1st Alpine Division "Taurinense"

the historic Royal Italian Army 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" the currently active Italian Army brigade Alpine Brigade "Taurinense" 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" 1a Divisione Alpina Taurinense.png 160 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" insignia September 10, 1935 – September 10, 1943 Kingdom of Italy Kingdom of Italy Alpini Mountain Infantry 17,460 men Turin World War II Lorenzo Vivalda 30px 30px 30px 30px 30pxTaurinense Division gorget patches The 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" (it 1ª Divisione alpina "Taurinense") was a division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II, which specialized in mountain warfare. The Alpini that formed the division are a highly decorated and elite mountain corps of the Italian Army consisting of both infantry and artillery units. Today, the traditions and name of the 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" are carried on by the Alpine Brigade "Taurinense". The headquarters of the division was in the city of Turin and the majority of its soldiers were drafted from the surrounding Province of Turin — therefore the division was named "Taurinense" for the Roman name of the city of Turin Augusta Taurinorum. History The division's lineage begins with the I Alpine Brigade formed in Turin on 11 March 1926 with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Alpini regiments and the 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment. On 19 October 1933 the brigade was split and the IV Alpine Brigade with the 1st and 2nd Alpini regiments was raised in Cuneo. On 27 October 1934 the brigade changed its name to I Superior Alpine Command, which received the name Taurinense in December of the same year (it I Comando Superiore Alpino "Taurinense").Brigata alpina "Taurinense" - La Storia http://www.esercito.difesa.it/organizzazione/capo-di-sme/Comando-Truppe-Alpine/Brigata-Alpina-Taurinense/Pagine/La-Storia.aspx Italian Army 18 October 2021 On 10 September 1935 the I Superior Alpine Command "Taurinense" was reformed as 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" with the 3rd and 4th Alpini regiments and the 1st Alpine Artillery Regiment. On 25 December 1935 the Taurinense temporarily transferred its Alpini battalions "Exilles" and "Intra", and the Group "Susa", and two batteries from its alpine artillery regiment to the 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria" for the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.1ª Divisione alpina "Taurinense" http://www.regioesercito.it/reparti/alpini/redivalp1.htm Regio Esercito 18 October 2021 August 2026 InternetArchiveBot World War II The division participated in the Italian invasion of France in June 1940. On 21-22 June it participated in the attack on the Little St Bernard Pass. At the end of the war the division occupied Bourg-Saint-Maurice-Sainte-Foy.Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002 2002 Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico Rome 181 https://issuu.com/rivista.militare1/docs/bollettino-ii-n.3-4-2002-testo 18 October 2021 In January 1942 the "Taurinense" division landed in Dubrovnik and from where it moved to Mostar in Croatia. From 15 April to 31 May 1942 the division participated in the third Axis anti-Partisan offensive. The division captured Trnovo and advanced to Kalinovik, where it made contact with elements of the 22nd Infantry Division "Cacciatori delle Alpi"; but, overall, the offensive was a failure. In August 1942 the Taurinense moved to Nikšić in Montenegro. A year later the division took part in the fifth Axis anti-Partisan offensive, but did not complete its objectives there either. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 most of the division was captured by German forces near Kotor, while the Alpini Battalion "Ivrea" and Alpine Artillery Group "Aosta" joined the Yugoslav Partisans and formed the Partisan Division "Garibaldi". Organization thumb|right|520px|1st Alpine Division "Taurinense" organization in 1940 25px 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense", in Turin Headquarters Command Company 411th Carabinieri Section 412th Carabinieri Section 200th Field Post Office 1st Alpine Division Command Transport Squad 25px 3rd Alpini Regiment, in Pinerolo 18px Command Company 15px Alpini Battalion "Pinerolo" 18px Command Company 18px 25th, 26th, and 27th Alpini companies 15px Alpini Battalion "Fenestrelle" 18px Command Company 18px 28th, 29th, and 30th Alpini companies 15px Alpini Battalion "Exilles" 18px Command Company 18px 31st, 32nd, and 33rd Alpini companies 18px 3rd Supply Section 18px 23rd Train Section (equipped with mules) 3rd Medical Section (includes a Field Hospital) 25px 4th Alpini Regiment, in Aosta 18px Command Company 15px Alpini Battalion "Ivrea" 18px Command Company 18px 38th, 39th, and 40th Alpini companies 15px Alpini Battalion "Aosta" 18px Command Company 18px 41st, 42nd, and 43rd Alpini companies 15px Alpini Battalion "Intra" 18px Command Company 18px 7th, 24th, and 37th Alpini companies 18px 4th Supply Section 18px 24th Train Section (equipped with mules) 4th Medical Section (includes a Field Hospital) 1st Alpine Artillery Regiment, in Turin 18px Command Unit 15px Alpine Artillery Group "Susa" (75/13 mod. 15 mountain guns) 18px 1st Battery 18px 2nd Battery 18px 3rd Battery 18px 40th Battery 18px Ammunition and Supply Unit 15px Alpine Artillery Group "Aosta" (75/13 mod. 15 mountain guns) 18px 4th Battery 18px 5th Battery 18px 6th Battery 18px 53rd Battery 18px Ammunition and Supply Unit 15px I Mixed Alpine Engineer Battalion 18px Command Platoon 18px 101st Searchlight Section 18px 111th Telegraph and Radio Operators Company 18px 121st Engineer Company 105th Supply Section 203rd Mixed Transport Unit 305th Medical Section (includes 4 × field hospitals) Attached for the invasion of France: XII CC.NN. Battalion Attached during operations in Montenegro: 10th CC.NN. Group LIII CC.NN. Battalion CLXII CC.NN. Battalion CXIV Machine Gun Battalion CVI Guardia alla Frontiera Machine Gun Battalion Military honors On 13 January 1945 the President of Italy awarded the Alpine Artillery Group "Aosta" for its conduct after the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile Italy's highest military honor, the Gold Medal of Military Valor. 50px Alpine Artillery Group "Aosta" on 13 January 1945Gruppo Artiglieria Alpina "Aosta" https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/18378 President of Italy 12 October 2021 Commanding officers The division's commanding officers were: Generale di Brigata Carlo Vecchiarelli (1935 - 1936) Generale di Brigata Luigi Nuvoloni (1936 - 1937) Generale di Brigata Paolo Micheletti (1937 - 26 June 1940) Colonel Lorenzo Richieri (acting; 27 June - 10 August 1940) Generale di Brigata Giovanni Maccario (11 August 1940 - 4 February 1942) Colonel Carlo Cigliana (acting, 5 February 1942 - 5 April 1942) Generale di Brigata Lorenzo Vivalda (15 April 1942 - 8 September 1943) References 30em Category:Divisions of Italy in World War II Category:Alpini divisions of Italy Category:Military units and formations established in 1935 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1943 Category:Military units and formations of Italy in Yugoslavia in World War II Category:1935 establishments in Italy Category:1943 disestablishments in Italy