It has been originated by the Guards Brigade, formed after the reorganization of the Infantry Army determined on 25th October 1831 with the 1st Grenadiers Regiment (instituted on 18th April 1659) and the Hunters Regiment (instituted on 13th July 1774). By the Decree of 20th April 1850, the Brigade was named Grenadiers Brigade, composed of the 1st and 2nd Grenadiers Regiments. In November 1852 it included in its ranks the companies of the dissolved Hunters Regiment and it was named "Grenadiers of Sardinia" Brigade. Dissolved on 25th October 1871, along with the other permanent brigades, it was reconstituted on 2nd January 1881, including the 1st and the 2nd Grenadiers Regiment.
During the First World War the Grenadiers were positioned on the line between Monfalcone and the Sabotino, Oslavia, Mount Cengio and Mount Saint Michel. They finished the war in 1917 with the battle of Vittorio Veneto.
For effect of the law 11th March 1926 about the reorganization of the Army, providing for the constitution of the Brigades on three regiments, the Brigade included also the 3rd "Grenadiers of Sardinia" Regiment that was constituted on 1st December 1926: it was named 21st Infantry Brigade. Assigned to the 21st Land Military Division of Rome, along with the 13th Artillery Regiment, the Brigade became "Grenadiers of Sardinia" Infantry Division that in 1939 was changed into 21st "Grenadiers of Sardinia" Infantry Division, losing the 3rd Grenadiers.
On 8th September 1943, when the armistice was proclaimed, the Division had its units deployed in the southern area of Rome in order to protect the access roads to the Capital. The reaction to the German assaults developed along Via Ostiense and ended on 10th September 1943 when the Division was dissolved.
On 15th May 1944 it was formed again, in Sardinia, as Grenadiers Division, as a result of the transformation of the Grenadiers Regiment. It was composed of the 1st and 2nd Grenadiers Regiment, the 32nd and 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment, the 553rd and 548th Artillery regiment (substituted by the 507th Regiment on 14th July) and the 205th mixed Engineer Company. During the first decade of August the two Grenadiers regiments were sent to the continent and passed to the dependencies of the "Friuli" Division.
When the Division was dissolved on 31st August 1944, its personnel formed the 1st and the 2nd Guards Regiment, while qualified personnel was given to the "Cremona" Division.
The Great Unit was reconstituted on 1st April 1948 in Rome as "Grenadiers of Sardinia" Infantry Division with the 1st Grenadiers Regiment, the 17th "Acqui" Infantry Regiment, the 13th Artillery Regiment for Campaign. In 1951 it was also included a Pioneers Engineer Battalion and in 1959 the 1st Bersaglieri Armoured Regiment. It did not change until 1st November 1976 when it was reorganized in a Mechanized Brigade including several units that formed the 1st "Assietta", the 2nd "Cengio" and the 3rd "Guards" Grenadiers Regiments, the 1st "La Marmora" Bersaglieri Battalion, the 6th "M.O. Scapuzzi" Tanks Battalion, the 13th "Magliana" Artillery Battalion for Campaign, the "Grenadiers of Sardinia" Logistics Battalion, the Command and Signals Unit and an anti-tanks Company. Since 1992 the Great Unit has included the Command, the Command and Signals Unit, the 1st and 2nd "Grenadiers of Sardinia" and the 3rd "Guards" Regiments, the 13th Artillery for self-propelled Campaign, the 1st Bersaglieri Battalion, the 6th Tanks Battalion (substituted in 1993 by the 4th Tanks Regiment), the Logistics Battalion, the 32nd anti-tanks Company (dissolved on 30th November 1992) and the Engineer Company.
On 4th October 1993 the Command and Signals Unit became Command and Tactical Supports Unit that included the Engineer Company. Since 21st December 1995 it has included the 7th "Cremona" Artillery Regiment for self-propelled campaign, while the 13th was dissolved. Since 15th May 1996 the 7th has been substituted by the 33rd "Acqui". Later, also the 8th "Lancieri di Montebello" Regiment has entered the component of the Brigade.
WAR CAMPAIGNS
War of Succession in Spain (1701-1713)
War of Succession in Poland (1733-1735)
War of Succession in Austria (1742-1748)
War of the Alps (1792-1796)
Napoleonic Wars (1796)
First War of Independence
1848: Pastrengo, Santa Lucia, Goito, Custoza
Second War of Independence
Madonna della Scoperta, Central - South (1860-61): Perugia, Ancona, Mola di Gaeta
(1861-70) Brigandage - areas of Itri, Fondi and Sperlonga
Third War of Independence
Custoza: 1866
Eritrea: 1895-97
Libya: 1911-12
First World War
1915: Monfalcone (June - July), M. Sabotino, Oslavia (November)
1916: Oslavia (March), M. Cengio (June), M. S. Michele - Nad Logen (August), S.Grado di Merna
1917: Regione Fornaza (May - June), Stariokwa-Selo (August), Bertiolo-Flambro (October)
1918: Capo Sile, Piave, battle of Vittorio Veneto
Second World War
1940: Battle of the Western Alps
1941 - 42: From May to November 1941
1942: patrols in Yugoslavia
1942 - 43: national territory
Liberation in 1943: from 8th to 10th September it participated in the defence of Rome with all the dependent units.
MISSIONS
• 2000 and 2002: “JOINT GUARDIAN” mission, in the Republic of Albania (Ure-i-Limutit, Pukë)
• 2001: employed for the “DOMINO” Operation in different places of Central Italy
• 2005: the Brigade instituted the CORE STAFF of the Multinational South-West Command in PRIZREN (KOSOVO)
• 2007/2008: it participated in the “JOINT ENTERPRISE” Operation in Kosovo.