Voluntary Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross

The Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana (CMV-CRI) is the voluntary military corps of the Italian Red Cross (Croce Rossa Italiana, CRI). It is an auxiliary corps of the Italian Armed Forces, administered by the Italian Red Cross under the directives of the Ministry of Defence. Its origins date to 1 June 1866, when the Minister of War of the Kingdom of Italy subjected the personnel of the "Squadriglie di Soccorso" of the Milanese Committee for the relief of wounded and sick in war to military discipline, adopting uniforms and hierarchical ranks equivalent to those of the Royal Army. The corps was first deployed in the Third Italian War of Independence. The corps is composed of a contingent of personnel on leave (in congedo), enrolled on a voluntary basis and highly specialized: physicians, psychologists, chemists-pharmacists, commissaries, accountants, nurses and rescue workers. In its leave roles, the corps counts approximately 17,000 members, periodically recalled for training purposes. In national and international emergencies, the Military Corps manages field hospitals, advanced medical posts, mobile health and logistics units, and NBCR (nuclear, biological, chemical, radiological) decontamination units. It is territorially organized into a National Inspectorate, Mobilization Centres, Training and Promotional Activity Nuclei at local level, operational bases and multi-purpose centres. The corps has a long operational history. During World War I, the Italian Red Cross fielded about 1,200 officers, 9,500 enlisted men and 8,200 volunteer nurses, operating 65 tented war hospitals, 3 staging hospitals, 4 health sections, 32 mountain ambulances, 29 railway first-aid posts, 24 hospital trains, 15 automobile sections, 1 lagoon ambulance, 1 river ambulance, 6 radiological ambulances, 1 ambulance equipped with an electrovibrator, and 4 mobile shower baths. In World War II, the corps mobilized over 8,000 men and an equal number of volunteer nurses, operating hospital ships, hospital trains on the Eastern Front, and field hospitals in Africa, Albania, Greece, Dalmatia, Croatia, Montenegro and Russia. During the Italian Resistance (1943–1945), units of the corps assisted the wounded at Porta San Paolo in Rome and participated in the Italian Liberation Corps and combat groups; two officers were killed at the Fosse Ardeatine. After the war, the corps was deployed in the Korean War (field hospital No. 68, 1951–1955, under the Eighth United States Army), in the Congo (field hospital 010, 1960–1962), and in numerous natural disasters: the Florence flood (1966), the Belice earthquake (1968), the Friuli earthquake (1976), the Valtellina flood (1987), the Armenia earthquake (1989), and relief to the Romanian population (1990). From August 1993 to March 1995, it managed field hospital No. 68 at Falconara airport for casualties of the Yugoslav wars. By law 25 June 1985, no. 342, the corps was granted an institutional flag. Legislative Decree 28 September 2012, no. 178 transformed the Italian Red Cross from a public body into a private-law association, while preserving the rules of the Military Code governing auxiliary volunteer corps. Following the Third Sector reform (22 May 2020), disputes over the mixed administration between the private CRI and the Ministry of Defence are being addressed. The corps remains active, conducting training exercises such as RESCUE 2026 in Caldaro, and continues to serve as a specialized humanitarian and medical asset of the Italian state.

