Like lightning from heaven ...

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[b] Folgore Division - the beginning stories Italian skydivers [/ b]

From the battalion to the creation of the division

The FIRST division of the Italian paratroopers, with the exception of two Libyan battalions, was trained at the Tarkuinja school. In 1940, volunteers from all units of the royal army arrived at the walls of this school and gave birth to a second parachute battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Benzi.
At the start of the 1941, a third parachute battalion was formed under the command of Major Pignelli di Cerchiar, and soon a fourth parachute battalion under the command of Major Bechi Luserna followed. These three 1 battalions on April 1941 were combined into the first parachute regiment under the command of Colonel Riccardo Bignami.

In the same month, at the end of a long and bloody Greek campaign, parachutists were given the task of seizing the island of Sephalonia. To perform this task, a second parachute battalion was assigned, which sent two of its three companies to Lesse, under the general tactical command of Major Zanninovich. 30 April 1941, taking off from Galatin airport on several SM-82 airplanes, paratroopers of the 2 battalion landed without a fight in Argostoli. Paratroopers disarmed a battalion of Greek police around 400, and the next day, after requisitioning Greek fishing boats, landed on the nearby islands of Ithaca and Zant in order to prevent them from being captured by the Germans. On May 5, the soldiers of the second parachute battalion changed their infantry units. The first use of paratroopers ended in complete success.

At this time, the formation and preparation of several more parachute units begins. From the summer of 1941 to the spring of 1942, seven more battalions were formed. One of them is a battalion of paratroopers-saboteurs. 10 August 1941, an artillery group was formed. Thus, a whole compound of parachutists was created - a division.

Like lightning from heaven ...


Officially, the day of the formation of the division is considered 1 September 1941 of the year. The 2 Parachute Regiment consisted of the 5, 6, and 7 battalions. The division included the 1 and 2 parachute regiments, the 8 battalion of paratroopers and saboteurs, and an artillery group in accordance with the staffing table. For the sake of justice, it is worth noting that not all of these units immediately became real parachute units, but in the course of further service and training, they received the full right to be so called. In March of the following year, the 3 th parachute regiment was formed, consisting of the 9 th, 10 th and 11 th paratrooper battalions, and by July the artillery parachute regiment was formed, which additionally included two more artillery groups.

The parachute division in its level and organization was very different from the rest of the divisions, as it was an easy connection and had reduced support structures, was not burdened with heavy rear units. Even the artillery regiment was equipped only with tools to combat tanks adversaries who were not allowed to perform fire support tasks. A few mortars and machine guns, and Beretta submachine guns as a personal weapons - This is the standard armament of parachute personnel.

On the other hand, such a weapon was most suitable for solving the tasks facing the division: landing for a subsequent surprise raid on complex objects and mastering key positions for their short-term defense before the main forces approached.

However, all these beautiful theories remained unfulfilled in the future by the Folgore Division.



Frustration

At the initial stage, the Parashut Division was commanded by General Francesco Sapienza, who was then replaced by General Enrico Frattini.

Basic training of personnel was conducted in the Tuscany and Lazio areas until May 1942, when they moved south to Pugli to carry out more in-depth training aimed at preparing for a mass landing in Malta. The operation to seize Malta was officially named "Operation С3"
Excessive faith in the victories of Rommel and the operation to capture Tobruk, which gives an advantage in Egypt, caused a parachute assault landing operation in Malta to be canceled. The official reason for the cancellation was declared unavailability of a parachute division for it, although it was in fact completely ready and equipped to carry out mass parachute assault forces.

In July 1942, the Army Headquarters decided to deploy the division in North Africa, but the joy of the parachutists in connection with this decision was insignificant, since it essentially minimized the likelihood of paratroopers in the future. But since the parachute property was not handed over and kept in a warehouse, hope continued to live.

At the same time, the division was renamed the 185 th parachute division "Folgore" ("Lightning"). This name is derived from the Latin motto "ex alto Fluor" - "Like a lightning from heaven."

The reorganization also affected the regiments, which were called 185, 186, and 187, and the division and artillery units were assigned the division number, 185. One way or another these news did not have a strong effect on the compound until the order from the ground headquarters received an order from the 185 regiment to leave the 4 and 5 battalions in place as the basis for the creation of the second parachute division. In the 187 regiment, only the 3 th parachute battalion remained. Thus, Folgore switched to a binary staffing structure and began to move part by part to North Africa on airplanes from Less’s airfield and by sea and land transport through the Balkans and Greece.



