Formation On 21 July 1858,
French Emperor Napoleon III and the
Prime Minister of Sardinia Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour met in
Plombières and reached a
secret verbal agreement on a military alliance between the
Second French Empire and the
Kingdom of Sardinia against the
Austrian Empire. On 26 January 1859, Napoleon III signed the Franco-Sardinian Treaty, followed by King
Victor Emmanuel II on 29 January 1859. On 9 March 1859, Sardinia mobilized its army, followed by Austria on 9 April. On 23 April, Austria delivered an ultimatum to Sardinia demanding its demobilization. Upon Sardinia's refusal, Austria declared war on 26 April and three days later the Austrians crossed the
Ticino river into
Piedmont. Consequently, France honored its alliance with Sardinia and declared war on Austria on 3 May 1859.
Third Italian War of Independence On 1 August 1862, the 41st Infantry Regiment (Brigade "Modena") ceded one of its depot companies to help form the
63rd Infantry Regiment (
Brigade "Cagliari"). On the same day the regiment ceded its 17th Company and 18th Company to help form the 65th Infantry Regiment (
Brigade "Valtellina"). In 1866, the Brigade "Modena" participated in the
Third Italian War of Independence. In September 1870, the brigade participated in the
capture of Rome. On 25 October 1871, the brigade level was abolished, and the two regiments of the Brigade "Modena" were renamed 41st Infantry Regiment "Modena", respectively 42nd Infantry Regiment "Modena". On 2 January 1881, the brigade level was reintroduced, and the two regiments were renamed again as 41st Infantry Regiment (Brigade "Modena") and 42nd Infantry Regiment (Brigade "Modena"). In May 1916, the brigade was sent to the
Asiago plateau, where the Italian lines were crumbling under intense Austro-Hungarian attacks during the
Battle of Asiago. On 2 June 1916, the Brigade "Modena" entered the frontline in the
Monte Cengio sector and deployed along the summit ridge of Monte Paù. On 16 June, the 41st Infantry Regiment was sent to hold the line on
Monte Zovetto, while the 42nd Infantry Regiment held the line at Magnaboschi. On 25 June, the Austro-Hungarian forces ended their offensive and fell back to the Northern side of the Asiago plateau. The defensive battle had cost the brigade more than 2,000 casualties. On 12 August 1916, the brigade was sent to the
Karst plateau on the lower
Isonzo river. On 9 October 1916, the
Eighth Battle of the Isonzo commenced and the brigade attack the Austro-Hungarian positions to the East of the
Lago di Doberdò. Within three days the brigade achieved its objects at the cost of 1,885 casualties. On 13 October 1916, the brigade was taken out of the first line and sent to the
Giudicarie, where the brigade was assigned the calm front sector in the
Val Chiese. The brigade was again on the Monte Grappa during the
Second Battle of the Piave River. On 15 June 1918, the day the Austro-Hungarian offensive began, the brigade had to fall back to its second line of defense, but the next day the brigade counterattacked and retook its lost positions. During the decisive
Battle of Vittorio Veneto the brigade was once more on the Monte Grappa, from where it pursued the fleeing Austro-Hungarian troops to
Fiera di Primiero. For its conduct and bravery during the war, especially during the
Battle of Asiago, the
Second Battle of the Piave River, and the
Battle of Vittorio Veneto, the 41st Infantry Regiment was awarded a
Silver Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's flag and added to the regiment's coat of arms. On 20 October 1929, the command of the division moved from Genoa to
Imperia and was consequently renamed
5th Territorial Division of Imperia. In 1931, the 41st Infantry Regiment "Modena" moved from Savona to Imperia. On 1 January 1935, the 5th Territorial Division of Imperia changed its name to
5th Infantry Division "Cosseria". A name change that also extended to the division's infantry brigade.
World War II At the outbreak of
World War II, the 41st Infantry Regiment "Modena" consisted of a command, a command company, three
fusilier battalions, a support weapons battery equipped with
65/17 infantry support guns, and a mortar company equipped with
81mm Mod. 35 mortars. On 1 November 1975, battalion was assigned to the newly formed
Mechanized Brigade "Gorizia". On 12 November 1976, the
President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone assigned with decree 846 the flag and traditions of the 41st Infantry Regiment "Modena" to the 41st Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Modena". For its conduct and work after the
1976 Friuli earthquake the battalion was awarded a Bronze Medal of Army Valor, which was affixed to the battalion's flag and added to the battalion's coat of arms.
Recent times On 1 May 1991, the
183rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Nembo" was disbanded in
Gradisca d'Isonzo and the 41st Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Modena" moved from
Villa Vicentina to
Gradisca d'Isonzo, where the battalion incorporated the personnel and materiel of the disbanded "Nembo" battalion. On 3 September 1992, the 41st Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Modena" lost its autonomy and the next day the battalion entered the reformed 41st Infantry Regiment "Modena". On 27 September 1995, the 41st Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Modena" transferred the flag of the 41st Infantry Regiment "Modena" to the Shrine of the Flags in the
Vittoriano in
Rome. Three days later, on 30 September 1995, the 41st Mechanized Infantry Battalion "Modena" was disbanded. == References ==