Italian Army Close Combat Manuals and/or Systems?

[Cheomesh]

Did the ER (or any other Italian military force) have a formalized close combat / bayonet / combatives system in use during the general WW2 era? I know of myriad systems for the US, UK, Japan, Russia, and even China, but to date I have not turned up anything on Italy.

 

[jwsleser]

I was hoping to get to this question last week, but was busy.

I believe I once saw a individual combat manual a few years ago, but my searches have turned up empty. There is a manual from WW1 and a manual written just after WW2, so there was some level of individual combat training.

To say that countries had a system is misleading IMHO. All the armies taught bayonet drill to some extent and some taught limited hand-to-hand, especially with a knife, but none of the armies provided universal training to all soldiers to any greater degree. Specialized units did receive additional training.

Pista! Jeff

 

[Cheomesh]

I was hoping to get to this question last week, but was busy.

I believe I once saw a individual combat manual a few years ago, but my searches have turned up empty. There is a manual from WW1 and a manual written just after WW2, so there was some level of individual combat training.

To say that countries had a system is misleading IMHO. All the armies taught bayonet drill to some extent and some taught limited hand-to-hand, especially with a knife, but none of the armies provided universal training to all soldiers to any greater degree. Specialized units did receive additional training.

Pista! Jeff

Jeff,

Thanks for the information; I don't believe I turned up any of that when I last went searching so your find was better than mine for sure.