The 6th Pioneer Regiment (Italian: 6° Reggimento Genio Pionieri) is a military engineer regiment of the Italian Army based in the Cecchignola quarter of Rome. Today the regiment is administratively assigned to the army's Engineer Command and the army's sole pioneer unit, whose focus, unlike the army's other engineer units, is on rear area construction tasks.[3][1][4]
Quick Facts Active, Country ...
Close
The 6th Engineer Regiment was formed in 1926. During the World War II the regiment formed engineer battalions and smaller units for deploying divisions. The regiment was disbanded by invading German forces after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943. In 1952 the Engineer Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna" was formed and assigned to the Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna". In 1976 the battalion was renamed 6th Engineer Battalion "Trasimeno" and assigned the flag and traditions of the 6th Engineer Regiment. The same year the Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna" was disbanded and the battalion was transferred to the Central Military Region. In 1993, the battalion was disbanded and the regiment's flag was transferred to the newly formed 6th Pioneer Regiment. In 1997, the regiment was transferred to the army's Engineer Grouping.[4][1] The regimental anniversary falls, as for all engineer units, on June 24, the end of the Second Battle of the Piave River in 1918.[3]
On 1 October 1922 the 4th Army Corps Engineer Grouping was formed in Bologna, which received the Sappers Battalion and the Telegraphers Battalion of the VI Army Corps, and a miners company from the disbanded Miners Engineer Regiment. The grouping consisted of a command, a sappers-miners battalion, a telegraphers battalion, a photo-electricians company, two dovecotes (in Bologna and Treviso, which was later replaced by a dovecote in Ancona), and a depot. On 1 November 1926 the grouping was renamed 6th Engineer Regiment.[4]
In February 1928 the regiment provided a sappers-miners company and telegraphers company for the formation of the 11th Engineer Regiment. On 28 October 1932 the regiment received the II Battalion of the disbanded 1st Radio-Telegraphers Regiment.[5] In January 1937 the telegraphers and radio-telegraphers battalions were renamed connections battalions.[4]
World War II
With the outbreak of World War II the regiment's depot began to mobilize new units:[4]
The 3rd Engineer Grouping was mobilized on 11 June 1940 and in April 1941 participated in the invasion of Yugoslavia. The grouping was then assigned to the 2nd Army for occupation duty in Yugoslavia and based in Sušak. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the grouping in Sušak and the 6th Engineer Regiment in Bologna were disbanded by invading German forces.[4][1]
Cold War
On 1 May 1952 the Engineer Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna" was formed in Civitavecchia by expanding the Engineer Company "Granatieri di Sardegna". The company carried the traditions of the 54th Engineer Company formed in 1940 for the 21st Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna", which defended Rome against German troops after the announcement of the .Armistice of Cassibile. In 1955 the battalion moved from Civitavecchia to Rome.[4][1]
During the 1975 army reform the army disbanded the regimental level and newly independent battalions were granted for the first time their own flags. During the reform engineer battalions were named for a lake if they supported a corps or named for a river if they supported a division or brigade. On 1 January 1976 the Engineer Battalion "Granatieri di Sardegna" was renamed 6th Engineer Battalion "Trasimeno" and assigned the flag and traditions of the 6th Engineer Regiment, and the traditions of the 54th Engineer Company.[4][6] The battalion was assigned to the Central Military Region and consisted of a command, a command and park company, and three engineer companies. At the time the battalion fielded 756 men (38 officers, 98 non-commissioned officers, and 620 soldiers).[1][7] In 1988 the command and park company split into a command and services company, and a special equipment company.[4]
Recent Times
On 3 September 1993 the 6th Engineer Battalion "Trasimeno" was disbanded and the next day the 6th Pioneer Regiment was reformed with the personnel and materiel of the disbanded battalion. On 1 December 1997 the regiment was transferred to the army's Engineer Grouping. After the 1997 Umbria and Marche earthquake the regiment was deployed to the affected areas, where it remained until May 1998, earning a Bronze Medal of Civil Valor for its service.[2]
On 24 January 2005 the regiment formed a second pioneer battalion, which was for named for Lake Nemi near Rome.[8]
After the 2016 earthquake in Central Italy the regiment was deployed to the area and remained there until April 2017, building shelters, clearing debris, and providing engineering services to the affected communities. For its service the regiment was awarded Gold Medal of Army Valor.[9]
![](./File:Italian_Army_-_VTMM_"Orso"_RC_engineering_vehicle.png){kind=link}