Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Lodi" (15th)

The Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Lodi" (15th) (Reggimento "Cavalleggeri di Lodi" (15°) - "Chevau-légers of Lodi") was a cavalry regiment of the Italian Army.

History
The regiment was raised on 16 September 1859. It earned its first of three Silver Medals of Military Valour at the Battle of Bu Meliana during the Italo-Turkish War, and the second two year later, when the regiment charged Libyan rebels at Monterus Nero. During World War I the regiment initially served on the Italian Front before being sent to Macedonian front in 1916. In July 1918 the regiment was sent to the Western Front in France and fought at Reims, Chemin des Dames, Sissonne, and on the Meuse. After the war the regiment was disbanded on 20 May 1920.

On 15 February 1942 a reconnaissance group was raised in Pinerolo, which received the name "Cavalleggeri di Lodi". On 20 November 1942 the group arrived in Tunisia to fight in the Tunisian campaign, where it distinguished itself at Gabès during the Battle of Wadi Akarit and Enfidha during Operation Strike, earning its third Silver Medal of Military Valour. The group surrendered with the rest of Army Group Africa on 13 May 1943.

On 1 January 1952 the company-sized "Cavalleggeri di Lodi" Armored Cavalry Squadron was raised in Verona and equipped with M8 Greyhounds to serve as the reconnaissance unit of the Armored Division "Centauro". In 1956 the Cavalleggeri di Lodi were expanded to squadrons group and moved to Lenta in Piedmont. During the 1975 army reform the Squadrons Group "Cavalleggeri di Lodi" received the number, war flag, and traditions of the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Lodi" (15th). Equipped with Fiat Campagnola reconnaissance vehicles and M47 Patton tanks the squadrons group continued in the role of the Cenatauro's divisional reconnaissance unit.

When the Italian Army disbanded the divisional level in 1986 the "Cavalleggeri di Lodi" squadrons group was equipped with Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks and renamed 15th Tank Squadrons Group "Cavalleggeri di Lodi". The squadrons group then joined the Mechanized Brigade "Brescia".

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 disband. On 27 July 1991 the brigade was deactivated along with most of its subordinate units and the Cavalleggeri di Lodi joined the 3rd Army Corps. On 6 September of the same year the squadrons group was renamed as Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Lodi" (15th) without changing size. Around the same time the regiment began to replace its tracked Leopard 1A2 tanks with wheeled Centauro tank destroyers. On 31 October 1995 the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Lodi" (15th) was disbanded and its war flag was transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome.