Alpini and mountain artillery formations in World War I

The Alpini were supported by the Mountain Artillery, which both share the Cappello Alpino as identifying symbol.

Below follow tables listing the regiments, battalions and groups, companies and batteries of the Alpini and Mountain Artillery active in World War I.

The Alpini were founded in 1872 and their mission was to protect Italy's northern mountain border with France and Austria-Hungary.

Recruited locally in the valleys of the Alps they were the trained in mountain warfare and based in locations along the Alpine arch.

The regiments were numbered 1 to 8 from West to East and the regular battalions named for the locations of their depots, which served as training centers and for materiel storage.

After the outbreak of the war this proved quickly to be inadequate and in spring 1916 the army began to raise dedicated machine gunner companies (Compagnia Mitraglieri).

Starting on 9 January 1917 the army began to combine these platoons in twelve skiers battalions (Battaglione Sciatori) of two companies and one train unit each.

[3] Until the end of March 1917 twelve battalions and two autonomous companies had been formed and numbered from West to East.

For larger operations divisional commands were assigned groupings and the necessary support units, however these divisions were not part of the Alpini corps.

[4] As an example for the operational deployment of the Alpini below follows the order of battle of the 52nd Division for the assault on Monte Ortigara on 10 June 1917.

Note 1: The 3rd Alpini Company, originally part of the disbanded Pieve di Teco battalion, was re-raised by the Exilles depot and joined the Val Dora on 24 December 1916.

[73] The Edolo battalion served for the entire war in the Adamello range and adjacent Tonale Pass area.

In August 1915 the 5th Alpini Regiment organized the Autonomous Company Garibaldi, which was tasked to garrison the area around the mountain hut of the same name in the Adamello range.

During the war the regiment's battalions fought:[117] In spring 1915 the regiment's Feltre Depot formed the Alpini Volunteers Company Feltre, while the Pieve di Cadore Depot formed the Alpini Volunteers Company Cadore.

Note 1: The 8th Alpini Company, originally part of the disbanded Pieve di Teco battalion, was re-raised by the Gemona depot and joined the Val Fella on 15 May 1916.

Worst hit was the 8th Alpini Regiment, whose units were all deployed in the Julian and Carnic Alps and had to retrat the farthest.

Seven of its ten battalions had to be disbanded, and as the regiment's depots were all overrun by German and Austro-Hungarian troops it could not replenish its ranks.

The following battalions were disbanded: After the disastrous Battle of Caporetto the Chief of Staff of the Italian Army Luigi Cadorna was finally dismissed and replaced by Armando Diaz.

Diaz reorganized the army and ordered the Alpini groups to be formed into permanent formations of three Alpini battalions, each battalion with its own machine gunner company, one mountain artillery group, two autonomous machine gunner companies, and a "reparto cannoncini d'accompagnamento" (loosely translated: small accompaniment cannons unit), with Italian copies of the Austrian 3.7cm Infantry Gun M.15.

[153][156] After the Battle of Vittorio Veneto and the following Austro-Hungarian retreat the units of the division advance from Tonale Pass into the Val di Sole on 3 November 1918.

They reach Malè and Cles, while a detachment occupies the Mendel Pass overlooking Bolzano, before the Armistice of Villa Giusti comes into effect at 3pm on 4 November.

From June to November the division patrolled the front in the upper Valtellina valley: from the Swiss border to Gavia Pass.

[168] Meanwhile back in Valtellina on 3 November 1918 the III Grouping attacked Monte Scorluzzo and Monte Cristallo, the two mountains flanking the Stelvio Pass, and after three years of futile attempts finally managed to dislodge the few remaining Austrian defenders from the pass.

By morning of 4 November the battalions of the III Grouping had descended from the pass and reached Prad am Stilfser Joch, Schluderns and the train station at Spondinig, thus cutting railway and road through the Vinschgau valley and with it the route of escape of Austria-Hungary's fleeing troops.

[169] The 52nd Alpine Division was formed on 10 January 1917 with the infantry brigades Grosseto and Pesaro, and the 11th Field Artillery Regiment.

[174][153] After various changes due to the Italian retreat after the Battle of Caporetto and the reorganization of the Alpini corps, the division assumed its final organization on 6 March 1918: The 80th Alpine Division was formed on 20 September 1918 with the VIII and IX Alpini Groupings and the 1st Mountain Artillery Grouping.

The enemy's retreat allowed the battalions to advance and take the division's objectives and continue onward to the city of Feltre.

[190] Additionally seven batteries equipped with 70/15 cannons were part of the mountain artillery, with six of these deployed in the Italian colonies (41st, 42nd, 43rd in Libya) and one attached to 1st Army.

Note 1: The group's 53rd Mountain Artillery Battery was not raised until November 1916 for lack of available 65/17 mod.

Note 2: The group's 56th Mountain Artillery Battery was not raised until November 1916 for lack of available 65/17 mod.