4th Carabinieri Cavalry Regiment | |
---|---|
4° Reggimento Carabinieri a Cavallo | |
Active | 1963-present |
Country |
![]() |
Branch |
![]() |
Type | Gendarmerie |
Role | Mounted units Rural patrol |
Size | Regiment |
Part of | 1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade |
Garrison/HQ | "Tor Di Quinto" Barracks, Rome |
Anniversaries | 30 April (Battle of Pastrengo) |
Commanders | |
Current commander |
Col. Paolo Galvaligi |
The 4th Carabinieri Cavalry Regiment (Italian: 4° Reggimento Carabinieri a Cavallo) is a Carabinieri mounted police unit of the 1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade, tasked with riot control and rural patrol, which was established on 1 April 1963 as part of a reorganization of the Italian Carabinieri.
A Colonel commands the Regiment and is located at the barracks "Tor di Quinto" (Rome) is employed by the 1st Carabinieri Mobile Brigade.
The Carabinieri Regiment is very popular especially for their famous historic carousel that reaches its climax when they relive the same charge Pastrengo divided into two teams (one mounted on white horses, another on dark horses) and throw the one the each other with the sword stopping a few inches from contact.
While mounted units of the Carabinieri existed from their inception, the 4th Carabinieri Cavalry Regiment traces its origins from the formation of the XI Carabinieri Mechanized Brigade. The establishment of the new Brigade was in order to adjust the organization of the Battalions and of cavalry units both for strictly military tasks, and those related to the protection of public order. The aim was to ensure Carabinieri Battalions the availability of all elements necessary to be in a position to act in isolation and overcome considerable resistance without having to rely on the competition of other Army Corps or other Armed Forces, to ensure Battalions speed of movement and concentration in large sectors of foreseeable use and a constant high training level.
The 4th Cavalry Carabinieri Regiment (based from the beginning in Rome) was subordinated to the Brigade Command and consisted of 2 Squadrons Groups (Battalion-level units) and 1 Armoured-motorized Squadron:
On 15 June 1965, the organization was heavily modified: the II Squadrons Group "Allievi" passed under Students Legion in Rome, while three Territorial Squadrons Group in Milan, Cagliari and Palermo passed under the Regiment with the name of II, III and IV Squadrons Group. On 1 January 1966, the Regiment lost the Equestrian Centre.
In 1967, the Regiment was given the Equestrian Sport Sections Detachment in Montelibretti.
On 31 October 1968, the Armoured-Motorized Squadron and the Squadrons Groups of Milan, Cagliari and Palermo were disestablished, leaving the Regiment with 1 Command Squadron and 1 Squadrons Group; the following day the II Squadrons Group was established. The Equestrian Sport Sections Detachment was disestablished and on 16 November 1968 the Regiment gained two Carabinieri Detachments Equestrian Sections in Montelibretti and in Castro Pretorio.