Charge of the Savoia Cavalleria at Izbushensky

Charge of Izbushensky
Part of Case Blue in the Eastern Front of World War II
Date24 August 1942
Location
Izbushensky Khutor, Soviet Union 49°56′12″N 42°33′24″E / 49.93667°N 42.55667°E / 49.93667; 42.55667
Result Italian victory
Belligerents
 Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Fascist Italy Alessandro, Count Bettoni Cazzago Soviet Union Serafim Petrovich Merkulov
Strength
700 2,500
Casualties and losses

84 casualties:
32 dead
52 wounded
100+ horses killed

for the entire 304th division on August 24:
184 killed
82 wounded

The Charge of the "Savoia Cavalleria" at Izbushensky was a clash between the Italian cavalry Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" (3rd) and the Soviet 812th Rifle Regiment (304th Rifle Division) that took place on August 24, 1942, near the hamlet (khutor) of Izbushensky (Избушенский), close to the junction between the Don and Khopyor rivers. Though a minor skirmish in the theatre of operation of the Eastern Front, the Izbushensky charge had great propaganda resonance in Italy and it is still remembered as one of the last significant cavalry charges in history.