The regiment belongs to the Italian Army's Alpini infantry speciality and was a training unit last assigned to the Alpine Troops Command.

In 1975 the 5th Alpini Regiment was disbanded and the "Edolo" battalion became an autonomous training unit, which in 1976 was granted its own flag.

In 1997, the battalion entered the newly created 18th Regiment "Edolo", which one year later was transferred from the "Tridentina" brigade to the Alpine Troops Command.

The regiment's anniversary falls on 15 December 1940, the day of the Greco-Italian War Battle of Dushar, during which the Alpini Battalion "Edolo" distinguished itself.

[3][4][5] On 1 November 1886, the Royal Italian Army's Alpini battalions changed their names from their recruiting zones to the cities and towns, where their base was located.

On 11-12 February 1912, a platoon of the battalion's 51st Company distinguished itself during the defense of the Italian position designated Ridotta Lombardia near Derna, which was held in hand-to-hand combat against Bedouin forces.

[3][4][6][7] On 23 May 1915, Italy declared war on Austro-Hungary and the Alpini Battalion "Edolo" occupied position on the Tonale Pass and in the Adamello group.

By the end of 1915 the Alpini regiments began to form additional companies with recruits born in 1896.

[9] The "Edolo" battalion remained in the area of the Tonale Pass and Adamello group for the entire duration of the war.

[3][4] In November 1940, the 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" was transferred to Albania to shore up the crumbling Italian front during the Greco-Italian War.

The regiment retreated into Albania, where it continued to fight until the German invasion of Greece in April 1941.

The corps was assigned to the Italian 8th Army, which was readied to be deployed in summer 1942 to the Eastern Front.

[3][4][12][13] In July 1942 the three alpine division arrived in Eastern Ukraine, from where they marched eastwards towards the Don river.

[3][4][12][13][14] On the evening of 17 January 1943, the Alpine Army Corps commander, General Gabriele Nasci, ordered a full retreat.

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.

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.

General Nasci ordered a frontal assault and at 9:30 am the Battle of Nikolayevka began with the 6th Alpini Regiment leading the first attack.

By noon the Italian forces had reached the outskirts of the village and the Alpine Army Corps' Chief of Staff General Giulio Martinat led the 5th Alpini Regiment forward for another assault, durich which General Martinat fell.

[14] By sunset the Alpini battalions were still struggling to break the Soviet lines and in a last effort to decide the battle before nightfall General Luigi Reverberi, the commanding General of the "Tridentina" division, ordered a human wave attack on the Soviet lines.

[3][4] On 12 November 1976 the President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone granted the Alpini Battalion "Edolo" a new flag.

[3][4][15] After the end of the Cold War Italian Army began to draw down its forces and on 27 July 1991 the Alpine Brigade "Orobica" was disbanded.