5th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment (Italy)

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The 5th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment (5° Reggimento Artiglieria Pesante Campale) of the Italian Army is now inactive. It was based in Udine and was part of the 5th Army Corps. Its origin goes back to 1928, when it was formed in Pula from existing units to replace an earlier regiment.

Formation and structure
The regiment began with a command and four groups: I Cannons Group and II Cannons Group (both equipped with 105/28 cannons), III Howitzers Group (149/12 howitzers), and later the IV Howitzers Group (added in 1932 with 149/13 heavy howitzers). In 1934 it was renamed 5th Army Corps Artillery Regiment, and in 1935 the V Motorized Group with 75/27 guns was added.

World War II
At the start of the war, the regiment had a command and four groups. Its depot in Pula mobilized units for various commands. One group fought in the 1941 invasion of Yugoslavia; another group went to North Africa in 1942 and took part in the Tunisian campaign, surrendering in May 1943. After Italy’s Armistice on 8 September 1943, German forces disbanded the regiment and its depot.

Postwar changes
In the 1975 army reform, Italy abolished the regimental level. The Regiment’s Command and Services Battery and the Specialists Battery formed the Artillery Specialists Group “Mantova,” within the Mechanized Division “Mantova,” to support multiple heavy artillery units. The group had about 290 personnel.

Renaming and final years
In 1986 the Mantova Division was disbanded, and the group was renamed the 5th Artillery Specialists Group “Medea,” gaining the flag and traditions of the 5th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment. It became part of the Artillery Command of the 5th Army Corps and was named after Medea hill, a site from World War I. In 1987 the President confirmed the flag’s assignment.

Disbandment
On 31 March 1991 the group was placed in reserve status, and on 8 May the 5th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment’s flag was returned to the Shrine of the Flags in Rome. The group was formally disbanded on 30 June 1991.

Anniversary
The regiment’s anniversary is June 15, marking the start of the Second Battle of the Piave River in 1918.

Note
This article describes the Royal Italian Army unit that served at corps level. It is not related to other similarly named regiments with different command levels.