5th Mountain Artillery Regiment (Italy)

5th Mountain Artillery Regiment
5° Reggimento Artiglieria da Montagna
Regimental coat of arms
Active	31 Dec. 1935 — 8 Sept. 1943 1 July 1953 — 15 May 2001
Country	Italy
Branch	Italian Army
Part of	Alpine Brigade "Orobica"
Garrison/HQ	Meran
Motto(s)	"Sopra gli altri come aquila vola"
Anniversaries	15 June 1918 - Second Battle of the Piave River
Decorations	1x Gold Medal of Military Valour[1] 1x Bronze Medal of Military Valour
Insignia
Regimental gorget patches

The 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment (Italian: 5° Reggimento Artiglieria da Montagna) is an inactive mountain artillery regiment of the Italian Army, which was based in Meran in South Tyrol. The regiment was formed in 1935 by the Royal Italian Army with batteries that had served in World War I. The regiment was assigned to the 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria", with which it served in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and during World War II in the invasion of France and the Greco-Italian War. After the invasion of Yugoslavia the regiment served as occupation force in Montenegro. In 1943 the regiment was transferred to the South of occupied France. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the regiment was disbanded by invading German forces.^[2][3]

The regiment was reformed in 1953 and assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Orobica". In 1975 the regiment was split into two mountain artillery groups and its flag and traditions were assigned to the Mountain Artillery Group "Bergamo". In 1992 the regiment was reformed, but it was disbanded once more in 2001. The Italian mountain artillery has served since its inception alongside the infantry's Alpini speciality, with whom the mountain artillery shares the distinctive Cappello Alpino. The regimental anniversary falls, as for all artillery regiments, on June 15, the beginning of the Second Battle of the Piave River in 1918.^[2][3]

History[edit]

Second Italo-Ethiopian War[edit]

On 31 December 1935 the 5th Alpine Artillery Regiment "Pusteria" was formed by the depot of the 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Tridentina" in Meran. The regiment was assigned to the 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria" and consisted of a command, a command unit, the Group "Belluno", with the batteries 1st, 11th, and 24th, and the Group "Lanzo", with the batteries 5th, 13th, and 21st. As the regiment had been formed in preparation for the deployment of the division to Eritrea for the planned Second Italo-Ethiopian War the regiment had been cobbled together with parts of the existing alpine artillery regiments:^[2][3]

The 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria", which also included the 7th Alpini Regiment and 11th Alpini Regiment, depart for East Africa departed from Livorno and Naples on 6 January 1936. The division played a crucial role in the Battle of Amba Aradam, fought in the Battle of Maychew and the Second Battle of Tembien. On 5 May 1936 the division entered the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. After the war's conclusions the division remained in Ethiopia until April 1937 to subdue the remaining Ethiopian resistance. The division returned to Naples on 12 April 1937 and was given a triumph march through Rome the next day. Having distinguished itself in Ethiopia it was decided that the division would not be disbanded.^[4][5] For its conduct and bravery during the Battle of Maychew the Group "Belluno" was awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valour.^[3][6]

The Group "Lanzo" had been disbanded on 12 April 1937, the day the division arrived back in Italy, but on 25 September of the same year the group was reformed with the batteries 16th (ceded by the Group "Udine") and 21st (ceded once again by the Group "Vicenza").^[7] The same month the Group "Belluno" was reorganized and now consisted of its traditional batteries, the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th.^[2][3][6] In 1938 the regiment formed the 44th Battery for the Group "Lanzo" and on 27 August 1939 the regiment formed the Group "Val Piave", with the batteries 34th, 35th, and 39th.^[2][3]

World War II[edit]

On 10 June 1940, the day Italy entered World War II, the regiment consisted of a command, command unit, the Group "Belluno", the Group "Lanzo", and the Group "Val Piave". All three groups were equipped with 75/13 mod. 15 mountain guns. The regiment served in World War II with the 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria". In June 1940 the division participated in the invasion of France. On 1 November 1940 the Group "Val Piave" was disbanded and the same month the division was sent to Albania for the Greco-Italian War. Between 6 December 1940 and 28 January 1941 the division was in constant combat with Greek Army forces. In April 1941 the division participated in the Battle of Greece. After the invasion of Yugoslavia the Pusteria was sent to Montenegro, where it fought in the Battle of Pljevlja against Yugoslav Partisan.^[2][3][5][8]

In summer 1942 the Group "Val Piave" was reformed, with the batteries 35th, 36th, and 39th, and equipped with 105/11 mod. 28 mountain guns. The group was the transferred to the 3rd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Julia" for that regiment's upcoming deployment to the Soviet Union. In August 1942, the division was repatriated and, after two months of rest, participated in the Axis occupation of Vichy France. Afterwards the Pusteria took up garrison duties in occupied France. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the division and its regiments were disbanded by invading German forces.^[2][3][5][8]

Cold War[edit]

External links[edit]

• vecio.it: 5° Reggimento Artiglieria da Montagna

References[edit]