This appears to be a WWII banner from the Italian 131st Tank Regiment of the Lazio Brigade or the 131st Armored Division "Centauro" but I am having difficulty identifying the insignia on the back.
It is of very high quality construction with detailed embroidery. It is 13 ½” (34 cm) wide and 11 ¾” (30 cm) high and appears to have had the loops for hanging that were torn off.
I am looking for more information about it.
From Nafziger: Order of Battle of the Italian Army, Summer 1942, Military Intelligence Service, Washington DC.
Organization of Italian Independent Brigades 1939-1943
Lazio Brigade:
131st Infantry Regiment
132nd Infantry Regiment
131st Tank Regiment (detached)
132nd Tank Regiment
131st Artillery Regiment
132nd Artillery Regiment
11th Anti-tank Battalion
132nd Engineer Battalion
131st Signal Company
132nd Pioneer Company
From Wikipedia.
The 131st Armored Division "Centauro" was an armored division of the Italian Army during World War II. The division was formed in April 1939 by expanding the I Armored Brigade. The division's name came from the mythological race of half human-half horse creatures named Centaurs. The division participated in the invasion of Albania, Greco-Italian War, and invasion of Yugoslavia. In August 1942 the division was sent to Libya to participate in the Western Desert Campaign. After the Axis defeat at the Second Battle of El Alamein the division retreated with the German-Italian Panzer Army to Tunisia, where the division participated in the Tunisian Campaign. On 18 April 1943 the division was disbanded due to the losses suffered in the Battle of El Guettar.
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