Interwar years tankettes from the 4th Tank Infantry Regiment in
Durrës, Albania on 7 April 1939 On 1 October 1927, the
Royal Italian Army reorganized its Armed Tanks Formation Center in
Rome and formed the
Armed Tanks Regiment () as central training unit for the army's tank battalions. In 1931, the regimental headquarter moved from Rome to
Bologna. On 15 September 1936, the Armed Tanks Regiment was split into four tank infantry regiments, which had training and administrative functions: in Rome • V Breach Tanks Battalion "
Suarez", in Rome • VIII Assault Tanks Battalion "Bettoja", in Rome • IX Assault Tanks Battalion "
Guadagni", in
Bari • X Assault Tanks Battalion "
Menzinger", in
Agnano • XII Assault Tanks Battalion "
Cangialosi", in
Palermo • 4th Training Center, in Rome • 4th Maintenance Workshop, in Rome The assault tanks battalions fielded
L3/33 tankettes, which were soon replaced by slightly improved
L3/35 tankettes, while the breach tanks battalion fielded
Fiat 3000 light tanks. On 15 July 1937, the II Breach Tanks Battalion "Alessi" was transferred to the newly formed
31st Tank Infantry Regiment. On 5 June 1937, the regiment formed a new XX Assault Tanks Battalion, as the XX Assault Tanks Battalion "Randaccio" had been disbanded after it returned from fighting in the
Second Italo-Ethiopian War, and, on 1 October of the same year, the regiment formed a new XXI Assault Tanks Battalion, as the XXI Assault Tanks Battalion "Trombi" had been disbanded after it returned from
Libya. The two new tank battalions were sent to Libya, where they were assigned to the
XX Army Corps, respectively the
XXI Army Corps. •
Libyan Tank Command, General
Valentino Babini With the Italian forces retreating from
Sidi Barrani to
Bardia the tanks of the I Tank Battalion M11/39 were sent forward to
Sollum and the
Halfaya Pass to delay the British advance. By 15 December 1940, both locations were in British hands and the remnants of the I Tank Battalion M11/39 retreated to
Tobruk, while the
LX Tank Battalion L was destroyed at Buq Buq. On 25 January 1941, the 4th Tank Infantry Regiment was declared lost due to war time events. For its conduct between 8 July 1940 and 21 January 1941 in
Bardia,
Sollum, at
Halfaya Pass, and in
Sidi Barrani, and its sacrifice at
Tobruk the 4th Tank Infantry Regiment was awarded Italy's highest military honor the
Gold Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's flag. On the same date, 30 October 1975, the regiment's II Bersaglieri Battalion became an autonomous unit and was renamed
2nd Bersaglieri Battalion "Governolo". The two battalions were then assigned to the
Mechanized Brigade "Legnano", which had been formed on the same day by splitting the Infantry Division "Legnano" into the
Mechanized Brigade "Brescia" and Mechanized Brigade "Legnano". The 20th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pentimalli" consisted of a command, a command and services company, and three tank companies with
Leopard 1A2 main battle tanks. The battalion fielded now 434 men (32 officers, 82 non-commissioned officers, and 320 soldiers). On 12 November 1976, the
President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone assigned with decree 846 the flag and traditions of the 4th Armored Infantry Regiment to the 20th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pentimalli".
Recent times After the end of the
Cold War Italian Army began to draw down its forces and on 30 January 1991, the 20th Tank Battalion "M.O. Pentimalli" was disbanded and the flag of the 4th Armored Infantry Regiment transferred to the
Shrine of the Flags in the
Vittoriano in
Rome for safekeeping. However, as the 4th Tank Regiment was the Italian Army's highest and most decorated tank unit, the army decided to reform the regiment. On 18 September 1992, the
11th Tank Regiment "M.O. Calzecchi" in
Ozzano dell'Emilia was redesignated as 4th Tank Regiment, and three days later, on 21 September 1992, the flag of the 11th Tank Regiment "M.O. Calzecchi" was transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the
Vittoriano. The 4th Tank Regiment was now assigned to the
Mechanized Brigade "Friuli". == Organization ==