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| | That same month, the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment fought successfully in General [[Ugo Cavallero]]'s second spring offensive during the [[Greco-Italian War]], and the 5th Bersaglieri Regiment along with the ''Centauro'' Armoured Division defeated the Yugoslavian Army counteroffensive in Albania in the [[Battle for Skutari]] in mid-April 1941.<ref>"For 48 hours the Serbs have been moving in wave upon wave through rain and snow against Scutari, on the southern shore of a lake of the same name, only to be mowed down by Fascist machine-gunners and scattered by Italian airmen, war front advices said. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1917&dat=19410415&id=JHtGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_ucMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1084,5315859&hl=en Serb Attacks Beaten Off By Italians, Schenectady Gazette, 15 April 1941]</ref> | | That same month, the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment fought successfully in General [[Ugo Cavallero]]'s second spring offensive during the [[Greco-Italian War]], and the 5th Bersaglieri Regiment along with the ''Centauro'' Armoured Division defeated the Yugoslavian Army counteroffensive in Albania in the [[Battle for Skutari]] in mid-April 1941.<ref>"For 48 hours the Serbs have been moving in wave upon wave through rain and snow against Scutari, on the southern shore of a lake of the same name, only to be mowed down by Fascist machine-gunners and scattered by Italian airmen, war front advices said. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1917&dat=19410415&id=JHtGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_ucMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1084,5315859&hl=en Serb Attacks Beaten Off By Italians, Schenectady Gazette, 15 April 1941]</ref> |
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| − | During [[Operation Barbarossa]] (the invasion of Russia) in August 1941, the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment formed part of the Italian spearheads tasked with securing bridgeheads over the Dnieper and Don Rivers for the panzers units and supporting German infantry, a task which they carried out successfully and suffered heavy casualties defending them during the Russian counterattacks mounted during the [[First Battle of Kiev]].<ref>"From the 20th to the 26th of August Italian Forces have been subjected to extremely fierce Soviet attacks along the Don River. The Bersaglieri, Cavalry and Black Shirts have untiringly repulsed the attacks which wave after wave were launched in the desperate attempt to break through the Italian lines." Il Marco Polo, Issues 13-14, p. 126, Shanghai, 1941</ref> | + | During [[Operation Barbarossa]] (the invasion of Russia) in August 1941, the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment formed part of the Italian spearheads tasked with securing bridgeheads over the Dnieper and Don Rivers for the German 11th Army, a task which they carried out successfully and suffered heavy casualties defending them during the Russian counterattacks mounted during the [[First Battle of Kiev]].<ref>"From the 20th to the 26th of August Italian Forces have been subjected to extremely fierce Soviet attacks along the Don River. The Bersaglieri, Cavalry and Black Shirts have untiringly repulsed the attacks which wave after wave were launched in the desperate attempt to break through the Italian lines." Il Marco Polo, Issues 13-14, p. 126, Shanghai, 1941</ref> |
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| − | During [[Operation Crusader]], the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment operating truck-mounted naval guns, played an important part in the defeat of the British 7th Armoured Division in the [[First Battle of Bir el Gubi]] on 19 November 1941. | + | During [[Operation Crusader]], the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment operating truck-mounted naval guns from the Italian cruiser ''San Giorgio'', played an important part in the defeat of the British 7th Armoured Division in the [[First Battle of Bir el Gubi]] on 19 November 1941. |
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| − | On 1 December, the ''Trieste'' Division, reinforced by the 9th Bersaglieri Regiment, cut the road the 2nd New Zealand Division had established with the Tobruk garrison. | + | On 1 December, the ''Trieste'' Division, reinforced by the 9th Bersaglieri Regiment, cut off the supply route the 2nd New Zealand Division had established with the Tobruk garrison. |
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| | The successful defense of the Gazala Line on the part of the 7th and 9th Bersaglieri Regiments on 15 December, was also absolutely vital in the defeat of the British 1st Battalion, Royal East Kent Regiment (''The Buffs'') and other units from the British-officered 5th Indian Brigade, with over 1,000 British Imperial troops killed, wounded or captured during Rommel's counterattack.