The Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" (14th) ( - "Chevau-légers of Alessandria") is an inactive cavalry unit of the Italian Army named for the city of Alessandria in Piedmont. In 1850, shortly after the First Italian War of Independence, the Royal Sardinian Army formed the regiment. The regiment fought in the Second Italian War of Independence, Crimean War, and Third Italian War of Independence. In World War I the regiment fought on the Italian Front. During World War II the regiment was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division "Eugenio di Savoia", with which the regiment deployed to occupied Yugoslavia on anti-partisan duty. On 17 October 1942, the regiment conducted the last cavalry charge in Italian military history. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the regiment rode towards Italy, but the lack of orders and pressure by invading German forces, led to the regiment's commander ordering the regiment to dissolve on 14 September 1943.

In 1964, the Italian Army's 3rd Armored Infantry Regiment formed a reconnaissance squadron, which was named Squadron "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" and received the traditions of the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" (14th). In 1975, the squadron was renamed 14th Reconnaissance Squadron "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" and assigned to the Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna". In 1979, the squadron was disbanded and the regiment's traditions passed to the Regiment "Lancieri di Montebello" (8th). The regiment's anniversary falls on 24 June 1866, the day of the Battle of Custoza, during which the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" (14th) distinguished itself in a series of charges against the Austrian cavalry, for which the regiment was awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor. As the regiment is a Chevau-léger unit, its enlisted personnel is addressed as "Chevau-léger" ().

History Formation On 3 January 1850, the Royal Sardinian Army formed the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" in Casale Monferrato. To form the new regiment the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Novara" ceded its 5th Squadron and 6th Squadron, which became the new regiment's 1st Squadron respectively 2nd Squadron, while the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Aosta" ceded its 5th Squadron and 6th Squadron, which became the new regiment's 3rd Squadron respectively 4th Squadron. To complete the new regiment, the Regiment "Piemonte Reale Cavalleria" ceded its 6th Squadron, which became the new regiment's depot squadron. As one of the Royal Sardinian Army's light cavalry regiments, the regiment's troops wore an orange kepi and were armed with musket, pistol, and sabre. In 1851, the regiment moved from Casale Monferrato to Chambery in the Duchy of Savoy.

On 31 March 1855, the regiment's commander and staff formed the headquarters of the Provisional Cavalry Regiment for the Sardinian expeditionary corps for the Crimean War. On the same date, the Provisional Cavalry Regiment received the 1st Squadrons of the army's other four light cavalry regiments. Afterwards the Provisional Cavalry Regiment's organization was as follows:

Provisional Cavalry Regiment Staff, Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" 1st Squadron - 1st Squadron, Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Novara" 2nd Squadron - 1st Squadron, Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Aosta" 3rd Squadron - 1st Squadron, Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Saluzzo" 4th Squadron - 1st Squadron, Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Monferrato" 5th Squadron - 1st Squadron, Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria"

On 14 April 1855, in a ceremony in Alessandria King Victor Emmanuel II presented the Provisional Cavalry Regiment with its standard. Afterwards the regiment was shipped from Genoa to Crimea. On 16 August 1855, the Provisional Cavalry Regiment fought in the Battle of the Chernaya. After the Crimean War the regiment was repatriated and, on 18 June 1856, disbanded and its squadrons returned to their original regiments.

Italian Wars of Independence Second Italian War of Independence On 26 April 1859, the Second Italian War of Independence began. On 29 April, the Imperial Austrian Army crossed the Ticino river, which formed the border between the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Austrian Empire. On 2 May, the Austrians captured Vercelli and began to advance towards the Piedmontese capital Turin. As the French Empire was allied with Piedmont-Sardinia, French Army divisions began to arrive Piedmont, which led to the Austrians to stop their advance and concentrate their forces at Mortara on 9 May. The next day, 10 May, the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" participated in a reconnaissance raid towards Vercelli, which convinced the Austrian commander Feldzeugmeister Ferenc Gyulay to retreat back over the Ticino river into Lombardy. On 19 May, the Austrians left Vercelli, retreated across the Sesia river, and destroyed the bridge over the Sesia at Borgo Vercelli. On 21 May, the first Piedmontese forces forded the river at Villata and Cappuccini. Between 22 and 25 May, the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" participated in raids and attacks against the Austrian held villages of Borgo Vercelli and Palestro. On 27 May 1859, King Victor Emmanuel II awarded the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" a Bronze Medal of Military Valor for the conduct of the regiment's 2nd and 3rd squadrons during the crossing of the Sesia river on 21 May and the operations against Borgo Vercelli and Palestro between 22 and 25 May.

