Italian Military Tradition - The Bersaglieri Hat

Florence - Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

Italian Infantry Troops (Bersaglieri) marching in Italy Unification Day Parade

Thursday, June 2nd in Florence was Italy's 150th Unification Day. This is the day they celebrate the unification of the states of Italy. As we were walking, we saw this group passing us, and then they started playing music further along the way, starting a parade. As all countries have their unique traditions, I was intrigued by this one that I had never seen before - the military Bersaglieri Hat.

This is what I found on the history of the Italian troops that wear this hat: "The Bersaglieri are light fast moving infantry troops who were formed in the mid 1800s by the House of Savoy, in the old Kingdom of Sardinia before the unification of Italy. The unit was designed to travel long distances as fast as possible on foot. Their regular hat is of a somewhat clumsy design of leather and felt with a copper or brass insignia over a tricolored cockade on the front and a showy plume of rooster feathers on the side. Roosters are considered symbols of bravery and fighting ability. On front line duty, when a helmet was necessary, the plumes were worn on the helmets."

Italian Bersaglieri Troops

In Canada, the military ceremonial guard wear bear skin/fur hats like the picture below. I like the contrast between our two countries, but also the similarities. Our Canadian military also has our unique traditions as with every country.

Canadian Ceremonial Guard outside Parliament in Ottawa, Canada

The Bersaglieri Hat - Made in Italy!

By Laura Van Staveren, Anne Charbonneau and Amanda Cox

Keywords: Design History, Style, Society