<ref>"So, on the afternoon of 15 December, the Ariete with some 30 M13’s and with Bersaglieri motorcycle troops in close support, counterattacked along with the remaining 23 tanks of the 15th Panzer Division, and the attack was successful as the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) and other troops of the 5th Indian Brigade lost over 1,000 men killed, wounded or taken prisoners." [http://www.comandosupremo.com/bologna-division.html/6 The Bologna Division: 19 November – 10 December, 1941]</ref> | | The successful defense of the Gazala Line on the part of the 7th and 9th Bersaglieri Regiments on 15 December, was also absolutely vital in the defeat of the British 1st Battalion, Royal East Kent Regiment (''The Buffs'') and other units from the British-officered 5th Indian Brigade, with over 1,000 British Imperial troops killed, wounded or captured during Rommel's counterattack.<ref>"So, on the afternoon of 15 December, the Ariete with some 30 M13’s and with Bersaglieri motorcycle troops in close support, counterattacked along with the remaining 23 tanks of the 15th Panzer Division, and the attack was successful as the 1st Battalion, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) and other troops of the 5th Indian Brigade lost over 1,000 men killed, wounded or taken prisoners." [http://www.comandosupremo.com/bologna-division.html/6 The Bologna Division: 19 November – 10 December, 1941]</ref> |
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| | On 28 June, the 12th Bersaglieri Regiment and supporting tanks from the ''Littorio'' Division surrounded Mersa Matruh, with the British garrison attempting to break out under the cover of darkness completely frustrated. The next day, the 7th Bersaglieri Regiment also met with success when the 10th and 11th Battalions stormed the British fortress and took 6,500 prisoners in the [[Battle of Mersa Matruh]]. The Bersaglieri were enthusiastic about their successes and had given Rommel their feathers and carried him in triumph on their shoulders, shouting that with him they were sure they could reach Alexandria<ref>"The Bersaglieri were enthusiastic about Rommel and had given him their feathers and carried him in triumph on their shoulders, shouting that with him they were sure they could reach Alexandria." Rommel, Charles Douglas-Home, p. 491, Saturday Review Press, 1973</ref> | | On 28 June, the 12th Bersaglieri Regiment and supporting tanks from the ''Littorio'' Division surrounded Mersa Matruh, with the British garrison attempting to break out under the cover of darkness completely frustrated. The next day, the 7th Bersaglieri Regiment also met with success when the 10th and 11th Battalions stormed the British fortress and took 6,500 prisoners in the [[Battle of Mersa Matruh]]. The Bersaglieri were enthusiastic about their successes and had given Rommel their feathers and carried him in triumph on their shoulders, shouting that with him they were sure they could reach Alexandria<ref>"The Bersaglieri were enthusiastic about Rommel and had given him their feathers and carried him in triumph on their shoulders, shouting that with him they were sure they could reach Alexandria." Rommel, Charles Douglas-Home, p. 491, Saturday Review Press, 1973</ref> |
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| − | During the [[First Battle of El Alamein]], the 7th and 9th Bersaglieri Regiments along with the ''Sabratha'', ''Trento'' and ''Trieste'' Divisions showed great courage, derailing both the Australian advance developing from Tel el Eisa on 11 July and the 2nd New Zealand Division attack against Ruweisat Ridge on 22 July.<ref>[http://www.comandosupremo.com/1elalamein.html First Battle of El Alamein COMANDO SUPREMO/ITALY AT WAR]</ref> | + | During the [[First Battle of El Alamein]], the 7th and 9th Bersaglieri Regiments along with the ''Sabratha'', ''Trento'' and ''Trieste'' Divisions showed great courage, derailing both the 9th Australian Division advance developing from Tel el Eisa on 11 July and the 2nd New Zealand Division attack against Ruweisat Ridge on 22 July.<ref>[http://www.comandosupremo.com/1elalamein.html First Battle of El Alamein COMANDO SUPREMO/ITALY AT WAR]</ref> |
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| | During the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]], the 12th Bersaglieri Regiment fought especially hard, manning the Italian 47mm and 90mm guns (often confused with the German 88mm ''flak'' guns) and field guns of the ''Littorio'' Armoured Division in defence of El Aqqaqir Ridge, destroying 70 tanks from the British 9th Armoured Brigade in the process.<ref>[http://www.ilprimatonazionale.it/cultura/el-alamein-battaglia-folgore-32837/ El-Alamein: la battaglia che consacrò il valore del soldato italiano]</ref>Berlin Radio acknowledged that in this sector the ''"British were made to pay for their penetration with enormous losses in men and material. The Italians fought till the last man."''<ref>Rolling Thunder: A Century of Tank Warfare, Philip Kaplan, p. 139, Pen and Sword, 2013</ref> | | During the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]], the 12th Bersaglieri Regiment fought especially hard, manning the Italian 47mm and 90mm guns (often confused with the German 88mm ''flak'' guns) and field guns of the ''Littorio'' Armoured Division in defence of El Aqqaqir Ridge, destroying 70 tanks from the British 9th Armoured Brigade in the process.<ref>[http://www.ilprimatonazionale.it/cultura/el-alamein-battaglia-folgore-32837/ El-Alamein: la battaglia che consacrò il valore del soldato italiano]</ref>Berlin Radio acknowledged that in this sector the ''"British were made to pay for their penetration with enormous losses in men and material. The Italians fought till the last man."''<ref>Rolling Thunder: A Century of Tank Warfare, Philip Kaplan, p. 139, Pen and Sword, 2013</ref> |