (3rd Mechanized Brigade "Goito")
  23rd Bersaglieri Battalion "Castel di Borgo", in Tauriano (32nd Armored Brigade "Mameli")
  26th Bersaglieri Battalion "Castelfidardo", in Maniago (8th Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi")
  27th Bersaglieri Battalion "Jamiano", in Aviano (132nd Armored Brigade "Manin")
  28th Bersaglieri Battalion "Oslavia", in Bellinzago Novarese (31st Armored Brigade "Curtatone")
  67th Bersaglieri Battalion "Fagare", in Persano (Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo")
  Additionally the Bersaglieri fielded five anti-tank companies, one per Bersaglieri and one per Armored Brigade (Armored brigades "Manin", "Centauro", and "Mameli").
  With the end of the Cold War, the Italian army began a reduction in personnel and units which also affected the Bersaglieri. On 1 June 1991 the Mechanized Brigade "Goito" was disbanded, while the Mechanized Brigade "Garibaldi" moved to the Southern city of Caserta, as the Army had decided to reduce the number of units in the north of Italy. The Garibaldi arrived in Caserta on 1 July 1991 and changed its name to 8th Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi". Also in 1991, the battalions of the Army were renamed as regiments without changing composition.
caption: Soldiers of the 2nd Bersaglieri Battalion "Governolo" on patrol with the Multinational Force in Lebanon in 1982
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