On 29 and 30 May, four Piedmontese division crossed the Sesia at Vercelli to cover the French Army's right flank, while the French crossed the Sesia further North. On 30 May, the Piedmontese 4th Division captured Palestro, which led to the Battle of Palestro the next day, in which the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" participated. On 24 June 1859, the regiment fought in the Battle of Solferino at Madonna della Scoperta.

On 16 September 1859, the Royal Sardinian Army's nine cavalry regiments ceded one squadron each to help form three new Chevau-légers regiments and the three squadrons ceded by the cavalry regiments "Nizza Cavalleria", "Cavalleggeri di Saluzzo", and "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" were used to form the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Lodi". On 6 June 1860, the Sardinian War Ministry ordered that the army's light cavalry regiments would be equipped henceforth with sabre and pistol.

Between 1862 and 1864, the regiment operated in Campania and Sicily to suppress the anti-Sardinian revolt, which had erupted in southern Italy after the Kingdom of Sardinia had annexed the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. On 16 February 1864, the regiment ceded its 1st Squadron to help form the Regiment "Lancieri di Foggia".

Third Italian War of Independence

On 20 June 1866, the Third Italian War of Independence between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austrian Empire began. During the war the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" formed, together with the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Saluzzo" and Regiment "Lancieri di Foggia", the Cavalry Brigade of the III Corps of the Army of the Mincio, which operated along the Mincio river. On 24 June, the Army of the Mincio clashed with the Austrian South Army in the Battle of Custoza. In the early hours of the battle the Austrian 13th Uhlans Regiment "Graf Trani" and 1st Hussars Regiment "Kaiser Franz-Joseph" charged the Italian 7th Division and 16th Division at Villafranca. The Uhlans spurned on by their commanding officer, Colonel Maximilian von Rodakowski, rode past the Italian infantry squares into Villafranca, where the Italian fire forced the Austrians to retreat. As the Uhlans returned to their own lines they were charged by the 3rd Squadron of the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria". Observing the melee the commanding officer of the "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria", Colonel Enrico Strada, surged forward with the regiment's staff, 1st Squadron, and 2nd Squadron. The Italians pursued the Uhlans to Ganfardine, where the Austrian 1st Hussars Regiment countercharged the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria". Colonel Strada rallied his regiment and after a brief scuffle with the Hussars retreated with his regiment towards the Italian lines. The Austrian Hussars then resumed their attack against the Italian 7th Division, but after being charged in their right flank by the 5th Squadron of the Regiment "Lancieri di Foggia" the Hussars retreated. Colonel Strada then led his regiment once more forward to pursue the Hussars. After a brief clash between the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" and seven Austrian cavalry squadrons, which have moved forward to cover the retreat of the 1st Hussars Regiment, both sides retired to their own lines.

For its conduct at Custoza the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" was awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's standard, while the regiment's commander, Colonel Enrico Strada, was awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor. Similarly, the commander of the Austrian 13th Uhlans Regiment "Graf Trani", Colonel Maximilian von Rodakowski, was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Leopold for the conduct of his regiment at the Battle of Custoza.

On 10 September 1871, the regiment was renamed 14th Cavalry Regiment (Alessandria) and, on 5 November 1876, Cavalry Regiment "Alessandria" (14th). On 1 October 1883, the regiment ceded its 6th Squadron to help form the Cavalry Regiment "Catania" (22nd). In 1887, the regiment provided personnel and horses for the formation of the 1st Africa Cavalry Squadron and the Mounted Hunters Squadron, which fought in the Italo-Ethiopian War of 1887–1889. On 1 November of the same year, the regiment ceded one of its squadrons to help form the Cavalry Regiment "Vicenza" (24th). In 1895-96, the regiment provided 73 enlisted for units deployed to Italian Eritrea for the First Italo-Ethiopian War. On 16 December 1897, the regiment was renamed Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" (14th). On 1 October 1909, the regiment ceded its 3rd Squadron to help form the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Treviso" (28th). In 1911–12, the regiment provided 108 enlisted to units deployed for the Italo-Turkish War.

World War I

At the outbreak of World War I the regiment consisted of a command, a depot, and two cavalry groups, with the I Group consisting of three squadrons and the II Group consisting of two squadrons and a machine gun section. Unlike the cavalry regiments, which were assigned to the army's 1st and 4th cavalry divisions, the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" (14th) was not dismounted for the war. In August 1916, the regiment was assigned to a provisional cavalry brigade, which fought in the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo and was the first Italian unit to enter the city of Gorizia. In 1917, the regiment's depot in Lucca formed the 855th Dismounted Machine Gunners Company as reinforcement for the regiment.