Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" (6th)

The Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" (6th) (Italian: Reggimento "Lancieri di Aosta" (6°) - "Lancers of Aosta") is a cavalry unit of the Italian Army based in Palermo in Sicily. The regiment is the reconnaissance unit of the Mechanized Brigade "Aosta". In 1774, King Victor Amadeus III ordered to form two new cavalry regiments for the Royal Sardinian Army and named his son Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Aosta as honorary colonel of one of the two regiments. Consequently, Victor Emmanuel named his regiment Cavalry Regiment "Aosta". The regiment fought in the War of the First Coalition against French forces. However after Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the Royal Sardinian Army in the Montenotte campaign the regiment was disbanded in October of 1796.

The Regiment "Aosta Cavalleria" was reformed in 1831. In 1845, the regiment's troops were armed with lances. In 1848-49, the regiment fought in the First Italian War of Independence. During the Second Italian War of Independence the regiment distinguished itself in the Battle of Montebello. On 6 June 1860, the regiment joined the new Lancers speciality and was renamed Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta". In 1866, the regiment fought in the Third Italian War of Independence, during which it distinguished itself in the Battle of Custoza at Monte Vento and was awarded, as only the second Italian cavalry regiment, Italy's highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valor. In 1870, the regiment participated in the Capture of Rome.

In World War I the regiment fought on the Italian Front. In 1935, the regiment formed two machine gunners squadrons groups for the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. Both squadrons groups distinguished themselves in the conquest of the Galla-Sidamo region, for which each squadrons group was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor. Both medals are today affixed to standard of the Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" (6th). In April 1939, the regiment's command and I Squadrons Group participated in the Italian invasion of Albania. In 1940, the regiment fought in the Greco-Italian War. Afterwards the regiment remained on occupation duty in Greece. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the regiment refused German demands to surrender, contacted the British Middle East Command, placed itself under British command, marched into the Pindus Mountains and joined the Greek partisans in their fight against the German occupiers. However, in October 1944, the Greek People's Liberation Army forced the regiment to surrender its weapons and interred the regiment's remaining troops.

In July 1951, the Italian Army reformed the regiment as 6th Armored Cavalry Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" in Bologna. From its formation until October 1954, the regiment was assigned to the Infantry Division "Trieste" and then transferred to the VI Territorial Military Command. In 1964, the regiment was disbanded and its I Squadrons Group renamed Squadrons Group "Lancieri di Aosta". The same year the squadrons group moved to Cervignano del Friuli, where it joined the Infantry Division "Mantova" as the division's reconnaissance unit. In 1975, the squadrons group was reorganized, equipped with Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks and renamed 6th Tank Squadrons Group "Lancieri di Aosta". The squadrons group then joined the newly formed Armored Brigade "Vittorio Veneto" and was assigned the traditions and standard of the Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" (6th). In July 1991, the Mechanized Brigade "Vittorio Veneto" was one of the first brigades to disband after the end of the Cold War and, consequently, in May of the same year, the 6th Tank Squadrons Group "Lancieri di Aosta" moved to Palermo, where it joined the Motorized Brigade "Aosta". In March 1992, the squadrons group lost its autonomy and entered the reformed Regiment "Lancieri di Aosta" (6th).

The regiment's anniversary falls on 24 June 1866, the day regiment distinguished itself in heavy combat at Monte Vento during the Battle of Custoza, for which the regiment was awarded Italy's highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valor.