The 1st Alpini Regiment () is an active unit of the Italian Army's mountain infantry speciality, the Alpini, which distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. The unit is based in Turin in Piedmont and operationally assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Taurinense".
History
Formation
The 1st Alpini Regiment was formed on 1 November 1882. It consisted of three battalions: "Alto Tanaro", Val Tanaro and Val Camonica, named after the valleys and localities from which the battalion's soldiers were recruited. In 1886 the battalions were renamed, taking their new names from the location of their logistic depot: Ceva, Pieve di Teco and Mondovì.
World War I
During World War I the regiment consisted of nine battalions and saw heavy fighting in the Alps regions of the Italian front against Austro-Hungarian and German forces. During the war the regiment consisted of the following battalions (pre-war battalions in bold, followed by their first and second line reserve battalions):
Ceva, Val Tanaro, Monte Mercantour
Pieve di Teco, Val Arroscia, Monte Saccarello
Mondovi, Val d'Ellero, Monte Clapier
During the war a total of 1,200 officers and 40,000 soldiers served in the 1st Alpini Regiment, of which 175 officers and 4,126 soldiers were killed, and 390 officers and 10,805 soldiers were wounded. The regiment's battalions were awarded three Silver Medals of Military Valour during the war, one of which was shared between the Ceva and Monte Saccarello battalions.
Interwar years
On 31 October 1935, the 4th Alpine Division “Cuneense” was formed. The division consisted of the 1st Alpini Regiment, 2nd Alpini Regiment and 4th Mountain Artillery Regiment. Each Alpini regiment fielded 160 officers, and 5,046 NCOs and soldiers for a total strength of 5,206 men. Each regiment also had 23 horses, 1,242 mules and 109 transport vehicles at its disposal. The division's order of battle was as follows:
1st Alpini Regiment, in Mondovì
Command Company, in Mondovì
Ceva Alpini Battalion, in Ceva
1st Alpini Company, in Ceva
4th Alpini Company, in Bagnasco
5th Alpini Company, in Ceva
101st Support Arms Company, in Ceva
Pieve di Teco Alpini Battalion, in Chiusa di Pesio
2nd Alpini Company, in Chiusa di Pesio
3rd Alpini Company, in Chiusa di Pesio
8th Alpini Company, in Roccaforte Mondovì
102nd Support Arms Company, in Chiusa di Pesio
Mondovì Alpini Battalion, in Mondovì
9th Alpini Company, in Torre Mondovì
10th Alpini Company, in San Michele Mondovì
11th Alpini Company, in Vicoforte
103rd Support Arms Company, in Santuario di Vicoforte
84th 47/32 M35 Cannon Company, in Mondovì
1st Health Company, in Mondovì
612th Field Hospital, in Mondovì
1st Sanitary Support Company, in Beinette
21st Baggage Train Company, in Mondovì
In 1935 the "Pieve di Teco" battalion fought in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, where it distinguished itself during the battles of Amba Aradam, Amba Alagi, Worq Amba, Mai Ceu and Mekan Pass.
World War II
On 21 June 1940 (one day before the French surrender) the Cuneense began to advance with other Italian units into Southern France. After the French surrender the division was then sent to Albania, where it participated in the Italian attack on Greece. When the German Wehrmacht came to the aid of the beaten Italian armies in Albania in April 1941 through an invasion of Yugoslavia the Cuneense was sent to northern Albania to advance towards the rapidly advancing German divisions. The Cuneense advanced through Montenegro and reached Dubrovnik by the end of the campaign.
In September 1942 the Cuneense was sent with the 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina", 3rd Alpine Division "Julia" and other Italian units to the Soviet Union to form the Italian Army in Russia ( abbreviated as ARMIR) and fight alongside the German Wehrmacht against the Red Army. Taking up positions along the Don River, the Italian units covered part of the left flank of the German Sixth Army, which spearheaded the German summer offensive of 1942 into the city of Stalingrad.