Original Item. Only One Available. This is one of the scarcest pieces of Italian headgear we have ever offered, an original WWI Period Bersaglieri hat with the original Capercaillie feather plume. This example has a gorgeous and entirely period hat badge for the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment, which fought with distinction during the First World War. For its conduct in August 1917 on the Banjšice plateau and for its sacrifice on 25 October 1917 on Monte Globokak the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the regiment's flag and added to the regiment's coat of arms.

This exquisite piece of headgear is in fantastic service-used condition, the white, red, and green colors of the cockade heavily faded from service wear. The small 4 numeral was almost certainly hand-affixed to the badge by the Bersaglieri himself. The leather of the wide brim is crazing & cracking, a great tell of its age.

The interior of the hat bears a gorgeous maker’s tag reading:

ULTIMA CREAZIONE
ALTA NOVITA

This is certainly a known tailor in Italy. The hat retains its silky-like red interior with the leather sweatband still fully intact. There may have been a size marking on it at one point, but it is gone. The hat measures roughly a Size 7.

This is an extremely scarce hat to find from this era in any condition, let alone with a regimental designation that makes for a fantastic research project. This gorgeous piece comes ready for further research and display.

On 7 January 1915 the regimental depot in Turin formed the XLI Battalion, and on 22 February 1915 the XLII Battalion. Both battalions operated as autonomous units until 15 February 1917, when they entered the newly formed 19th Bersaglieri Regiment, which too had been formed by the regimental depot of the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment. In May 1915, shortly before Italy's entry into World War I, the regiment received the XLIII Battalion from the 9th Bersaglieri Regiment to bring the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment back to full strength. Upon entering the regiment the XLIII Battalion was renumbered as XXVI bis Battalion. The regiment then consisted of the XXVI bis, XXIX, and XXXVII battalions, and the IV Cyclists Battalion, which operated as an autonomous unit throughout the war. On 24 May 1915, the day after Italy's entry into the war, the regiment operated on the Asiago plateau. In July the regiment was sent to the Isonzo front, where it fought in October 1915 at Ajba during the Third Battle of the Isonzo. In November the regiment was in the Tolmin sector during the Fourth Battle of the Isonzo, where it was tasked with taking the Austrian positions on the hills of Bučenica and Mengore on the right bank of the Isonzo river.

On 5 January 1916 the XXVI bis Battalion resumed to be numbered XLIII Battalion. In 1916 the regiment remained on the Isonzo front and fought in the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Battle of the Isonzo. During the Sixth Battle of the Isonzo the regiment's IV Cyclists Battalion distinguished itself on 6 August by capturing Hill 85 near on the Karst plateau near Monfalcone. For taking Hill 85 the battalion was awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the flag of the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment and added to the regiment's coat of arms.

On 15 February 1917 the regiment's depot formed the command of the 19th Bersaglieri Regiment, and on 1 April 1917 the command of the 20th Bersaglieri Regiment. In May 1917 the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment fought in the Tenth Battle of the Isonzo at Bodrež, and on Monte Semmer and Monte Fratta. On 18 June 1917 the regiment formed, together with the 21st Bersaglieri Regiment, the V Bersaglieri Brigade. In August 1917 the brigade fought in the Eleventh Battle of the Isonzo on the Banjšice plateau. On 24 October 1917 the Austro-Hungarian Army and Imperial German Army commenced the Battle of Caporetto and for two days the brigade held the front against Austro-Hungarian attacks on Monte Globokak. Afterwards the brigade joined the Italian retreat to the Piave river. After escaping over the Piave river the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment counted 45 officers and 1,607 troops as lost, while the 21st Bersaglieri Regiment had lost 21 officers and 894 troops. On 7 November 1917 the V Bersaglieri Brigade and the 21st Bersaglieri Regiment were disbanded, with the remaining troops of the 21st Bersaglieri Regiment used to bring other Bersaglieri regiments back up to strength. The 4th Bersaglieri Regiment then returned to the Asiago plateau, where it fought between 19 November and 9 December 1917 on Monte Badenecche and Monte Tonderecar. In these battles the regiment lost another 67 officers and 2,043 troops. On 9 December 1917 the remnants of the shattered regiment were pulled out of the front and the regiment was disbanded.