ITALIAN MOUNTAIN TROOPS

5th Alpini Regiment

The Russian Campaign (20 July 1942 - 5 February 1943).

The regiment's move to Russia and its first fightings.

On 20 July 1942, the first troop-train of the 5th Alpini Regiment, with the Regiment's commander, left the railway station of Avigliana in Piedmont, heading the Russian front. This was the first of 12 troop-trains that in the next two days had carry the regiment till in Russia.

At hours 11.08 a. m. of 21 July 1942, this first convoy was at Brenner Pass and left the Italian homeland. In the evening of 31 July, the troop-train, through Innsbruck, Munchen, Nuemberg, Warsaw, Minsk, Gomel, came in in the railway station of Gorlowka and the 5th Alpini Regiment fixed its headquarters in Novo Gorlowka, where in the two next days all the detachments, the services, the motor vehicles came in.

"Tridentina" Alpine Division's Commander: Gen. Luigi Reverberi (From Stato Maggiore Esercito)

On the 16 of August the 5th Alpini Regiment received order to start on foot towards Rostow, for carring on towards Caucasus, foreseen employng zone of the Corpo d'Armata Alpino (Alpine Corps), whose the "Tridentina" alpine Division and its 5th Alpini Regiment were parts.

"Tridentina" Alpine Division's logo (From Stato Maggiore Esercito)

The regiment's trip followed this route:

Mala Orlowka (16 August), Krassnaja (17 August), Sofjia Broskja (18 August). Here the regiment received orders to block its move and to head towards Woroshilograd, that was reached on the 24 August after three haltings: Krasnji Luttsch, Malo Ivanowka, Mentchekur.

This diversion had necessary because the Russians had broken through the sector of the CSIR (Corpo Italiano in Russia = Italian Korps in Russia), the first Italian Corps fighting against the Red Army, and to close up the breakpoint it was required the intervention of the 5th Alpini Regiment's battalions that, carried by thruks, with their only the mules needed to fighting, reached on 25 of August Moshajewka, on 26 Millerowo and in the night they were in Kalinoskaja. The Russians, in fact, had broken through the Italian line in direction of Bolsckoj: It needed to block their trip and re-establish the line.

The Savoia Regiment of Cavalry in the Russian Campaign. It was part of "Celere" Division in the CSIR. (From Stato Maggiore Esercito)

Therefore on the 27 August the 5th Alpini Regiment passed under the command of "Pasubio" infantry Division and, while its "Edolo" Battalion was directed to Werk Tanin, the sisters battalions "Tirano" and "Morbegno", with the headquartiers of 5th Alpini Regiment shifted on the Singin zone, taking side on the 206 and 210 height.

On 28 August the CSIR's Headquartiers communicated the passage of the 5th Alpini Regiment's battalions under the tactic command of the "Celere" Division, and so the haedquartiers of the regiment and all the detachments transferred in the Otbeleize zone.

On the 29 August the "Celere" Division's Commander ordered to arrange for the next day an assault to 224 and 232 heights by two battalions forward, "Tirano" and "Morbegno" , while the "Edolo" Battalion had been as second echelon. It is needed to collect a coordinated action with a light tank battalion and a German detachment.

On the same day the "Edolo" Battalion moved on the roadcross at NW of the Lombardi Observation Post, the "Tirano" on the lake at West of height 204 and the "Morbegno" Battalion at Otbelejze. By request of the German headquartiers the action was adjournad at next day, then on 31 August, and finally cancelled.

On 30 August the headquartiers shifted near the lake at West of height 204. In the same day the Maj. Volpati, commander of the "Tirano" Battalion and others officers of this battalion died for the Russian mortars fire, while were searching in the neighbourhood of Jagodnij.

On 31 August the "Morbegno" Battalion on the line of Jagodnij zone replaced some detachments of "Sforzesca" Infantry Division's 53d Infantry Regiment and so passed under tactic command of a sector comanded by Lt.Col. Mario d'Adda, "Monte Cervino" Ski Battalion's commander.

On 4 Septembee the 5th Alpini Regiment headquartiers together the "Edolo" Battalion moved to Rubaskin and the Col. Adami took the command of the Korps reserve, formed by "Edolo" and "Tirano" battalions, by a half of tank battalion, having at his disposal a motor column to carry on the soldiers.

In the next week the "Tirano" Battalion replaced on 228 height some detachments of the "Sforzesca" Division and also of the "Vestone" alpini Battalion, passing so under orders of the 6th Alpini Regiment.

During all this period it was a sequence of patrol fightings, of strenghtenings and entrenchments of the line. The Rubaskin balka was changed in a underground stronghold.

On 29 of September the "Tirano" Battalion moved to occupe the positions of 226 height and so passed again under command of the "Tridentina" Alpine Division, while the Col. Adami continued to be the Commander of the Corps Reserve, now formed by the "Edolo" Battalion and by a half tank battalion.

At beginning of October the 5th Alpini Regiment , having ended its task, reached the Corpo d'Armata Alpino (Alpini Corps) and on 10 of October, replaced from Rumenian detachments, started its move to join the Alpine Corps.

The haltings done were: Werch, Lutchinkij, Klimowski, Poipowka, Kaschary, Balabonowka, Kudinowkas, reaching the neighborohoods of Mankowo. From Mankowo, while the train continued on the foot, some detachments came in to Tscharkowo and by rail to Podgornoje.

Between 22 and 28 October the battalions assembled between Kuleschowka, Ssergeiewka and Ssirotowka, linking to Ungarian detachments, whom replaced on the Don line between 1 and 5 November.

The sector adsigned to the regiment had situated between Belogorje and Bassowka, garrisoned by "Tirano" and "Edolo" battalions, while the "Morbegno" Battalion, in second echelon, encamped in the woods located between the hamlets Ssirotowka and Blassowka. The regiment's headquarters had situated at Ssirotowka, while the services were echeloned at Kuleschowka, Ssergeiewka and Morossowka. At hour 08.00 a.m. of 5 November 1942, Col. Adami, 5th Alpini Regiment's Commander, took the command of this sector.

The lines adsigned to 5th Alpini Regiment were too wide, about 10 kilometers, too much compared to strenght that garrisoned them. This was however the general military situation of the whole Russian front along all the first part of the war.

Winter 1942 - Don River :Alpini entrenching (From Stato Maggiore Esercito)

The military situation, at the beginning seemed a routine: patrolling, searching, entrenching, while the Russian cold came in and on 12 Novembers the first snow fell down.

In the half of November the Cap. Romualdo Sarti was promoted major and he took the "Morbegno" Battalion's command.

At middle December a Russian attack against Belgorje seemed imminent. To strenghten the alpine detachments were concentrate German armored elements during a short period, then they were shifted to other sectors.

In this period the Russian drive showed its strenghts against the Axis Troops on the Don River and against Stalingrad. In the sector of the "Julia" Alpine Division, that was shifted away from its sector and elsewhere assigned, the "Morbegno" Battalion was called to occupy the line garrisoned by detachments of the 9th Alpini Regiment, passing under command of Col. Leonarduzzi, 9th Alpini Regiment's commander. In this period there were only patrol activity that repelled the Russian assaults, but the Russians yet had broken the Axis line more South.