The Corpo Militare Volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana (CMV-CRI) traces its origins to a decree issued by the Minister of War of the Kingdom of Italy on 1 June 1866. This decree subjected the personnel of the "Squadriglie di Soccorso" (Rescue Squads) of the Milanese Committee for the relief of wounded and sick in war—later transformed into the Italian Red Cross Association—to military discipline, adopting uniforms and hierarchical ranks equivalent to those of the Royal Army. The corps was first employed in the Third Italian War of Independence. During World War I (1915–1918), the Italian Red Cross participated with approximately 1,200 officers, 9,500 enlisted men and 8,200 volunteer nurses. A portion of this contingent was integrated into the health units of the Royal Italian Army, while most remained in service with the Italian Red Cross itself. The CRI structure included 209 units: 65 tented war hospitals, 3 staging hospitals, 4 health sections, 32 mountain ambulances, 29 railway first-aid posts, 24 hospital trains, 15 automobile sections, 1 lagoon ambulance, 1 river ambulance, 6 radiological ambulances, 1 ambulance equipped with an electrovibrator, and 4 mobile shower baths. The first CRI enlisted man to fall was Armando Trimeloni. In World War II (1940–1945), the corps' commitment was imposing: 22 territorial hospitals, 11 tented field hospitals of 100 beds, and 35 tented field hospitals, with a total of over 8,000 men mobilized and an equal number of volunteer nurses, operating on hospital ships, hospital trains on the Eastern Front, and field hospitals in Africa, Albania, Greece, Dalmatia, Croatia, Montenegro and Russia, as well as ships for the repatriation of compatriots from East Africa. During the Italian Liberation War (1943–1945), following the Armistice of Cassibile, units of the Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross provided assistance to the wounded at Porta San Paolo in Rome during the fighting to defend the capital, and in other instances of resistance to the Wehrmacht. The corps also participated significantly in the clashes in Sardinia during the German retreat towards Corsica. Outside the peninsula, after 8 September 1943, the Field Hospital Group (comprising the 73rd, 74th and 79th hospitals) remained isolated in Montenegro. It rejoined the 19th "Venezia" Division and the "Taurinense" Alpini after several days of marching, subsequently joining the Italian "Garibaldi" Division, of which it was part until the end of the war. In the nearly two years of conflict in Italy, the units of the Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross, which also included the Volunteer Nurses, were framed in the 209th (in support of the first British district) and 212th Auxiliary Divisions of the Italian Liberation Corps. With the dissolution of the CIL in September 1944, they were framed in the Combat Groups of the co-belligerent army. The Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross actively participated in the Resistance war, symbolically culminating in the killing at the Fosse Ardeatine of two officers, Lieutenant Medical Officer Luigi Pierantoni and Second Lieutenant Commissary Guido Costanzi. From the post-war period, from October 1951 to January 1955, field hospital No. 68 participated with UN forces in the Korean War, framed in the Eighth United States Army. Its commander, Major Medical Officer Fabio Pennacchi, represented the Italian government at the signing of the Panmunjom Armistice. In September 1960, the intervention of field hospital 010 was authorized to provide health assistance to the UN contingent sent to Congo following the Katanga revolt. The command of the hospital and its medical direction were entrusted to Capt. Med. Giuseppe Cipolat (Kambowe 1915 – Bologna 2010), who directed it from 1960 to 1962, when he was replaced by Capt. Med. Vittorio Rossi. For the valor demonstrated during his command, Capt. Med. Cipolat was awarded the Gold Medal of Merit of the CRI in 2009. In that conflict, Corporal CRI Raffaele Soru lost his life in 1961, and was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor. The Military Corps has also been employed in peacetime during natural disasters, such as the Florence flood (1966), the Belice earthquake (1968), the Friuli earthquake (1976), the Valtellina flood (1987), the Armenia earthquake (1989), and relief to the Romanian population (1990). From August 1993 to March 1995, the Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross managed field hospital No. 68, installed at Falconara airport, for assistance to the wounded of the Yugoslav wars. By law 25 June 1985, no. 342, the institutional flag was granted to the Voluntary Military Corps of the Italian Red Cross. Legislative Decree 28 September 2012, no. 178, which transformed the Italian Red Cross from a public body into a private-law association, preserved the norms of the Military Code of 2010 and the "Consolidated Text of Regulatory Provisions on Military Organization", which regulate the performance of the tasks of the auxiliary volunteer corps of the Italian Armed Forces. Following the entry into force of the Third Sector reform (22 May 2020), efforts are underway to resolve disputes relating to the mixed administration between the private entity Italian Red Cross and the Ministry of Defence.

• 2026

  RESCUE 2026 training event held in Caldaro, described as three days of training, competence and spirit of service.

• 2020

  Third Sector reform enters into force (22 May 2020); efforts begin to resolve disputes over mixed administration between CRI and Ministry of Defence.

• 2012

  Legislative Decree 28 September 2012, no. 178 transforms the Italian Red Cross from a public body into a private-law association, preserving military regulations for auxiliary corps.

• 1993

  From August 1993 to March 1995, corps manages field hospital No. 68 at Falconara airport for casualties of the Yugoslav wars.

• 1990

  Corps provides relief to the Romanian population.

• 1989

  Corps employed in relief during the Armenia earthquake.

• 1987

  Corps employed in relief during the Valtellina flood.

• 1985

  Law 25 June 1985, no. 342 grants the corps an institutional flag.

• 1976

  Corps employed in relief during the Friuli earthquake.

• 1968

  Corps employed in relief during the Belice earthquake.

• 1966

  Corps employed in relief during the Florence flood.

• 1960

  Field hospital 010 authorized for the UN contingent in Congo following the Katanga revolt (operates until 1962).

• 1951

  Field hospital No. 68 participates with UN forces in the Korean War under the Eighth United States Army (until January 1955).

• 1943

  After the Armistice of Cassibile, corps units assist wounded at Porta San Paolo in Rome and participate in the Italian Liberation Corps and combat groups.

• 1940

  World War II: corps mobilizes over 8,000 men and an equal number of volunteer nurses, operating hospital ships, hospital trains and field hospitals in multiple theatres.

• 1915

  World War I: Italian Red Cross participates with about 1,200 officers, 9,500 enlisted men and 8,200 volunteer nurses.

• 1866

  Minister of War decree subjects the Rescue Squads of the Milanese Committee to military discipline, creating the corps; first employed in the Third Italian War of Independence.

A highly specialized voluntary military corps providing auxiliary medical, logistical and NBCR decontamination support to the Italian Armed Forces and civil protection in emergencies and conflicts.

• Field hospitals

  Mobile hospitals deployed in national and international emergencies and armed conflicts.

• Advanced medical posts

  Forward medical facilities providing emergency care.

• Mobile health and logistics units

  Units providing mobile medical and logistical support.

• NBCR decontamination units

  Units specialized in nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological decontamination.

1. 1Corpo Militare Volontario CRI - Croce Rossa Italianacri.it
2. 2I Soci - Croce Rossa Italianacri.it
3. 3Statuto - Croce Rossa Italianacri.it
4. 4Codice Etico - Croce Rossa Italianacri.it
5. 5Corpo militare volontario della Croce Rossa Italiana - Wikipediait.wikipedia.org
6. 6Corpo Militare della Croce Rossa Italiana - Wikidatawikidata.org