1st Regiment "Granatieri di Sardegna"

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1st Regiment "Granatieri di Sardegna" — easy, short version

Overview
- The 1st Regiment "Granatieri di Sardegna" is a grenadiers unit of the Italian Army.
- Based in Rome and part of the Mechanized Brigade "Granatieri di Sardegna".
- It is the oldest active unit in the Italian Army and the most senior infantry regiment.
- The regiment, with its partner the 2nd Regiment, serves as the guard regiments for Rome.
- Motto: "A me le Guardie!" (Guards, on me!).

History in brief
- Origins go back to 1659 when a Guard Regiment was formed to protect the Duke of Savoy.
- Over centuries the regiment fought in many wars and earned high honors, including at Gaeta (1860–61) and at Monte Cengio (1916) and in the Karst plateau (1917) during World War I.
- In World War II, the regiment fought with the 21st Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna" in occupied territories and later defended Rome after Italy’s 1943 armistice with the Allies.
- After the war, the regiment went through several reorganizations, including a 1976 reform that dissolved the regimental system and split its traditions between battalions.
- The regiment was reformed in 1992 and has continued as a modern mechanized unit. The height requirement for soldiers was reduced in 2004 after conscription ended.

Modern era and organization
- As of 2024, the regiment is organized as follows:
- Command and Logistic Support Company
- Grenadiers Battalion "Assietta" (four Grenadiers companies)
- Maneuver Support Company (equipped with 120mm mortars and Spike anti-tank missiles)
- Honor Guard Company
- The regiment maintains a ceremonial and protective role in Rome, while also serving as a frontline mechanism in Italy’s army structure.