The regiment is named for the city of Bologna and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm.

On 12 June 1859, a volunteer brigade was formed in Turin, which occupied Bologna during the Second Italian War of Independence.

In 1975, the regiment was disbanded and its flag and traditions assigned to the 40th Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Bologna".

[1][2] On 21 July 1858, French Emperor Napoleon III and the Prime Minister of Sardinia Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour met in Plombières and reached a secret verbal agreement on a military alliance between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia against the Austrian Empire.

Upon Sardinia's refusal, Austria declared war on 26 April and three days later the Austrians crossed the Ticino river into Piedmont.

[1] On 12 June 1859, the Royal Sardinian Army formed the Brigade Victor Emmanuel (Italian: Brigata Vittorio Emanuele) in Turin, with volunteers that had come to Piedmont from Veneto and the Papal Legations of the Romagne.

On 19 August 1860, Garibaldi's troops landed in Calabria and began his campaign to occupy Southern Italy.

On 11 September 1860, the Royal Sardinia Army crossed the border of the Papal State and began the Sardinian campaign in central and southern Italy.

For taking the two heights, the two infantry regiments of the Brigade "Bologna" were both awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor, while the 40th Infantry Regiment's 7th Company was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor for its role in the events of that day.

In 1895–96, the regiment provided ten officers and 271 enlisted for units deployed to Italian Eritrea for the First Italo-Ethiopian War.

At the time the 40th Infantry Regiment consisted of three battalions, each of which fielded four fusilier companies and one machine gun section.

After Italy's entry into the war on 23 May 1915, the Brigade "Bologna" was deployed on the lower Isonzo river.

On 23 June, Italian forces commenced the First Battle of the Isonzo and the Brigade "Bologna" attacked the Austro-Hungarian positions on the base of the Karst plateau, occupying first Fogliano and then pushing the Austrians out of Castelnuovo.

On 18 July 1915, the brigade participated in the Second Battle of the Isonzo, during which the 40th Infantry Regiment attacked enemy positions in the Bosco Cappuccio woods below San Martino del Carso.

For their conduct and bravery during the first year of the war, especially from 23 June to 31 July and from 21 to 23 October, the both regiments of the Brigade "Bologna" were awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor.

In June 1918, during the Second Battle of the Piave River the brigade was deployed on the Montello, where it withstood a series of enemy attacks.

During the decisive Battle of Vittorio Veneto the brigade was deployed on the Monte Grappa massif, where it attacked Austro-Hungarian positions on 24 October.

In 1935-36 the 40th Infantry Regiment "Bologna" provided 36 officers and 435 troops to units deployed to East Africa for the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.

[1][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] At the outbreak of World War II, the 40th Infantry Regiment "Bologna" consisted of a command, a command company, three fusilier battalions, a support weapons battery equipped with 65/17 infantry support guns, and a mortar company equipped with 81mm Mod.

On 24 June 1940, the Franco-Italian Armistice was signed and the "Bologna" division returned to its garrison in Bir al-Ghanam.

On 9 December 1940, the British Western Desert Force commended Operation Compass and within days annihilated entire Italian divisions.

On 25–29 January 1941, the 10th Artillery Regiment "Bologna" fought in the defensive battle at Derna, but the Italian attempts to stop the British offensive failed and the remnants of the 10th Army were forced to resume their retreat.

On 20 August 1941, the I Battalion of the 40th Infantry Regiment "Bologna" was deployed in the first line of the Tobruk siege ring.

On 18 November 1941, the British Eighth Army launched Operation Crusader, with the aim to break the siege of Tobruk.

On 23 November, the Tobruk garrison renewed their attack, but the 17th Infantry Division "Pavia" arrived and mounted a counterattack, which defeated the British assault.

The "Bologna" division, which was in danger of being encircled East of Tobruk, broke through British lines and moved to the airfield at Al ‘Adam (today the Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air Base).

On 8 December 1942, the "Bologna" division and its regiments were declared lost due to wartime events.

On the same date, the 6th Armored Cavalry Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" was transferred to the VI Territorial Military Command.

On 15 September 1955, the Grouping "Trieste" was disbanded and its units assigned to the Infantry Division "Folgore".