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7th Alpini Regiment

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The 7th Alpini Regiment (Italian: 7° Reggimento Alpini) is a mountain warfare regiment of the Italian Army based in Belluno in Veneto. The regiment belongs to the Italian Army's Alpini infantry speciality and is assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Julia". The regiment was formed by the Royal Italian Army on 1 August 1887.[3][4][5]

7th Alpini Regiment
7° Reggimento Alpini
Regimental coat of arms
Active1 Aug. 1887 — 12 Sept. 1943
1 July 1953 — today
Country Italy
BranchItalian Army
TypeMountain Infantry
Part ofAlpine Brigade "Julia"
Garrison/HQBelluno
Motto(s)"Ad excelsa tendo"
Anniversaries25 April 1941
Decorations
2x Military Order of Italy
5x Silver Medals of Military Valor
2x Bronze Medals of Military Valor
1x Gold Medal of Civil Valor[1]
1x Bronze Medal of Red Cross Merit
1x 1908 Messina earthquake Medal of Merit[2]
Insignia
Alpini gorget patches

History

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On 1 November 1882, the Royal Italian Army formed six Alpini regiments, one of which was the 6th Alpini Regiment in Conegliano in Veneto. On 1 November 1886, the 6th Alpini Regiment formed the Alpini Battalion "Feltre" in Feltre, with companies ceded by the Battalion "Val Brenta" and Battalion "Cadore". On the same day the all Alpini battalions changed their names from their recruiting zones to the cities and towns, where their base was located. Furthermore Alpini soldiers and non-commissioned officers were issued thread tufts, called Nappina in Italian, which were clipped to the Cappello Alpino headdress, and colored white for the troops of a regiment's first battalion, red for the troops of a regiment's second battalion, green for the troops of a regiment's third battalion, and blue for the troops of a regiment's fourth battalion. As the 6th Alpini Regiment had grown to six battalions and had become too complex to administer it was divided on 1 August 1887 into the 6th Alpini Regiment and 7th Alpini Regiment. The latter was formed in Conegliano with the regimental command of the 6th Alpini Regiment and the battalions "Feltre", "Pieve di Cadore" and "Gemona". On the same date the regimental command of the 6th Alpini Regiment was reformed in Verona. The 7th Alpini Regiment then consisted of the following units:[4][5]

In 1887-88 the regiment's 69th Company was deployed to Massawa for the Italo-Ethiopian War of 1887–1889, which led to the establishment of the Italian colony of Eritrea. In 1895-96 the regiment provided 15 officers and 533 troops to help form the I and V provisional Alpini battalions, which were deployed to Eritrea for the First Italo-Ethiopian War. In 1901 the regiment was assigned together with the 6th Alpini Regiment to the III Alpini Group, which on 9 August 1910 was renamed III Alpine Brigade. On 9 January 1908, the regiment formed the Alpini Battalion "Tolmezzo" in Tolmezzo, which consisted of the 6th, 12th, and 72nd Alpini companies, which had been ceded by the 1st Alpini Regiment, 2nd Alpini Regiment and Alpini Battalion "Gemona". In December 1908 the regiment was deployed to the area of the Strait of Messina for the recovery efforts after the 1908 Messina earthquake. For its service the regiment was awarded the 1908 Messina earthquake Medal of Merit, which was affixed to the regiment's flag.[2][4][5]

On 1 October 1909, the regiment transferred the Alpini battalions "Gemona" and "Tolmezzo" to the newly formed 8th Alpini Regiment. On 1 October 1910, the 7th Alpini Regiment formed the Alpini Battalion "Belluno" in Belluno, which consisted of the newly formed 77th and 78th Alpini companies, while the battalion's 79th Alpini Company was only formed in 1914. After the formation of the new battalion the regiment's command moved from Conegliano to Belluno.[4][5]

Italo-Turkish War

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On 29 September 1911 the Kingdom of Italy declared war against the Ottoman Empire and the Alpini Battalion "Feltre" was deployed to Libya for the Italo-Turkish War. In October 1912 the battalion was assigned to the 8th Special Regiment, which had been formed in Libya with the command of the 8th Alpini Regiment and was led by Colonel Antonio Cantore. On 23 March 1913, the 8th Special Regiment fought in the Battle of Assaba against local rebel forces. For its conduct in the Battle of Assaba the Alpini Battalion "Feltre", was awarded Silver Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the flag of the 7th Alpini Regiment and added to the regiment's coat of arms. During the war the 7th Alpini Regiment also provided one officer and 444 troops to augment other units fighting in the war.[2][4][5]

