Original Italian WWII Named 151st “Sassari” Infantry Regiment Tropical Weight Overseas Cap with Bullion Cap Badge - Sero Garuti

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. The 151st Infantry Regiment "Sassari" (Italian: 151° Reggimento Fanteria "Sassari") is an active unit of the Italian Army based in Cagliari in Sardinia. The regiment is named for the city of Sassari and part of the Italian Army's infantry arm. During World War II the regiment was assigned to the 12th Infantry Division "Sassari", which in 1941 participated in the invasion of Yugoslavia. Afterwards the division remained in Yugoslavia on occupation duty. In March 1943 the division was transferred to Rome, where it was informed of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943. Tasked with defending Rome from invading German forces, the regiment was forced to surrender on 10 September.

This is an outstanding tropical weight overseas cap for a soldier of the 151st, with a lovely bullion Infantry cap badge on blue-green cloth backing, with a small circular badge embossed 151 in the center. There is loss to the bullion as shown, but the cap has a great overall patina showing heavy period use. The front shows some heavy staining.

The interior shows heavy sweat-staining over a period-applied inscription, Sero Garuti (Caruti?). A good research project for someone with the roster. 

An outstanding and honest tropical cap, ready for further research and display.

At the outbreak of World War II the regiment consisted of a command, a command company, three fusilier battalions, a support weapons battery equipped with 65/17 infantry support guns, and a mortar company equipped with 81mm Mod. 35 mortars. On 6 April 1941 the division participated in the invasion of Yugoslavia and for the next two years the division's command was based in Knin, while the division's units were employed in anti-partisan operations in the surrounding area. In March 1943, after the Battle of the Neretva, the division was transferred to Rome to defend the city in case of an allied attack.

After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the division was tasked with defending Rome from Italy's former German allies. Together with the 21st Infantry Division "Granatieri di Sardegna" and 135th Armored Cavalry Division "Ariete", the Carabinieri Legion "Roma", and other minor units the Sassari fought the German 2nd Fallschirmjäger Division for two days. On 10 September 1943 the I and II battalions of the 151st Infantry Regiment "Sassari" joined the grenadiers of the "Granatieri di Sardegna" division, the lancers of the Regiment "Lancieri di Montebello", and hundreds of civilians at Porta San Paolo for a last stand. By 17:00 the Germans broke the line of the Italian defenders, who had suffered 570 dead. Soon after the Italian military units surrendered to the Germans as the flight of the King Victor Emmanuel III from Rome made further resistance senseless. Before surrendering the Italian soldiers handed their weapons over to the civilian population, which was quick to form an organized resistance movement in the city.