60th Tank Battalion "M.O. Locatelli"
Italian Army tank unit / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 60th Tank Battalion "M.O. Locatelli" (Italian: 60° Battaglione Carri "M.O. Locatelli") is an inactive tank battalion of the Italian Army, which was based in Altamura in Apulia and last operationally assigned to the Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo". The unit's lineage traces back to the World War II LX Tank Battalion L, which in 1940-41 fought in the Western Desert campaign and was destroyed during Operation Compass in the Battle of Beda Fomm. In 1960 the battalion was reformed and assigned to the Infantry Division "Avellino". In 1965 the battalion was transferred to the Infantry Brigade "Pinerolo". In 1975 the battalion was renamed 60th Armored Battalion "M.O. Locatelli" and in 1979 the battalion was renamed 60th Tank Battalion "M.O. Locatelli". In September 1992 the battalion entered the 60th Tank Regiment "M.O. Locatelli", but already one month later the regiment was renamed 133rd Tank Regiment and the flag of the 60th Tank Regiment "M.O. Locatelli" was transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome.[1][2]
60th Tank Battalion "M.O. Locatelli" | |
---|---|
60° Battaglione Carri "M.O. Locatelli" | |
Active | 15 May 1940 - 8 Feb. 1941 1 May 1960 - 17 Oct. 1992 |
Country | Italy |
Branch | Italian Army |
Part of | Mechanized Brigade "Pinerolo" |
Garrison/HQ | Altamura |
Motto(s) | "Irruento aggredisco" |
Anniversaries | 1 October 1927 |
Insignia | |
Tank units gorget patches |
Originally the unit, like all Italian tank units, was part of the army's infantry arm, but on 1 June 1999 the tankers specialty was transferred from the infantry arm to the cavalry arm. The battalion's anniversary falls, as for all tank units, which have not yet distinguished themselves on the battlefield, on 1 October 1927, the day the tankers speciality was founded.[1]