Logistic Battalion "Cremona"



The Logistic Battalion "Cremona" (Battaglione Logistico "Cremona") is an inactive logistics unit of the Italian Army, which was assigned to the Motorized Brigade "Cremona". Since 1 November 2019 the flag of the Logistic Battalion "Cremona" is assigned to the Logistic Regiment "Sassari" in Sardinia. The regimental anniversary falls, as for all units of the Transport and Materiel Corps, on 22 May, the anniversary of the Italian Army's first major automobile use to transport reinforcements to counter the Austro-Hungarian Offensive at Asiago in 1916.

History
The battalion is the spiritual successor of the logistic units of the 44th Infantry Division "Cremona", which was based in Sardinia from March 1941. When Italy and Germany occupied Vichy France in Operation "Anton" after Allied troops had landed in French North Africa the division was ferried to Southern Corsica on 8 November 1942 and remained there until the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943. The next day the Cremona and its sister division the 20th Infantry Division "Friuli" fought the retreating German Sturmbrigade Reichsführer SS and 90th Panzergrenadier Division and the Italian XII Paratroopers Battalion/ 184th Paratroopers Regiment of the 184th Airborne Division "Nembo", The Cremona division pushed the Germans North from Zonza and Quenza to the Golo river and Sorbo-Ocagnano.

After the operations in Corsica the Cremona returned to Sardinia and joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army. In September 1944 the division was reduced to two infantry regiments (21st Infantry Regiment "Cremona" and 22nd Infantry Regiment "Cremona") and one artillery regiment (7th Artillery Regiment "Cremona"). The division was equipped with British weapons and materiel and renamed Combat Group "Cremona". The Cremona entered the front on 12 January 1945 as part of the British V Corps and when allied forces achieved a major breakthrough during the 1945 spring offensive the Cremona advanced towards Venice and liberated the city on 30 April 1945.

On 15 October 1945 the combat group was renamed Infantry Division "Cremona". On 1 November 1956 the logistic units of the division were assigned to the newly formed Service Units Command "Cremona", which was formed on the same date in Venaria Reale. The command consisted of a medical section, a provisions section, a mobile vehicle park, a mobile workshop, and an auto unit. On 1 November 1961 the mobile vehicle park, mobile workshop, and the light workshops of the division's regiments were merged to form the Resupply, Repairs, Recovery Unit "Cremona".

On 1 January 1972 the Service Units Command "Cremona" was reorganized as Services Grouping Command "Cremona" with a command, the Auto Unit "Cremona", the reserve Medical Battalion "Cremona", and a provisions company in Turin, and the Resupply, Repairs, Recovery Unit "Cremona" in Venaria Reale. As part of the 1975 army reform the Infantry Division "Cremona" was reduced to Motorized Brigade "Cremona" and on 30 October 1975 the services grouping command was reduced to Logistic Battalion "Cremona", which received all the traditions of the preceding logistic, transport, medical, maintenance, and supply units of the Cremona units. The battalion consisted of a command, a command platoon, a supply and transport company, a medium workshop, a vehicle park, and a medical company. At the time the battalion fielded 651 men (37 officers, 82 non-commissioned officers, and 532 soldiers).

On 12 November 1976 the battalion was granted a flag by decree 846 of the President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone.

On 1 October 1981 the battalion was reorganized and consisted then of the following units:


 * CoA mil ITA rgt logistico sassari.png Battalion Command, in Turin
 * Command and Services Company
 * Supply Company
 * Maintenance Company
 * Medium Transport Company
 * Medical Unit (Reserve)

On 5 November 1996 the Logistic Battalion "Cremona" was disbanded and parts of its personnel and materiel were transferred to the 1st Military Region Logistic Unit "Monviso". On 13 November 1996 the flag of the Logistic Battalion "Cremona" was transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome, where it remained until 28 October 2019. On 1 November 2019 the flag of the Logistic Battalion "Cremona" was assigned to the Logistic Regiment "Sassari" in Sardinia.