The 2nd Pontieri Engineer Regiment () is a military engineer regiment of the Italian Army based in Piacenza in the Emilia Romagna. Today the regiment is administratively assigned to the army's Engineer Command and the army's sole unit focusing on operational level water crossings. The term "Pontieri" comes from the Italian word for bridge () and is used to denote units of the engineer arm tasked with the construction and repair of bridges. Enlisted personnel in such units are addressed by the singular form: "Pontiere". The regiment was formed in 1883 as an engineer regiment, which united all the Pontieri companies of the Royal Italian Army. During World War I the regiment formed battalions and companies, which operated along the Italian front. In 1933 the regiment was split into the 1st Pontieri Regiment (Light Bridges) and 2nd Pontieri Regiment (Heavy Bridges). During World War II the regiment formed battalions and smaller units, which were deployed on all fronts. The regiment was disbanded by invading German forces after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943. The regiment was reformed in 1949 and has been active since.
History
On 1 January 1883 the Royal Italian Army formed the 4th Engineer Regiment (Pontieri) in Piacenza. The 1st Engineer Regiment and 2nd Engineer Regiment provided each four Pontieri companies and one train company. The 2nd Engineer Regiment also transferred its 14th Lagunari Company in Venice to the new regiment. The 1st Pontieri Company, which arrived from the 2nd Engineer Regiment, had distinguished itself in the First Italian War of Independence during the Siege of Peschiera in May 1848 and been awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valour, which was affixed to the flag of the newly formed regiment.
On 23 June 1887 the regiment changed its name to 4th Engineer Regiment. The same year the regiment transferred four sappers and a train company to the 3rd Engineer Regiment, which in turn transferred its Ferrovieri brigade with four companies in Turin to the 4th Engineer Regiment. On 1 November 1887 the regiment consisted of a staff, three Pontieri brigades (with eight companies), a Ferrovieri brigade (with four companies), a Lagunari brigade (with two companies), three train companies, and a depot.
On 1 July 1895 the Ferrovieri brigade in Turin became an autonomous brigade, which on 9 August 1910 was reorganized as 6th Engineer Regiment (Ferrovieri). The same year the brigades were renamed battalions and on 1 November 1895 the regiment was renamed 4th Engineer Regiment (Pontieri). The regiment provided three officers and 793 enlisted to fill out units that were deployed for the Italo-Turkish War in 1911–12.
World War I
During World War I battalions and companies formed by the regiment fought in all sectors of the Italian front. In total the regiment formed six Pontieri battalion commands and 23 Pontieri companies, six Lagunari companies, two siege park companies, a river guides company, a hydraulic operators company, four bridge sections for cavalry, and three territorial militia companies. The regiment's units fought in eleven battles on the Isonzo river. After the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo the Pontieri built bridges over the Torre and Tagliamento rivers to allow the Italian 3rd Army to escape. During the battles along the Piave river the Pontieri enabled the army to cross the river during the decisive Battle of Vittorio Veneto.
8th Engineer Regiment (Lagunari) On 28 August 1918 the 8th Engineer Regiment (Lagunari) was formed in Ferrara and all units of this engineer speciality were transferred to the new regiment. The regiment consisted of a command, the I Lagunari Battalion in Venice with the 9th, 15th, 20th, and 23rd company, and the II Lagunari Battalion with the 10th, 21st, 22nd, and 24th company in Ferrara. In October 1918 the regiment formed the 1st Train Company and the same month the regiment's companies were heavily engaged in the Piave delta during the Battle of Vittorio Veneto. In November 1918 the regiment moved to Venice, where it was disbanded on 21 November 1919. The last remaining battalion of the regiment with two Lagunari companies returned on the same date to the 4th Engineer Regiment (Pontieri), which was renamed Pontieri and Lagunari Engineer Regiment.