World War I

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Main article: Alpini and Mountain Artillery formations in World War I
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Depots of the regiment's battalions and regimental HQ in 1910

After the outbreak of World War I the regiment raised a fourth company for each of its battalions: 95th Alpini Company for the Feltre, 96th Alpini Company for the Pieve di Cadore, and 106th Alpini Company for the Belluno. With tensions between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire growing the regiment activated its first line reserve units between 5 and 30 January 1915:

  •   Alpini Battalion "Val Cismon", in Feltre (Feltre reservists)
    •   264th Alpini Company
    •   265th Alpini Company
  •   Alpini Battalion "Val Piave", in Pieve di Cadore (Pieve di Cadore reservists)
    •   267th Alpini Company
    •   268th Alpini Company
  •   Alpini Battalion "Val Cordevole", in Belluno (Belluno reservists)
    •   206th Alpini Company
    •   266th Alpini Company

After the Italian declaration of war against Austria-Hungary the regiment's battalions were immediately employed on the frontline, which ran through the Alps:

At the end of November 1915, the three reserve battalion received each a third company: 275th Alpini Company for the Val Piave, 276th Alpini Company for the Val Cordevole, and 277th Alpini Company for the Val Cismon. In December the training of the reservists of the third line battalions began, which also received the fourth company originally raised for the first line battalions:

  •   Alpini Battalion "Monte Pavione", in Feltre (Feltre reservists)
    •   95th Alpini Company (former fourth company of the Feltre)
    •   148th Alpini Company
    •   149th Alpini Company
  •   Alpini Battalion "Monte Antelao", in Pieve di Cadore (Pieve di Cadore reservists)
    •   96th Alpini Company (former fourth company of the Pieve di Cadore)
    •   150th Alpini Company
    •   151st Alpini Company
  •   Alpini Battalion "Monte Pelmo", in Belluno (Belluno reservists)
    •   106th Alpini Company (former fourth company of the Belluno)
    •   146th Alpini Company
    •   147th Alpini Company

All the battalions of the regiment saw heavy fighting in the Alps against Austria-Hungary's Kaiserjäger and the German Empire's Alpenkorps. Most of the time the regiment's companies were deployed alone to either capture of defend single mountain peaks or ridges.

On 22 May 1917 the regiment raised the Alpini Battalion "Monte Marmolada" with personnel from the disbanded VIII Skiers Battalion:[7][8]

  •   Alpini Battalion "Monte Marmolada", in Cinte Tesino
    •   284th Alpini Company (newly raised)
    •   300th Alpini Company (former 5th Skiers Company of the VIII Skiers Battalion)
    •   301st Alpini Company (former 6th Skiers Company of the VIII Skiers Battalion)

After the Italian defeat in the Battle of Caporetto and during following retreat the 7th Alpini Regiment had to abandon its positions along the main line of the Alps and retreat towards the Piave river. The Belluno covered the retreat and was surrounded and destroyed in Cansiglio on 10 November 1917. The same fate met the Monte Marmolada, which was annihilated during the defense of Monte Castelgomberto on 4–5 December 1917. For this feat of arms the Monte Marmolada was awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor. Because of the loss of all personnel both battalions were officially disbanded on 9 December 1917.[7][8]

At the conclusion of the war the regiment had the following losses: Killed in action 141 officers and 3,602 troops; Wounded in action 205 officers and 6,578 troops. In 1919 the reserve battalions were disbanded, while on 22 March 1919 the Belluno was reformed with the personnel of the Val Cordevole battalion. The same year the Feltre was sent to Albania to help suppress the Albanian Vlora revolt. Upon its return to Italy in early 1920 the Feltre was transferred to the 9th Alpini Regiment until 1926, after which it returned to the 7th Alpini Regiment.[5]

After the war the following military honors were awarded to the regiment and its battalions:

Second Italo-Ethiopian War

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In 1935 the regiment entered the newly formed 3rd Alpine Division "Julia", but already on 12 January 1936 the regiment, together with the Feltre battalion, was sent to Eritrea to fight in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War. After arriving in East Africa the regiment entered the 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria" and received the Alpini Battalion "Pieve di Teco" from the 1st Alpini Regiment and the Alpini Battalion "Exilles" from the 3rd Alpini Regiment. Additionally the regiment received the VII (Reserve) Complements Battalion, which distinguished itself in the Second Battle of Tembien by conquering the Uork Amba mountain, for which the battalion was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor. Consequently, the VII Complements Battalion was renamed Alpini Battalion "Uork Amba". When the 7th Alpini Regiment returned to Italy on 14 April 1937 the Uork Amba remained in Italian East Africa.[5]

