The Flag

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In the late modern era - i.e. in the 18th century and at the start of the contemporary era – Flags were granted solely to Infantry and Cavalry Units, the so-called “Line Corps”, as a deserved reward for the blood their soldiers had shed on the battlefield.

The Flag evoked the achievements and legacy of the Unit and represented the rallying point of ranks in the many instances of combat. It was, in short, the expression of the high regard in which Infantry and Cavalry along with their Units were held.

Of course, Flags could not be granted to other Corps, for which the concession of a Flag took on a very different meaning, as in that case it was no more than a formal token of appreciation for meritorious service.

For a long time, the Italian Army granted flags sparely. It was only in 1935 that the Artillery and Engineers Regiments were granted their own banners and labara too.

However, on 13 August 1840, King Carlo Alberto granted a Flag to the 'Royal Military Academy' as a sign of grace and favor. It was the sole exception for over fifty years to the policy of flag concession illustrated above.

Therefore, the 'Theoretical and Practical Schools of Artillery and Fortification' never had a Flag of their own. One of the reasons was that they never constituted an autonomous entity since they were always part first of the Battalion, then of the Regiment and finally of the Royal Artillery Corps.

On the same day the Branch Schools were established, i.e. 16 April 1739, two Flags were granted to the Artillery and Engineer Battalion per Article 4 of the regulations of their Unit. It stipulated that "in order to honour and commend this Unit, We establish that two “drapeaux”, i.e. flags, shall be assigned to it and be used as is the practice in other Regiments of Our Infantry Corps. May the Unit rejoice for the recognition of the seniority of the Battalion since its inception, as well as for the additional honours and privileges bestowed on it. Furthermore, when its Officers are serving or in command, they shall sport a sash as is the practice in the other afore mentioned Regiments”.

The two flags were called Battalion Colours or Official Colours and the other Regimental Colours or Colonel Flag (Italian: Colonnella). Those two Flags can be regarded as the first Flags of the “Royal Theoretical and Practical Schools of Artillery and Fortification”, although not exclusively granted to them.

With the changes devised and enacted by King Vittorio Amadeo III, the Royal Artillery Corps was founded and the Flags with which the Savoy Artillery fought against the troops of the French Revolution were modified too. The 'Colonnella 1776' flag was thus designed and the Schools flew it until 1816.

Later, with the Restoration, the Royal Artillery Corps was re-organised and received a new Flag called “Colonnella, model 1816”. The ‘Theoretical and Practical Schools of Artillery and Fortification' flew that model of flag until they were disbanded to establish the "School for Officers of the Royal Corps of Engineers" and the "School of Applied Military Studies for Officers of the Royal Corps of Artillery" in 1819 and 1822, respectively.

From then, up to 1977, the Schools of the Artillery and Engineers Corps no longer had their own Flag, nor did they have the same Flag of other Branches, but instead bore the War Flag of one of the Units quartered in Turin or in nearby areas.

As for the other Schools of Applied Military Science, it is worth recalling that the Infantry School never had its own Flag, while the Cavalry School had the privilege to sport the National Standard by Royal Decree of 3 December 1934, in line with the Standard adopted for the Regiments of the same Corps. Similar concessions previously made to the Schools for Special Entry Cadet Officers and for Non-Commissioned Officers inspired this decision.

The delivery of the Standard took place on 23 February 1935 in Pinerolo. Actually, to mark the importance of the ceremony, the Standard was the same of the disbanded 26 ‘Vercelli Lanciers’ Regiment, which had received a Silver Medal for Military Valour for the events of late October and early November 1918.

During the turmoil that occurred after 8 September 1943,the Standard disappeared and it was never found again.

Once the war was over, the Military Schools were merged into a “Unified Military Academy” in Modena that catered for all Army Branches and of a “School of Applied Military Studies” in Turin.

Thus, on October 1947 a new National Flag was granted to the unified Military Academy. As for the other Institute, this took place later, when it had already become the “School of Applied Military Studies”. The School received the Flag in 1977 by Presidential Decree of 14 March of the same year, during a solemn ceremony held in the courtyard of honour of the Arsenal Palace in the presence of the former Commanders of the School and civil and military authorities.

On the same occasion, the Flag was awarded the Silver Medal for Military Valour with the following citation:

"Cradle of high teachings, which shaped many generations of Officers and educated them to duty and sacrifice, on the critical night of the armistice, having disregarded the order to surrender, it faced an uneven fight while hugely outnumbered by the enemy. It bravely and strenuously held out against highly trained enemy infantrymen that did not succeed in breaking down its resistance. Neither the casualties it sustained nor the interventions of enemy armoured vehicles were enough to weaken itsresilience and determination to resist. After several hours of fierce fighting, it only gave up combat on a superior order, thus corroborating its military traditions of gallantry with the blood generously shed by its defenders. (Parma - 8/9 September 1943)” The official delivery of the Flag to the School of Applied Military Studies celebrated the unification of the former Schools and marked a hoped-for harmonisation of the ethical and professional preparation of all Army Officers. Thus, the Flag is a symbol of cohesion by means of which the gloriouslegacy of the School will inspire the military in the years to come.

The widow of Brigadier Giuseppe Perotti – the recipient of a Gold Medal for Military Valour and a former attendee and military teacher at the School of the Engineers Corps, who had fought in World Wars I and II – was the Godmother to the flag. He was a hero of the Resistance and was shot, together with seven other patriots, on 5 April 1944 in Turin, at the “Martinetto” shooting range, which no longer exists.

On April 28, 2023 witness to its imperishable, centuries-old and continuous contribution in the training of Italian Army Officers, the Institute's Flag was awarded the Bronze Medal for Valour of the Army with the following motivation:
​ "Heir to the traditions of the Royal Theoretical and Practical Schools of Artillery and Fortification and exemplary synthesis of military art, ethics and culture, the Institute has trained officers since 1739. Officers who have provided proof of extraordinary skill, courage and absolute loyalty in their defense of the Homeland especially in the most critical phases of the country's history, even during the last serious pandemic crisis. An unparalleled Institute upholding the highest values, a training ground of ideas and the military profession for generations of servants in arms in support of the community and its institutions. This Institute has contributed to raising the valour and prestige of the Italian Army" (Turin, 1739 - 2022)