The 33rd Tank Regiment ( it, 33° Reggimento Carri) is an inactive

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...

regiment of the

Italian Army "The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law" , colors = , colors_labels = , march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...

last based in Civitavecchia in

Lazio it, Laziale , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

. Originally the regiment, like all Italian tank units, was part of the infantry, but on 1 June 1999 it became part of the cavalry. Operationally the regiment was last assigned to the

Mechanized Brigade "Granatieri di Sardegna" The Mechanized Brigade "Granatieri di Sardegna" ( it, Brigata Meccanizzata "Granatieri di Sardegna" - Mechanized Brigade "Grenadiers of Sardinia") is a mechanized infantry brigade of the Italian Army, based in Rome and central Italy. The brigade ...

History

Formation

The regiment was formed on 6 November 1939 in

Parma Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 ...

as 33rd Tank Infantry Regiment with four tank battalions, which were ceded by two tank infantry regiments: from the 3rd Tank Infantry Regiment arrived the VI Assault Tanks Battalion "Lollini" and XXXII Assault Tanks Battalion "Battisti", and from 1st Tank Infantry Regiment arrived the XXII Assault Tanks Battalion "Coralli" and the XXIII Assault Tanks Battalion "Stennio. On the same day the 33rd regiment, together with the 12th Bersaglieri Regiment and the 133rd Armored Artillery Regiment, entered the newly raised

133rd Armored Division "Littorio" 133rd Armored Division "Littorio" ( it, 133ª Divisione corazzata "Littorio") was an armored division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The division's name derives from the fasces ( it, Fascio littorio) carried by the lictors of ancie ...

. In April 1940 battalions were renamed and the regiment entered World War II with the following structure: * 33rd Tank Infantry Regiment, in

** I Tank Battalion "L" ( L3/35 tankettes, former VI Assault Tanks Battalion "Lollini") ** II Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes, former XXII Assault Tanks Battalion "Coralli") ** III Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes, former XXIII Assault Tanks Battalion "Stennio") ** IV Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes, former XXXII Assault Tanks Battalion "Battisti")

World War II

The regiment participated in June 1940 in the Italian invasion of France. The first Italian tankers of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

were killed in action near the

Little St Bernard Pass The Little St Bernard Pass (French: ''Col du Petit Saint-Bernard'', Italian: ''Colle del Piccolo San Bernardo'') is a mountain pass in the Alps on the France–Italy border. Its saddle is at 2188 metres above sea level. It is located between S ...

between France and Italy. In fall 1940 the I Tank Battalion "L" was sent to North Africa to reinforce Italian units in the Western Desert Campaign. To replace it the regiment raised on 22 December 1940 the VI Tank Battalion "

M13/40 The Carro Armato M13/40 was an Italian World War II tank designed to replace the M11/39 in the Italian Army at the start of World War II. It was the primary tank used by the Italians throughout the war. The design was influenced by the British Vi ...

", which was sent immediately to Africa to shore up the crumbling Italian 10th Army, which was retreating under pressure of the British

Operation Compass Operation Compass (also it, Battaglia della Marmarica) was the first large British military operation of the Western Desert Campaign (1940–1943) during the Second World War. British, Empire and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces of ...

offensive. The VI battalion arrived in Libya in early January 1941 and already by 6 February the battalion had been destroyed in the Battle of Beda Fomm and was declared lost. In April 1941 the regiment participated in the

Invasion of Yugoslavia The invasion of Yugoslavia, also known as the April War or Operation 25, or ''Projekt 25'' was a German-led attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II. The order for the invasion was p ...

. On 30 July 1941 the III Tank Battalion "L" was disbanded and its two companies transferred to the regiment's I and II battalion. In August 1941 the regiment formed XIV Tank Battalion " M14/41". In October both "L" battalions left the regiment and moved to

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...

to garrison the island. On 27 November 1941 the regiment was replaced in the 133rd Armored Division "Littorio" by the newly raised 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment. The regiment was now under the Military Zone Command " Piacenza" and consisted of the XIV Tank Battalion "M14/41", a training battalion, and two replacement battalions with troops but no equipment. On 1 February 1942 the regiment was reorganized and meant to receive three additional "M" battalions, but only the XVIII arrived from the 3rd Tank Infantry Regiment, while the XVII, raised by the 4th Tank Infantry Regiment, was transferred to the 31st Tank Infantry Regiment, which also retained command of the XIX battalion. At the time all three battalions fielded one M14/41 tank company and one

Semovente 75/18 The ''Semovente da'' 75/18 was an Italian self-propelled gun of the Second World War. It was built by mounting the 75 mm Obice da 75/18 modello 34 mountain gun on the chassis of a M13/40, M14/41 or M15/42 tank. The first 60 were built using ...

tank destroyer company. Beginning on 24 April 1942 the regiment began to rise battalions equipped with Semovente 47/32 tank destroyers: * IV Semoventi Battalion " 47/32", raised on 24 April 1942, assigned to the

4th Infantry Division "Livorno" The 4th Infantry Division "Livorno" ( it, 4ª Divisione di fanteria "Livorno") was a infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Livorno was classified as a mountain infantry division, which meant that the division's arti ...

