Original Item: Only One Available. The Bersaglieri (Marksmen in English) are a corps of the Italian Army originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Army of the Kingdom of Sardinia, later to become the Royal Italian Army. They have always been a high-mobility light infantry unit, and can still be recognized by the distinctive wide brimmed hat that they wear (only in dress uniform in modern times), decorated with black capercaillie feathers. The feathers are usually applied to their combat helmets. Another distinctive trait of the Bersaglieri is the fast jog pace they keep on parades, instead of marching. Italy began the Second World War with 12 Bersaglieri regiments of three battalions each. Over the preceding years the Army had resisted suggestions to dilute their quality, and recruits continued to be of above-average size and stamina, endured intense physical training and had to qualify as marksmen.

During World War II, the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment fought in the Greco-Italian War and then in the Invasion of Yugoslavia. In 1942 the regiment participated in the Case Anton, occupation of Vichy France. The regiment was disbanded by German forces after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943.

The M33 Helmet (Elmetto Mod. 33 in Italian) is a steel combat helmet designed in the 1930s in Italy, and was the standard combat helmet of the Regio Esercito up to World War II, and of the Esercito Italiano well into the Cold War. Designed by Nicola Leszl for the Mussolini Government, these have become extremely hard to find on the collectors market today, especially WWII examples that have not been refurbished.

The front of this helmet has a great period stencil for the 1st Regiment of Bersaglieri. The exterior shows very heavy oxidation overtaking the paint, with similar oxidation to the interior. The liner is in good shape overall and the correct wartime leather chinstrap is intact, rare to see. The liner is perforated 55 for the size. The chinstrap is a bit weak but is still complete with the buckle. 

A very nice example of the Italian M33 helmet from WWII, ready to display!

On 10 November 1940 the regiment was sent to Albania to fight in the Greco-Italian War. In Albania the I Battalion was attached to the 3rd Alpine Division "Julia" and the VII Battalion to the 47th Infantry Division "Bari", while the IX Battalion guarded the frontier with Yugoslavia. On 29 November the regimental command and IX Battalion were tasked with defending the front near Pogradec on the shores of Lake Ohrid. From 29 November 1940 to 28 February 1941 the regiment and IX Battalion held the frontline, for which the regiment was awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's flag and added to the regiment's coat of arms.

On 28 February the regiment left the frontline and was reunited with all its battalions. In early March the regiment moved to Shkodër in Northern Albania. On 6 April 1941 Axis forces commenced the Invasion of Yugoslavia and the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment defended the border against Yugoslav forces at Bozaj until the regiment went on the offensive on 15 April. On 17 April the regiment occupied Dubrovnik. On 24 June 1941 the regiment returned to Naples. For its conduct during the invasion of Yugoslavia the regiment was awarded its second Silver Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's flag and added to the regiment's coat of arms.

In August 1942 the regiment was transferred to Piedmont and in November of the same year the regiment participated in the Case Anton occupation of Vichy France. The regiment then remained in the area of Draguignan on occupation and coastal defense duty. On 8 September 1943, the day the Armistice of Cassibile was announced, the regiment was again in Piedmont, where invading German forces overcame and disbanded it.