Brescia Mechanized Brigade

Constitution

The Brescia Brigade was formed with the 19th and 20th infantry regiments on 1 November 1859 in Bergamo. Along with the Cremona Brigade in Brescia and the 6th Field Artillery Regiment it formed the 6th Division of the Line. The brigade along with the Valtellina Brigade formed the 5th Division of the Line in the Third Italian War of Independence, where it fought in the Battle of Custoza. The brigade participated in the Capture of Rome and then saw service in the Italian colonial wars: the First Italo-Ethiopian War and the Italo-Turkish War.

World War I

During World War I the brigade fought on the Italian Front and was awarded the Military Order of Italy for its conduct during the Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo on the Banjšice Plateau. In 1918 the brigade was sent to Western Front in France and fought there in the last allied offensive of the war. At the end of the war the brigade had reached Rimogne.

World War II

In 1926 the brigade received the 16th Infantry Regiment Savona and became the infantry component of the 27th Infantry Division Sila. The same year the brigade was renamed as XXVII Infantry Brigade. In 1935-36 the brigade was employed in Ethiopia during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War.

In 1939 the brigade lost the 16th Infantry Regiment Savona and was renamed 27th Infantry Division Brescia. This binary division consisted of only two infantry regiments (19th and 20th) and the 55th Field Artillery Regiment. The division participated in the Western Desert Campaign, distinguishing itself during the Siege of Tobruk. The division was completely destroyed during the Second Battle of El Alamein.

Cold War

The brigade was activated again during a major reorganization of the Italian Army: in 1975 the regimental level was abolished and battalions came under direct command of newly formed multi-arms brigades. On 21 October 1975 the Legnano Motorized Division was split into the Legnano Mechanized Brigade and the Brescia Mechanized Brigade. The 67th Infantry Regiment Legnano in Montorio Veronese became the core of the new brigade, which was brought to full strength by adding the 13th Tank Battalion M.O. Pascucci in Cordenons from the disbanded 182nd Armored Infantry Regiment Garibaldi of the Folgore Mechanized Division, the 20th Mechanized Infantry Battalion Monte San Michele in Brescia from the disbanded 68th Infantry Regiment Legnano in Bergamo of the Legnano Motorized Division, and the 52nd Self-propelled Field Artillery Group Venaria in Brescia from the disbanded 52nd Heavy Artillery Regiment, which had been part of 3rd Army Corps' Artillery Command.

Together with the Isonzo Mechanized Brigade and Pozzuolo del Friuli Armored Brigade, the Brescia Mechanized Brigade became part of the Mantova Mechanized Division. The Mantova, based in Udine in North-Eastern Italy, was part of the 5th Army Corps, which was tasked with defending the Yugoslav-Italian border against attacks by either the Warsaw Pact, or Yugoslavia, or both. The Brescia's authorized strength was 4,760 men (272 Officers, 630 non-commissioned officers and 3,858 soldiers) and it was initially composed by the following units:

• Brescia Mechanized Brigade, in Brescia
  • Brescia Command and Signal Battalion, in Brescia
  • 13th Tank Battalion M.O. Pascucci, in Cordenons, Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks)
  • 20th Mechanized Infantry Battalion Monte San Michele, in Brescia, (VCC-1 armoured personnel carriers)
  • 30th Mechanized Infantry Battalion Pisa, in Montorio Veronese, (VCC-1 armoured personnel carriers)
  • 85th Mechanized Infantry Battalion Verona, in Montorio Veronese, (VCC-1 armoured personnel carriers)
  • 52nd Field Artillery Group Venaria, in Brescia, (M114 155mm howitzers)
  • Brescia Logistic Battalion, in Montorio Veronese
  • Brescia Anti-tank Company, in Montorio Veronese
  • Brescia Engineer Company, in Montorio Veronese

On 1 October 1986 the Italian Army abolished the divisional level and brigades, that until then had been under one of the Army's four divisions, came forthwith under direct command of the Army's 3rd or 5th Army Corps. The Brescia along with the Trieste Mechanized Brigade came under the 3rd Army Corps. On the same date the 13th Tank Battalion M.O. Pascucci was transferred to the Ariete Armored Brigade and replaced by the 15th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadrons Group Cavalleggeri di Lodi in Lenta of the disbanded Centauro Armoured Division. The 15th Cavalleggeri di Lodi was armed with Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks and was reorganized in 1987 as 15th Tank Squadrons Group Cavalleggeri di Lodi.

After the end of the Cold War the Italian Army began to draw down its forces and the Brescia was one of the first brigades to be disbanded. On 27 July 1991 the brigade was officially deactivated along with most of its subordinate units. Only one unit, the 52nd Field Artillery Group, remained on active duty and joined the Legnano Mechanized Brigade.