13th Infantry Regiment "Pinerolo"

Part of the regiment's personnel was then assigned to the 2nd Line Brigade, which fought on the French side in the War of the Second Coalition against the Austrians.

In 1940-41, the "Pinerolo" division fought in the Greco-Italian War, during which the regiment distinguished itself and was awarded its second Gold Medal of Military Valor.

In 1701, Duke Victor Amadeus II joined the War of the Spanish Succession and the regiment fought in 1702 in the Battle of Luzzara and then in 1706 in the Defense of Turin.

The war ended with the 1720 Treaty of The Hague, which restored the position prior to 1717, but with Savoy and Austria exchanging Sardinia and Sicily.

In March 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte arrived in Italy and took command of the French forces, with which he defeated the Royal Sardinian Army in the Montenotte campaign within a month.

On 28 April 1796, King Victor Amadeus III had to sign the Armistice of Cherasco and on 15 May 1796 the Treaty of Paris, which forced Sardinia out of the First Coalition.

Part of the personnel of the Regiment of "Saluzzo" choose to remain in service and were assigned to the 2nd Line Brigade, which fought on the French side in the War of the Second Coalition against the Austrians.

[4][6][7][8] After returning from exile King Victor Emmanuel I abolished all the freedoms granted by the Napoleonic Code and established a fiercely oppressive rule.

[4][6][7][8] On 31 May 1821, the four infantry brigades, which had sided with the revolutionaries, were stricken from the rolls of the Royal Sardinian Army and their personnel dismissed from service, while the troops of the regiments, who had not participated in the revolt, were assigned to four provisional line battalions.

[4][8] In 1848-49, the 13th Infantry Regiment (Brigade "Pinerolo") participated in the First Italian War of Independence, fighting in 1848 in the Siege of Peschiera, the Battle of Custoza, and the Defense of Milan.

For its conduct during the siege and capture of Peschiera the 13th Infantry Regiment was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor.

Likewise, the regiment's I Battalion was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor for its conduct at the siege of Peschiera, during the Battle of Custoza, and for its bravery on 4 August 1848 at the defense of Milan.

On 23 March 1849, after being defeated in the Battle of Novara, King Charles Albert abdicated in favour of his son Victor Emmanuel.

On 24 March, the new king met with the Austrian Field Marshal Radetzky at Vignale and agreed to an armistice, which ended the First Italian War of Independence.

On 5 May 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi's Expedition of the Thousand set off, with the support of the Sardinian government, from Genoa and landed on 11 May in Marsala in Sicily.

For the rest of the year the Brigade "Pinerolo" participated in the Italian attempts to dislodge the Austro-Hungarian forces from the slopes and hills of the Karst plateau.

During the Third Battle of the Isonzo, from 18 October to 3 November 1915, the brigade attacked the enemy trenches above Selz and for a third time was beaten back.

During the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo the brigade remained in reserve, while Italian forces finally conquered the positions on the Karst plateau.

In May 1917, during the Tenth Battle of the Isonzo, the Brigade "Pinerolo" operated on the Karst plateau in the area of Sela na Krasu, but without success and at the cost of almost 2,500 casualties.

During the Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo the Brigade "Pinerolo" attacked the Austro-Hungarian positions at Kostanjevica na Krasu on the Karst plateau.

On 29 October the brigade crossed the lower Cormor and the next day fought a rearguard action at Palazzolo dello Stella.

On 13 and 14 November the remaining troops of the brigade participated in the attempt to destroy the Austro-Hungarian bridgehead at Zenson di Piave.

On the first day of the battle Austro-Hungarian troops conquered the summit of Monte Valbella and then encircled the strong point at Malga Costalunga, which was held by the II Battalion of the 14th Infantry Regiment.

By evening the II Battalion was forced to surrender and the Austro-Hungarians shifted their attacks to the summit of Cima Ekar and Monte Melago.

On 19 June, the I and II battalions of the 13th Infantry Regiment attacked and managed to retake the strong point at Malga Costalunga.

In January 1941, the "Pinerolo" division was sent to Albania to reinforce the crumbling Italian front during the Greek offensive in the Greco-Italian War.

On 9 March 1941, the division participated in the Italian Spring Offensive and advanced after strenuous combat to Çarshovë on the Greek-Albanian border.

Infante then negotiated, with mediation the allied military mission in Greece, a collaboration agreement with the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS).

Between 25 July and 7 September of the same year, the 13th Infantry Regiment "Pinerolo" was reformed with reservists to test the Italian Army's ability to mobilize additional units in case of war.

The battalion was named for Monte Valbella on the Asiago plateau, on whose summit the 13th Infantry Regiment "Pinerolo" had distinguished itself during the Second Battle of the Piave River in June 1918.

18th Artillery Regiment "Pinerolo" troops entering Ohrid in Yugoslavia on 12 April 1941