Country Italy Type Alpini Size 17,460 men | Branch Regio Esercito Role Mountain Infantry | |
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Active 31 October 1935 – 28 January 1943
1 January 2003 - today | ||
The 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina was a World War II Mountain Infantry division of the Italian Army. The Alpini that formed the divisions are a highly decorated and elite mountain corps of the Italian Army comprising both infantry and artillery units. After World War II, the traditions and name of the 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina were carried on by the Alpine Brigade Tridentina, which was elevated to division command in 2003 and augmented to full division in 2013.
Contents
Order of battle
History
The division participated in the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union. The division was all but destroyed in Operation Little Saturn in 1943, after the Alpini had initially brought to a halt a Russian attack on their headquarters and supply base in Rossosh.
Today
In 2002 the Italian Army raised three division commands, with one of the three always readily deployable for NATO missions. The army decided that each division should carry on the traditions of one of the divisions that served with distinction in World War II. Therefore, on 1 December 2003 the Tridentina Division Command was activated in Bolzano which carries on the traditions of the 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina and the Alpine Brigade Tridentina.
In the 2013 Army reform it was decided to abolish the corps level in the Italian Army and combat brigades were placed directly under the three divisions. The Tridentina Division now commands of the following brigades: