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The 8th Parachute Assault Engineer Regiment "Folgore" (8° Reggimento Guastatori Paracadutisti) is the unique and special unit manned by para assault engineers belonging to the Italian Army which exists to provide close combat support to the Folgore Parachute Brigade. For this reason it is fully manned, able to deploy with a very short notice and fighting in every environment, either permissive and non permissive one. In peace time it is continuously involved in supporting civil population disposing explosive remnants of war or other explosive devices, normally in support of police forces, and in case of natural disaster. == History == The assault engineer speciality was first born in Germany with the name of ''pionier''. After the astonishing results obtained by those special engineers in the Ardenne region during the Battle of France (1940), Italy decided to create its own ''pionier'' which were named ''guastatori''. Starting from 1940, the most offensive, strongest and bravest willing engineers were sent to Civitavecchia Assault Engineer School to attend the ''guastatori'' course. They were trained to approach enemy strong points and fortifications, place explosive charges to get the most effective results (slots, doors, air ducts), waiting for the explosion a few meters close to the charge and then, supported by assault weapons (such as machine guns, light mortars, flamethrower and offensive hand granades), break into the just opened breach. Pre-conditions for the success were: surprise, temerity, bravery, planning, synchronization and momento. The Assault Engineers were organized in companies which were subsequently collected in battalions. The basic combat element was the platoon made up of two destruction teams (equipped with rifles, hand grenades, smoke sticks and bangalore torpedos to open corridors and special charges to destroy fortifications) and two support teams (equipped with heavy machine guns and light mortars). This platoon was considered able to successfully strike a fortification with three or four active positions.〔 For parachute and alpine divisions were created and trained special assault engineer companies and battalions.〔 Movies from Istituto Luce, the historic Italian film institute: *(Guastatori lanch minefield breaching operation, Northern Africa 1942 ) *(Guastatori assault an outpost, Northern Africa 1942 ) 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「8th Parachute Assault Engineer Regiment (Italy)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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