History 2nd Alpini Regiment

1 history

1.1 1882 – 1914
1.2 world war i
1.3 interwar period
1.4 world war ii
1.5 cold war

history

origins of 2nd alpini regiment dates late 19th century. history divided 6 major periods: establishment world war i, world war i, inter-war period, world war ii, cold war , present days.

1882 – 1914

the 2nd alpini regiment formed on 1 november 1882 in brà. consisted of 3 battalions: val pesio , col tenda , , val schio ; in 1887 battalions renamed, taking new names location of main logistic depot: in borgo san dalmazzo , vinadio (in 1904 renamed dronero ) , dronero (in 1904 renamed saluzzo ).

alpine troops (including units 2nd alpini regiment) formed 2nd company of formation battalion in first italo-ethiopian war.

in 1901 2nd alpini regiment moved cuneo; following year framed within alpini group, 1st alpini regiment.

following 1905 calabria earthquake, 2nd regiment sent sappers platoons of battalions, until end of year; in 1908, in response 1908 messina earthquake, regiment deployed 120 sappers.

on 9 august 1910, 2nd alpini regiment moved 1st alpine brigade. of 1910 regiment consisted of battalion borgo san dalmazzo , battalion dronero , battalion saluzzo . latter saw regiment s first action in italo-turkish war of 1911, fighting ottoman forces in libyan desert. in 1913 regiment sent in italy.

world war i

an inscribed stone of 2nd alpini regiment @ monte nero (now northwestern slovenia)

during world war regiment consisted of 10 battalions , saw heavy fighting in alps against austria’s kaiserjäger , germany’s alpenkorps. battalions of regiment in these days (pre-war raised units in bold, followed first , second line reserve battalions):

borgo san dalmazzo, val stura, monte argentera, cuneo
dronero, val maira, bicocca
saluzzo, val varaita, monte viso

interwar period

in late august 1919, 3 battalions of 2nd regiment deployed in albania against insurgency part of 2 alpine groups: 2nd alpine group included battalions dronero , saluzzo ; 14th alpine group included battalion borgo san dalmazzo . both groups repatriated in 1920. december 1920 january 1921, battalion dronero , saluzzo part of 2nd alpine group of 45th division, in campaign against italian regency of carnaro.

with 1921 italian royal army reforms, 2nd alpini regiment moved 1st alpine division; battalions dronero , saluzzo moved 1st alpini regiment, while battalions ceva , mondovì given 2nd regiment itself. t 1st alpine division renamed 1st alpine group in 1923 , alpine brigade in 1926.

in 1923 battalions dronero , saluzzo moved 2nd alpini regiment , battalions ceva , mondovì returned 1st alpini regiment. in 1933 1st alpine brigade renamed 4th alpine brigade, , in 1934 became iv higher alpine command cuneense .

in september 1935 battalion saluzzo moved 11th alpini regiment of 5th alpine division pusteria ; battalion replaced newly reestabilished battalion val varaita .

on 31 october 1935 4th alpine division “cuneense” formed , composed of 1st alpini, of 2nd alpini regiments , of 4th mountain artillery regiment.

as part of 5th alpine division pusteria saluzzo battalion fought in 1936 in second italo-abyssinian war; in april 1937 battalion saluzzo moved 2nd alpini regiment , battalion val varaita again disestabilished.

at time regiment consisted of 160 officers , 5,046 ncos , soldiers total strength of 5,206 men. regiment had 23 horses, 1,242 mules , 109 transport vehicles @ disposal. order of battle follows:

2nd alpini regiment hq based in cuneo

command company in cuneo
borgo san dalmazzo alpini battalion in cuneo

13th alpini company in cuneo
14th alpini company in cuneo
15th alpini company in cuneo
104th support arms company in cuneo


dronero alpini battalion in dronero

17th alpini company in dronero
18th alpini company in san damiano macra
19th alpini company in dronero
105th support arms company in dronero


saluzzo alpini battalion in vinadio

21st alpini company in vinadio
22nd alpini company in demonte
23rd alpini company in demonte
106th support arms company in demonte


14th 47/32 m35 cannon company in cuneo
2nd health company in cuneo
615th field hospital in dronero
2nd sanitary support company in dronero
22nd baggage train company in bene vagienna



world war ii

when italy declared war on france, regiment consisted of:

organic battalions:

borgo san dalmazzo ;
dronero ;
saluzzo ;
2nd medical section;
615th field hospital;
22nd support section;
2nd supply section-


mobilized battalions (formed in september 1939):

val stura (western front);
val maira (western front);
bicocca (1943–1944, deployed in corsica);
xiii reserve battalion (1941–1942, deployed in balkans);
ii reserve battalions (deployed in russia);
ii reserve battalion bis (1943, assigned 104th march regiment in isonzo valley);
xxix reserve battalion (1943, later renamed monte ischiator ).

on 21 june 1940 (one day before french surrender) cuneense division began advance other italian units southern france. division sent albania, participated in italian attack on greece. german wehrmacht came aid of beaten italian armies in albania in april 1941 through invasion of yugoslavia cuneense sent north aid rapidly advancing german divisions, advancing through montenegro , reaching dubrovnik @ end of campaign.

in september 1942 cuneense sent alpini divisions julia , tridentina , other italian units soviet union form armir (armata italiana in russia or italian army in russia) , fight alongside germans against red army. taking positions along don river italian units covered part of left flank of german sixth army, spearheaded german summer offensive of 1942 city of stalingrad.

after encircling german sixth army in stalingrad red army’s attention turned italian units along river don. on 14 january 1943, soviet offensive operation little saturn began , 3 alpini division found encircled rapidly advancing armoured soviet forces. alpinis held front on don, within 3 days soviets advanced 200 km left , right of alpini. on evening of 17 january commanding officer of italian mountain corps general gabriele nasci ordered full retreat. @ point julia , cuneense divisions heavily decimated , tridentina division still capable of conducting combat operations. soviets had occupied every village bitter battles had fought clear way. on morning of 28 january last men of 2nd alpini regiment had walked 200 km, fought in 20 battles , spent 11 nights camped out in middle of russian steppe. temperatures during nights between −30 °c , −40 °c. during 28th last remnants of regiment annihilated cossack forces.

on 11 february 1943, survivors counted , out of 5,206 men of 1st alpini regiment 208 had survived; none of soldiers of battalions borgo san dalmazzo , saluzzo had survived. survivors repatriated , after signing of italian armistice allies on 8 september 1943 regiment dissolved in bolzano.

the cold war

after world war ii saluzzo battalion reformed on 23 november 1945 part of 4th alpini regiment , carried on traditions , regimental colours of 2nd alpini.

the regiment reformed on 1 july 1963 recruits training centre 4 battalions, named 4 alpini brigades conscripts sent after training: tridentina , orobica , cadore , taurinense battalions. on 31 october 1974 regiment disbanded in 1974 restructuring of italian army , colours passed again saluzzo battalion. after disbandment of regimental level in italian army, saluzzo battalion came under direct control of taurinense brigade.