World War I At the outbreak of
World War I, the Alpini speciality consisted of eight regiments, which fielded 26 battalions with 79 companies. After Italy's initial declaration of neutrality, 38 additional Alpini companies were formed during the autumn of 1914 with men, who had completed their military service in the preceding four years. These companies were numbered from 80th to 117th and assigned to the existing Alpini battalions. As part of this expansion the
Alpini Battalion "Aosta" of the
4th Alpini Regiment formed the 87th and 103rd Alpini Company. After a short training period in
Tirano, the battalion was sent in April 1916 to the
Asiago plateau, where
Austro-Hungarian Army tried to break through the
Italian front in the
Austrian Asiago offensive. On 15 May 1916, the 103rd Alpini Company was overcome by Austro-Hungarian troops on
Cima Bisorte and forced to surrender. The 87th and 133rd Alpini companies, which fought on the
Borcola Pass, were able to retreat. In June 1916, the 103rd Alpini Company was reformed. In September 1916, the battalion participated in the Italian counteroffensive on the
Pasubio massif. On the evening of 17 January 1943, the Alpine Army Corps commander, General
Gabriele Nasci, ordered a full retreat. At this point only the
2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" was still capable of conducting combat operations. The 40,000-strong mass of stragglers — Alpini and Italians from other commands, plus German and Hungarians — followed the "Tridentina", which led the way westwards to the new Axis lines. As the Soviets had already occupied every village, bitter battles had to be fought to clear the way. On the morning of 26 January 1943, the spearheads of the "Tridentina" reached the hamlet of Nikolayevka, occupied by the Soviet
48th Guards Rifle Division. The Soviets had fortified the railway embankment on both sides of the village. General Nasci ordered a frontal assault and by nightfall the troops of the "Tridentina" division had managed to break through the Soviet lines. The Italian troops continued their retreat, which was no longer contested by Soviet forces. On 1 February 1943, when the remnants of the Alpine Army Corps reached Axis lines, the Skiers Battalion "Monte Cervino" was down to a handful of men. For its bravery and sacrifice in the Soviet Union the Skiers Battalion "Monte Cervino was awarded a
Gold Medal of Military Valor, which was affixed to the flag of the 4th Alpini Regiment and added to the regiment's coat of arms.
Southern France In 1943 the 4th Alpini Regiment reformed the Skiers Battalion "Monte Rosa", which was assigned to the XX Skiers Grouping. The grouping also included the Alpini Battalion "Val Cenischia", which had been formed by the
3rd Alpini Regiment, and the Alpini Battalion "Val Toce", which had been formed earlier by the 4th Alpini Regiment. On 15 June 1943, the Alpini Battalion "Val Toce" integrated the survivors of the "Monte Cervino" battalion and was then renamed Skiers Battalion "Monte Cervino". The XX Skiers Grouping was attached to the
5th Alpine Division "Pusteria", which was on occupation duty in Southern France in the
Alpes-Maritimes. After the announcement of the
Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943
invading German forces disbanded the XX Skiers Grouping and its battalions.
Cold War During the
Cold War, the
IV Army Corps ordered its five brigades to form Alpini Paratrooper platoons. On 1 September 1952, the
Alpine Brigade "Tridentina" formed the Alpini Paratroopers Platoon "Tridentina". Further platoons were then formed in the
Alpine Brigade "Julia",
Alpine Brigade "Taurinense",
Alpine Brigade "Cadore" and
Alpine Brigade "Orobica". On 1 April 1964, the platoons were merged to form the Alpini Paratroopers Company in
Bolzano. The company was assigned to the IV Army Corps and supported by the IV Light Aviation Unit and IV Helicopters Unit, which were both based at
Bolzano Airport.
Recent times helicopter during the Falzarego 2011 exercise On 1 January 1990, the company was renamed Alpini Paratroopers Company "Monte Cervino" and assigned the honors and traditions of the preceding units, which carried the name "Monte Cervino". At the time the company consisted of a command and services platoon, two Alpini paratrooper platoons, an anti-tank platoon equipped with
TOW anti-tank guided missiles, and a mortar platoon equipped with 81mm mortars. In 1992, the company moved from Bolzano to St. Michael in
Eppan. In 1993, the company deployed to
Mozambique with the
United Nations Operation in Mozambique. On 30 November 1994, the company's personnel were issued the newly designed Alpini Paratroopers
gorget patches. The same year the company returned to Mozambique. In 1995, the company moved from St. Michael to Bolzano. On 14 July 1996, the company entered the newly formed Alpini Paratroopers Battalion "Monte Cervino" as 1st Alpini Paratroopers Company. The battalion then commenced with the formation of a second Alpini Paratroopers Company. On 10 April 1997, the battalion received its flag, however the
Gold Medal of Military Valor and two
Silver Medals of Military Valor awarded to the "Monte Cervino" battalion remained affixed to the flag of the
4th Alpini Regiment, which had been assigned in 1976 to the
Alpini Battalion "Aosta". In 1997, the battalion deployed to
Bosnia and Herzegovina with
NATO's
Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1999, the battalion's personnel became
Ranger-qualified and the name of the battalion was changed to Alpini Paratroopers Battalion "Monte Cervino" (Ranger). Starting in 2002, the battalion was constantly present with part of its troops in
Afghanistan as part of the
International Security Assistance Force. In 2001, the "Aosta" battalion was reduced to a training unit and the flag of the 4th Alpini Regiment was transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in the
Vittoriano in
Rome. On 24 September 2004, the Alpini Paratroopers Battalion "Monte Cervino" (Ranger) lost its autonomy and the next day the battalion entered the
4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment, which inherited the flag, traditions, honors and coat of arms of the 4th Alpini Regiment. Since then the history of the "Monte Cervino" continues with the 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment. == External links ==