, destroyed during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 * CXXXIII Semoventi Battalion "47/32", raised on 1 May 1942, assigned to the 6th Army, destroyed during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 * CCXXXIII Semoventi Battalion "47/32", raised on 1 October 1942, assigned to the 6th Army, destroyed during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 In August 1942 the XIV Tank Battalion "M14/41" was transferred to the 31st Tank Infantry Regiment, which departed for North Africa. At the same time the regiment received new

M15/42 tank The Carro Armato M15/42 was the last Italian medium tank produced during World War II. It was based on the earlier M13/40 and M14/41 medium tanks, and was built with the lessons from the North African Campaign in mind. The tank was meant to be a ...

s for its XVIII Tank Battalion "M15/42", which the regiment transferred on 27 June 1943 to the

32nd Tank Infantry Regiment The 32nd Tank Regiment ( it, 32° Reggimento Carri) is a tank regiment of the Italian Army based in Tauriano in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Originally the regiment, like all Italian tank units, was part of the infantry, but since 1 June 1999 it is par ...

. After Italy switched sides with the

Armistice of Cassibile The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 September 1943 and made public on 8 September between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies during World War II. It was signed by Major General Walter Bedell Smith for the Allies and Brig ...

on 8 September 1943 the Germans occupied Italy and disbanded the 33rd Tank Infantry Regiment soon after.

Cold War

On 1 September 1964 the Italian Army raised the VI Tank Battalion equipped

M47 Patton The M47 Patton was an American main battle tank, a development of the M46 Patton mounting an updated turret, and was in turn further developed as the M48 Patton. It was the second American tank to be named after General George S. Patton, command ...

tanks in Civitavecchia as the tank unit of the 1st Armored Bersaglieri Regiment.

6th Tank Battalion "M.O. Scapuzzi"

During the 1975 army reform the 1st Armored Bersaglieri Regiment was disbanded and on 1 October 1975 the VI Tank Battalion became the 6th Tank Battalion "M.O. Scapuzzi", which received the flag and traditions of the 33rd Tank Infantry Regiment. The battalion's number commemorated the VI Tank Battalion "M", which the 33rd regiment had raised and which had been destroyed during the British

offensive. Tank and armored battalions created during the 1975 army reform were all named for officers, soldiers and partisans, who were posthumously awarded Italy's highest military honor the

Gold Medal of Military Valour The Gold Medal of Military Valour ( it, Medaglia d'oro al valor militare) is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia for deeds of outstanding gallantry in war by junior officers and soldiers. The fac ...

during World War II. The 6th Tank Battalion's name commemorated CCXXXIII Semoventi Battalion "47/32"

Second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

Luigi Scapuzzi, who was killed in action during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 . Based in Civitavecchia and equipped with M47 Patton tanks the battalion joined the

Recent times

With the end of the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

the Italian Army drew down its forces and the army began to reform single-battalion regiments for traditional reasons. On 1 September 1993 the 6th Tank Battalion "M.O. Scapuzzi" ceded the flag of the 33rd regiment to the 11th Tank Battalion "M.O. Calzecchi" in

Ozzano dell'Emilia Ozzano dell'Emilia (; Eastern Bolognese: ) is an Italian ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, in northern Italy. History Its origins date back to the Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλ ...

, which in turn ceded the flag of the 4th Tank Regiment to the 6th Tank Battalion, which on the same date reformed as 4th Tank Regiment. The 33rd regiment was now the tank unit of the Mechanized Brigade "Friuli". However, as the Friuli was earmarked to become Italy's only

Air Assault Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind e ...

brigade the 33rd Tank Regiment transferred to the

132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" The 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete" ( it, 132a Brigata Corazzata "Ariete") is currently the only active Armoured warfare, armored brigade of the Italian Army. Its core units are tank and Bersaglieri regiments. The brigade's headquarters is in the ...

in 1997. In 2001 the 33rd Tank Regiment was disbanded and its flag transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome.

References

{{Italian Cavalry Tank Regiments of Italy 1939 establishments in Italy