the Vatican City State and the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo, and not in the many other extraterritorial properties of the Holy See, except during the time of World War Two when troops of the Palatine Guard were deployed to all Papal properties in and around Rome. As part of a major reform in 1970 by Pope Paul VI, two of the units were disbanded, one was retained, and one was restructured into a civilian police service. Palatine Guard The Palatine Guard () was formed in 1850 by Pope Pius IX, through amalgamation of two older units of the Papal Army. The corps was formed as an infantry unit. It saw active service during the token resistance to the occupation of Rome by Italian government troops in 1870, and it survived into the period of the Vatican City State, as a de facto Vatican military unit (including a ceremonial military band) from 1929 to 1970. In September 1943, when German troops occupied Rome in response to Italy's conclusion of an armistice with the Allies, the Palatine Guard was charged with protecting Vatican City, various Vatican properties in Rome, and the pope's summer villa at Castel Gandolfo. The guardsmen patrolled the walls, gardens, and courtyards of Vatican City, and stood guard at the entrances to papal buildings around Rome. On more than one occasion this service resulted in violent confrontations with Italian fascist police units working with the German authorities to arrest political refugees who were hiding in buildings protected by the Vatican. In September 1939 the Palatine Guard numbered 500 men; by the liberation of Rome in June 1944 the corps had grown to 2,000 men. Later the Corps returned to its smaller size, and to chiefly ceremonial duties. It was abolished on 14 September 1970 by Pope Paul VI. Noble Guard The Noble Guard () was formed in 1801 by Pope Pius VII. The regiment was formed as a heavy cavalry unit. It was part of the Pope's personal guard, providing a mounted escort for the Pope when he travelled in his carriage; it saw no active military engagements. The Guard performed special missions within the Papal States until their abolition, and then continued to function at the Vatican with a limited mounted escort role. It survived (no longer with horses) into the period of the Vatican City State, as a de facto Vatican military unit from 1929 to