The first part, which touched the African land, was the 4 th battalion of the 187 th parachute regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Bechi Lucerne, who arrived in Fuk on July 18. Soon came the other parts. For the reasons of secrecy, paratroopers who were stationed in Al Daba were forbidden to wear wings and other decals of paratroopers on the uniform so that the enemy would not know about their presence in the area. For parachutists this was an unpleasant signal. Their mood deteriorated when an order was received to surrender parachuting equipment to be sent back to the warehouse in Derna. So the last hopes of airborne assault collapsed.



Modern subdivisions of the Folgore brigade and their deployment

TODAY the Folgore combat units are represented by three infantry regiments, one military police regiment and one special-purpose regiment as well as a parachute artillery group. The number of personnel of the brigade was recently increased and now amounts to about seven thousand people. Of the 7 thousands, about 3 thousands serve in the parachute school, which is simultaneously engaged in the training of personnel, the repair, the laying and the study of the material part, which is used for the landing. The remaining 4 thousands of people serve in combat units. In fact, the traditional excellent training of all soldiers in maroon berets also makes it possible for rear units or units not participating in combat operations directly on the battlefield to fully cooperate with combat units and, if necessary, to perform combat missions.

The brigade is deployed in Tuscany, and the headquarters of the brigade, as well as the 1, 9, 187 and 185 regiments are located in Livorno.
The brigade headquarters is located in the military town of Villa Raspoli, which is named after two brothers who received two of the twenty-two gold medals that were presented to the division soldiers for their courage and bravery shown in the battle of El Alamein in 1943.

In the “Vannuchi” barracks, the 1 th parachute regiment of carabineers, the 187 th parachute regiment, the 9 th special-purpose regiment and the parachute center for testing and development are located on the coast. The parachute center is responsible for testing the entire parachute equipment that is in service with the brigade, and its task is to develop and test a new technology and introduce it into the troops.



The battalion of command and combat support is located in the Pisakain barracks together with the 185 parachute artillery regiment, which was restructured not so long ago and as a result received an additional anti-aircraft battery, armed with American GD FIM-92 A. missiles.
Two training camps for mountain training and maritime training, as well as an indoor pool for training units, have been created for combat training.

The 186th parachute regiment is stationed in Siena in the Lamarmora barracks, and the 183rd parachute regiment is located in the Marini barracks in the town of Pistola. The brigade's engineering company is located in the Lorenzi barracks in Luka. In addition, in Pisa, in addition to the parachute school located in the Gamerra barracks, where the 3rd parachute training unit and the company of parachute stowers are located, a rear support battalion is deployed, part of which is located in the Beči Lucerne, and some in the barracks “ Artale. " The 26th Army Group is also constantly deployed in Pisa aviation "Giove", which shares the S. Giusto airfield with the C-130 s and G-222 aircraft of the 46th air brigade, which is constantly interacting with training parachute teams with military and military missions.



Continuing the tradition of "Folgore"

Military parachute school. Founded in Tarquinia 15 October 1939 of the year and originates from the Libyan parachute school. In December 1942, due to the need to simultaneously train a much larger number of parachutists, it was merged with a parachute school in Viterbo. Both schools were closed 8 September 1943 of the year. But on January 1, the 1947 of the year in Rome created a parachute training unit, which then relocated to Viterbo in the 1950 year. Here she remained until 1957, when she was relocated to the north of the country to Pisa. 1 January 1963, she was given a new name - parachute training center, which became the basis for the creation of a parachute brigade. In 1964, the old name was returned to the center - military parachute school. In 1983, the school passed into the direct submission of the commander of the parachute brigade "Folgore."



1 th parachute regiment of the Tuscania carabinieri. July 1 1940 was created and 29 June 1941 took part in the fighting in North Africa. For their bravery in the battle of Elite al-Assel, the carabineers deserved a silver medal for the banner of their regiment. 15 May 1951, the first parachute part of the Carabinieri was formed, which 15 May 1963, was deployed to the battalion. October 1 1975, the battalion was deployed to the regiment and received its modern name, and a year later, the Tuscania parachute regiment of carabinieri was handed over to 1.

Currently, the regiment is stationed in Livorno.

In addition to the combat tasks of the regiment, the carabineers in wartime perform the tasks of the military police or field gendarmerie.

187 th Parachute Regiment "Folgore" Founded on July 1 1940, and was named 1 th Parachute Regiment. The regimental units made the first combat landing on the island of Sephalonia 30 on April 1941. Subsequently, the regiment was named 187-th regiment and fought in the division "Folgore". After World War II, the 1 Parachute Regiment was founded in Livorno, which served as the basis for the creation of the 2 and 5 parachute regiments. The regiment received the battle flag of 8 on April 1976 of the year.



The 186 th Parachute Regiment "Folgore" was created on the basis of the 1 th Parachute Regiment during the Second World War and was an active component of the "Folgore" division. Especially the regiment distinguished itself in the battle with the British at El Alamein, where he suffered heavy losses. Of the fighters and officers who had survived this battle, the 285-th maneuver battalion was formed, which later actively fought in Tunisia until May 1943, when it was disbanded. The 186 parachute regiment was re-formed in the 1976 year.

