In the 1860-1861, during the Sardinian campaign in central and Southern Italy the regiment distinguished itself in the battles of Castelfidardo and Macerone.

[7][8][9]: 13 [10] During World War II the regiment was assigned together with the Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" to the 3rd Cavalry Division "Principe Amedeo Duca d'Aosta", which participated in spring 1941 in the Invasion of Yugoslavia and in summer 1941 in the Invasion of the Soviet Union.

In December 1942 the regiment was nearly annihilated during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn and subsequently the survivors were repatriated to Italy.

After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 invading German forces disbanded the remnants of the regiment in Medicina.

[8] In 1848-49 the regiment fought in the First Italian War of Independence, during which it was decorated with a Bronze Medal of Military Valor for its conduct in the Battle of Santa Lucia at the gates of Verona on 6 May 1848.

[8][12] In 1855 the Novara's 1st Squadron was part of the Sardinian expeditionary corps' Provisional Light Cavalry Regiment, which fought in the Crimean War and distinguished itself on 16 August 1855 in the Battle of the Chernaya.

[7][8][12] In the Second Italian War of Independence in 1859 the regiment distinguished itself in the battle of Montebello and was awarded a second Bronze Medal for Military Valor.

In 1895-96 the regiment provided one officer and 75 enlisted for units deployed to Italian Eritrea for the First Italo-Ethiopian War.

[7][8] In 1917 the regimental depot in Treviso formed the 735th and 1354th dismounted machine gunners companies as reinforcement for infantry units on the front.

After the Italian defeat in the Battle of Caporetto the II Cavalry Brigade, together with the II/25th Battalion and III/26th Battalion of the Infantry Brigade "Bergamo", stalled the Austro-Hungarian advance on 30 October 1917 in the Battle of Pozzuolo del Friuli, which allowed the Italian III Army to escape across the Tagliamento river.

[9]: 13 [10] Both cavalry regiments were awarded a Silver Medal for Military Valor for the successful delay of the Austrian advance.

After the war the Italian Army disbanded 14 of its 30 cavalry regiments and so on 21 November 1919 the II Group of the Novara was renamed "Cavalleggeri di Piacenza" as it consisted of personnel and horses from the disbanded Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Piacenza" (18th).

[11][13] On 20 July 1941 the division left Italy and on 13 August 1941 it reached Dniprodzerzhynsk (today Kamianske) on the Dnipro river in central Ukraine.

[7][13] From late autumn 1941 until 5 December 1941, the regiment defended Nikitovka against superior forces of the Soviet 74th Rifle Division.

[9]: 11  On 15 March 1942 division's two cavalry regiments and the 3rd Horse Artillery Regiment, as well as the III Fast Tanks Group "San Giorgio" left the division and formed the Horse Troops Grouping under direct command of the 8th Italian Army.

[1][2][13] After Yagodnyi the Novara, together the Alpini Battalion "Monte Cervino", Alpini Battalion "Val Chiese", 54th Infantry Regiment "Sforzesca" and an howitzer group of the 17th Artillery Regiment "Sforzesca", defended the Zuzkan Valley until 23 September.

[9]: 23 [13] In July 1943 the regiment moved to Medicina to begin the process of being brought back up to full strength.

After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 invading German forces captured two training squadrons in Medicina.

[9]: 23 [7] During the regiment's deployment to Russia the regiment's depot in Verona formed the:[8][13] In North Africa, the V Machine Gunners Group "Lancieri di Novara" was overwhelmed by enemy forces in the Battle of the Mareth Line and was forced to retreat on 27 March 1943 with heavy losses.

On 7 April, the remnants of the group were assigned to the 131st Armored Division "Centauro" and occupied positions at Abd El Rahnane.