World War II

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Main article: 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria"

At the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939 the regiment raised the Alpini battalions "Val Cismon", "Val Piave", and "Val Cordevole" from its reservists. The regiment and its six battalions were sent to the Western Alps to participate in the Italian invasion of France. After the invasion the regiment and its three traditional battalions were again assigned to the 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria", while the three reserve battalions were disbanded on 31 October 1940. In November the Pusteria was sent to Albania to fight in the Greco-Italian War. Already in January 1941 the Val Cismon was raised again and sent to Albania, where Italian forces were suffering heavy casualties, including the commanding officer of the 7th Alpini Regiment Colonel Rodolfo Psaro, who was killed on 8 December 1940.[5]

After the German invasion of Greece concluded the war, each of the four battalions of the regiment (Feltre, Pieve di Cadore, Belluno, Val Cismon) was awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor for separate actions. After garrison duty in the Balkans until August 1942 the 7th Alpini Regiment with its three traditional battalions was sent to France to garrison the Alpes-Maritimes region, while the Val Cismon was assigned to the 9th Alpini Regiment.[5]

In Italian East Africa the Alpini Battalion "Uork Amba" fought in the East African Campaign and distinguished itself in the Battle of Keren earning the regiment yet another Silver Medal of Military Valor. In 1942 the Val Cismon was sent with the 3rd Alpine Division "Julia" to fight in the Soviet Union as part of the Italian Army in Russia. The Val Cismon was annihilated during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn and only a few survivors managed to avoid capture after the Battle of Nikolayevka.

After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the 7th Alpini Regiment had to surrender after brief resistance to invading German forces near the Col de Tende in France on 12 September 1943.

Cold War

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The flag of the 7th Alpini Regiment is paraded through the city of Vicenza during the National Alpini Association gathering on 12 May 2024

The regiment was raised again on 1 July 1953 in Belluno with the battalions Pieve di Cadore and Belluno. On 1 December of the same year the regiment together with the 6th Mountain Artillery Regiment joined the newly created Alpine Brigade "Cadore". On 1 June 1956 the Feltre was transferred from the 8th Alpini Regiment to the 7th Alpini. In 1963 the Val Cismon was reformed and placed under direct command of the brigade. The Val Cismon was tasked with manning the fortifications of the Vallo Alpino. The same year the Belluno and Pieve di Cadore were the first units to arrive in Longarone after the Vajont dam disaster. For their rescue efforts the regiment was awarded a Gold Medal of Civil Valor. During the Italian Army 1975 reform the Val Cismon was reduced to company, which was then transferred to the Alpini Battalion "Val Brenta" of the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina". On 11 November the 7th Alpini Regiment was disbanded and its battalions became independent. The flag, traditions and coat of arms of the 7th were passed to the Feltre battalion.[5]

Before being disbanded in 1975 the structure of the 7th Alpini Regiment was as follows:

Recent times

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After the end of the Cold War the army decided to redesignate its units as regiments for traditional reasons and on 22 August 1992 the 7th Alpini Regiment was activated again with the Feltre as its sole battalion. On the same day the flag, traditions and coat of arms were returned from the Feltre to the 7th.

Organization

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7th Alpini soldiers during the exercise Falzarego 2011
 
7th Alpini soldiers during the exercise Falzarego 2011
 
7th Alpini Regiment 81 mm mortar team during an exercise in 2020

As of 2024 the regiment is organized as follows:[3][9]

  •   Regimental Command, in Belluno[3][9]
    •   Command and Logistic Support Company
    •   Alpini Battalion "Feltre"
      •   64th Alpini Company
      •   65th Alpini Company
      •   66th Alpini Company
      •   125th Maneuver Support Company

The Alpini companies are equipped with Bv 206S tracked all-terrain carriers and Lince light multirole vehicles. The maneuver support company is equipped with 120 mm mortars and Spike MR anti-tank guided missiles.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "7° Reggimento Alpini". Quirinale - Presidenza della Repubblica. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "7° Reggimento Alpini - Il Medagliere". Italian Army. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "7° Reggimento Alpini". Italian Army. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e "7° Reggimento Alpini - La Storia". Italian Army. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Primo - Tomo I. Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 484.
  6. ^ "7° Reggimento Alpini". Vecio.it. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "Battaglione Alpini Monte Marmolada". www.vecio.it. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  8. ^ a b c "M. Marmolada". Fronte del Piave. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  9. ^ a b "7° Reggimento Alpini". Italian Defense Ministry. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
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