The "Acqui" Brigade was constituted on 25th October 1831 on the 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments that in 1839 became the 17th and 18th. It derives from the Alessandria Brigade of 1815 on two battalions, one of them has derived from the Desportes Regiment (a foreign mixed Infantry Regiment at the service of the King of Sardinia). In 1871 the Brigade was dissolved to be then reconstituted on 2nd January 1881.
It participated in the First World War along the low Isonzo river and Monfalcone, concluding the war in Trento. Dissolved on 15th October 1926, it gave the 14th and 11th Brigades its regiments.
It was reconstituted in August 1939 as 33rd "Acqui" Infantry Division with the 17th and 18th Infantry Regiments and the 33rd Artillery Regiment. In 1940 the 18th "Camicie Nere" Assault Legion became its component as well as the 317th Regiment in 1941.
It participated in the Second World War in Albania and in the Aegean Greek isles. In the period after the armistice the Great Unit recorded huge losses in the historical events of the massacre of Cephalonia and that of Corfu.
Reconstituted on 1st October 1975 with the pre-existent units and the "Grenadiers of Sardinia", the Brigade regimented the 17th "San Martino", the 57th "Abruzzi", the 130th "Perugia" and the 9th armoured "M.O. Butera" Infantry Battalions, the 48th "Taro" Artillery Group, the "Acqui" Logistics Battalion, the Command Unit and smaller units.
RECENT HISTORY
The Brigade represents the bearing structure for the Force of Emergency Service in case of natural disasters; since 1st April 1991 it performs the functions of the 10th Land Operational Command for the region of Abruzzo.
On 1st October 1991 with a brief ceremony the Motorized Brigade became Mechanized Brigade, losing the 57th "Abruzzi" and the 9th armoured "M.O. Butera" Infantry Battalions but regimenting the 123rd "Chieti". Later it included the 17th "Acqui" and the 130th "Perugia" Infantry Regiments and the 48th "Taro" Artillery Regiment. After having participated in the "Sicilian Vespers" Operation, it was dissolved on 30th June 1996.
In 2002 it inherits its name from the 3rd Italian Division, affiliated with the OTAN Rapid Deployable Corps, assuming its present denomination of "Acqui" Division. Constituted in the 2nd Defence Forces Operational Command until 4th July 2016, the Division has been a projectable Planning Command that has participated in several training activities in Italy and abroad.
Since 5th July 2016, after the closing, the redenomination and the migration of the 2nd Defence Forces Operational Command, the Command Division has regimented the "Aosta", "Sassari", "Pinerolo", "Grenadiers of Sardinia" and "Garibaldi" Brigades as well as the "Acqui" Command and Tactical Supports Unit, becoming the High Command of the Army Operational Component in the southern-central Italy and in the Isles.