The regiment received the battle flag of 8 on April 1976 of the year.

The 185 Parachute Artillery Regiment "Folgore" It was founded in January 1942, and fought in North Africa as part of the "Folgore" division.

1 September 1958, the parachute artillery battery was again created in the structure of the parachute tactical group, and by July 1 1963, the battery was deployed before the artillery group. The unit received the battle flag. This is the first and only art group in the Italian army, which had its own battle flag from 1966 to 1975 year.



183 Parachute Regiment "Nembo" 1 was founded on February 1943 of the year and was an active component of the Nembo Division during the Italian war of liberation against Nazi Germany. After a truce 8 September 1943, part of the regiment decided to continue to fight together with the old allies - the Germans and joined the armed forces of the Italian Social Republic, established after the liberation of the German paratroopers Mussolini. Fighting as part of the tactical group "Folgore", the regiment landed the last parachute assault of the Second World War consisting of a hundred soldiers and officers. 22 September The 1944 regiment was disbanded.

The disbanded regiment was re-created and returned its name and 1 numbering to December 1948 of the year. October 20 1975, he was reorganized into the mechanized battalion of the mechanized brigade "Gorizia". 30 April 1991, this connection was disbanded. Subsequently, a parachute battalion was formed in Pistoia, which in 1994 was granted regimental status and the old name.

3 Parachute Battalion “Poggio Rusco” Created in 1941 as a part of the 1 Parachute Regiment, he received the number 185 in July of the same year. In September, 1942 was transferred to the Nembo Division. After the 8 truce of September, 1943 was transformed into the reconnaissance squadron “F” and immediately after that took part in the “Goering” operation. The battalion fighters carried out reconnaissance patrols, acting together with the Nembo battalion, landing behind enemy lines in various areas, and in particular in the area of ​​the city of Poggio Rusco. The battalion is the successor of the traditions of the 1 th parachute regiment and received its battle flag.



The 9 th Parachute Assault Regiment "Kol Moshin" He is the heir and successor of the traditions of all the special forces of the Italian armed forces and originates from the 9 th assault battalion, which distinguished itself during Mount World War II at Kol Moshin. Its history was continued by the 10 regiment, founded in 1942, whose banner was handed to the modern 9 regiment. The 10 th regiment particularly distinguished itself in the battles of the Italian units during the Italian war of liberation against the German fascists.

Parachute battalion of logistic support "Folgore" The battalion formed October 1 1975 of the year to provide logistical support to the parachute brigade and is a direct heir to the traditions of the Folgore division support units. October 23 1976, the battalion was awarded the battle flag.



Battalion command and combat support "Folgore" Formed in Pisa 1 October 1963 year to service the headquarters of the parachute brigade and is now called the battalion command and combat support. The communications company, which is an active component of the battalion since September 15 of 1977, accepted the legacy of the 185 engineering communications company of the Folgore Division, which fought during the Second World War.

The combat engineering company Rota formed October 1 1975 of the year on the basis of the combat engineering platoon of the division and received the modern name 1 August 1986 of the year. The company continues the tradition and keeps the legacy of the 185 th sapper company of the Folgore division since the Second World War.



26-I Army Aviation Group “Giove” This aviation unit was formed on July 21 1966 at the S. Giusto airfield, originally called the “helicopter section of the parachute brigade”. In subsequent years, the section was transformed into a detachment, and February 20 1976 received the modern name.

The 46 Airborne Brigade 3 September 1973 of the year was created parachute school officers and non-commissioned officers, where, in accordance with the curriculum began making parachute jumps from the aircraft C-130 "Hercules". In this regard, a year later the 50-I aviation transport group was formed. By this time, the use of twin-engine G-222 aircraft began to carry out the release of paratroopers and equipment. After that, the 2-I and 98-I aviation transport groups, which were armed with such machines, were consolidated into the 46-th air brigade, which is also stationed now in Pisa.



Combat activity of the parachute brigade

Parachute brigade "Folgore" is a permanent component of the Italian Ground Forces. The 1 th Parachute Regiment of Tuscania Carabinieri participates most actively in combat operations. This unit is actively involved in operations against the Italian mafia and has the necessary equipment and weapons. High mobility of the shelf allows you to quickly use it.

Also, the Italian paratroopers of the Folgore Brigade participated in many peacekeeping operations of the late 20th and early 21st century in the framework of cooperation on the North Atlantic bloc. NATO partners highly appreciate the level of combat training of the brigade and take into account its operational capabilities when planning joint combat operations of the alliance.

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