Bersaglieri

Bersaglieri (Ital., 'marksmen'), the riflemen or sharpshooters of the Italian army, first organised in the Sardinian army in 1836. Light active soldiers, wearing a picturesque but serviceable dark-green uniform, and hats with dark plumes of cock's feathers, they have always been to the front, alike in the Crimea and in the struggles that resulted in Italian unity. There are over 46,000 bersaglieri in the regular army. Akin to them are the Alpini, a force of mountaineer sharpshooters, organised since 1876.