"Fulmineo fuoco di fulminea mole"
The 131st “Centauro” armoured
Artillery Regiment was constituted on 20th April 1939 in Cremona. In
the same year, included in the “Centauro” armoured Division, it was mobilized
and moved to Albania. On 28th October 1940 it had its baptism of
fire on the Greek-Albanian front. In particular it participated in the battles
of Doljana, Kani, Delvinachi, Zaraplana, Zervat, S.Dimitrio, Arinista, Tepleni.
In June 1941 it came back to Italy and it was deployed in the area of
Spilimbergo where it was reorganized in a more armoured component with the
75/18 cannons. In November 1942 it was deployed in Sicily in prevision of the
employment in Northern Africa where, in Cirenaica and Tripolitana, it
participated in the battles of El-Agheira, Marada, Bu Erat and Beni Ulid.
Because of the losses it was dissolved in April 1943, except for the 2nd
/131st that continued to fight in the areas of Enfidaville and
Takrouna (Tunisia) together with the German units. The Regiment was
reconstituted in Bracciano in May 1951 and in November it was reunited to the
other units of the “Cantauro” Division in Verona. In November 1955 it moved
definitely to Vercelli. After the reorganization in October 1975 the 131st
Regiment was dissolved. The Flag was inherited by the 131st “Vercelli”
Field Heavy Artillery Group that was constituted in the barracks “Golden Medal
Aldo Maria Scalise” on 21st October 1975. After the dissolution of
the “Centauro” Division, on 1st November 1986 the Group passed at
the dependencies of the Artillery Command of the 3rd Army Corps; on
16th February 1991 it was included in the Horseback Artillery
Regiment. On 30th July 1992 it was reconstituted again as 131st
Self-propelled Campaign Artillery Regiment included in the “Centauro” Brigade.
On 10th October 1995, after the reorganization of the Army, the 131st
was moved from Vercelli to Barletta where it substituted the dissolved 2nd
“Potenza” and passed at the dependencies of the “Pinerolo”. On 20th
May 1996 it was moved to Foggia. In March 2001 it was dissolved and substituted
by the 21st “Trieste”. The War Flag of the Regiment is decorated
with a Bronze Medal to the Military Valour (Greek front, Albania, Yugoslavia;
28th October 1940 – 23rd April 1941) and a Bronze Medal
to the Civil Merit (Province of Vercelli; 2nd November – 20th
December 1968).