32nd Tank Regiment (Italy)

The 32nd Tank Regiment (Italian: 32° Reggimento Carri) is a tank regiment of the Italian Army based in Tauriano in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The regiment is equipped with Ariete main battle tanks and assigned to the 132nd Armored Brigade "Ariete". On 15 September 1936 the regiment was formed by the Royal Italian Army as 2nd Tank Infantry Regiment. On 1 December 1938, the regiment was reorganized and reformed as 32nd Tank Infantry Regiment and assigned to the II Armored Brigade. In January 1941, the regiment deployed to North Africa, where it fought in the Western Desert campaign in Libya and Egypt. In December 1941, the regiment was taken out of the front and its role taken over by the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment.

In September 1942, the regiment was reformed and sent to the island of Sardinia. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the regiment joined the Italian Co-belligerent Army. In March 1944, the regiment was split to reform the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment. Both regiments were disbanded at the end of August 1944. The regiment was reformed in 1964 and assigned to the Armored Division "Ariete". In 1976 the regiment's flag and traditions were assigned to the 3rd Tank Battalion "M.O. Galas", which had become an autonomous unit on 1 October 1975. In 1992 the battalion lost its autonomy and entered the reformed 32nd Tank Regiment.

Originally the unit, like all Italian tank units, was part of the army's infantry arm, but on 1 June 1999 the tankers specialty was transferred from the infantry arm to the cavalry arm. The battalion's anniversary falls on 8 February, the last day of the Battle of Beda Fomm, during which the remnants of the III Tank Battalion M13/40 continued to fight until the total annihilation of the battalion.