1st Alpini Regiment

File:CoA mil ITA btg alpini mondovi.png

Coat of Arms of the 1st Alpini Regiment

The 1st Alpini Regiment was a light Infantry regiment of the Italian Army, specializing in Mountain Combat. The Alpini are a highly decorated and elite mountain corps of the Italian Army comprising both infantry and artillery units.

Formation

The 1st Alpini Regiment was formed on November 1st, 1882. It consisted of the three Battalions: "Alto Tanaro", Val Tanaro and Val Camonica, named after the valleys and localities from which their soldiers were recruited. In 1886 the Battalions were renamed, taking their new names from the location of their main logistic depot: Pieve di Teco, Ceva and Mondovi.

World War 1

During World War 1 the regiment sees heavy combat in the Alps.

On October 31st, the 4 Alpini Division “Cuneense” was formed and was composed of the 1st Alpini and 2nd Alpini Regiment and the 4th Alpini Artillery Regiment.

World War 2

On June 21st, 1940 (one day before the French surrender) the “Cuneense” division began to advance with other Italian units into Southern France. The division was then sent to Albania, where it participated in the Italian attack on Greece. As the German Wehrmacht came to the aid of the beaten Italian armies in Albania in April 1941 through a invasion of Yugoslavia the “Cuneense” was sent north to aid the rapidly advancing German divisions, advancing through Montenegro and reaching Dubrovnik at the end of the campaign.

In September 1942 the “Cuneense” was sent together with the Alpini divisions Julia and Tridentina and other Italian units to the Soviet Union to form the ARMIR (Armata Italiana in Russia or Italian Army in Russia) and fight alongside the Germans against the Red Army. Taking up positions along the Don river the Italian units covered part of the left flank of the German Sixth Army, which spearheaded the German summer offensive of 1942 into the city of Stalingrad.

After successfully encircling the German Sixth army in Stalingrad the Red Army’s attention turned to the Italian units along the Don. On January 14th, 1943 the Soviet offensive Operation Little Saturn began and the three Alpini division found themselves quickly encircled by the rapidly advancing armoured Soviet Forces. After 12 days of heavy fighting the Julia and Cuneense divisions were completely annihilated.

The few survivors of the 1st Alpini regiment were repatriated and after the signing of the Italian armistice with the Allies on September 8th, 1943 the regiment dissolved.

Today

The 1st Alpini Regiment was dissolved during the reorganisation of the Italian Army in 1975.