6th Alpini Regiment | |
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6° Reggimento Alpini | |
Active | 1 Nov. 1882 — 10 Sept. 1943 10 April 1946 — today |
Country | Italy |
Branch | Italian Army |
Type | Mountain Infantry |
Part of | Alpine Training Center |
Garrison/HQ | Bruneck |
Motto(s) | "Più salgo più valgo" |
Anniversaries | 10 June 1917 |
Decorations | 1x Military Order of Italy 1x Gold Medal of Military Valor[1] 5x Silver Medals of Military Valor 1x Bronze Medal of Military Valor 1x Bronze Medal of Red Cross Merit 1x Silver Medal of Merit[2] |
Insignia | |
Alpini gorget patches |
The 6th Alpini Regiment (Italian: 6° Reggimento Alpini) is a mountain warfare training regiment of the Italian Army based in Bruneck in South Tyrol. The regiment belongs to the Italian Army's Alpini infantry speciality and is assigned to the Alpine Training Center in Aosta. On 1 November 1882, the Royal Italian Army formed the 6th Alpini Regiment, which had its recruiting area initially in the Vicentine Alps, Bellunes Alps, Carnic Alps, Carnic Prealps, and the Western side of the Julian Alps. In 1887 the regiment was split to form the 7th Alpini Regiment and afterwards the regiment's recruiting area consisted of the Vicentine Alps.[3][4][5]
During World War I the regiment expanded to ten battalions, which fought separately in the alpine areas of the Italian front. In 1935 the regiment was assigned to the 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina", with which it served during World War II in the invasion of France and the Greco-Italian War. In summer 1942 the division was transferred to the Eastern Front in the Soviet Union, where it was destroyed in winter 1942-43 during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn. The remnants of the division were repatriated in spring 1943. For its service and sacrifice on the Eastern Front the 6th Alpini Regiment was awarded Italy's highest military honor the Gold Medal of Military Valor. On 8 September 1943, the Armistice of Cassibile was announced and two days later, on 10 September 1943, invading German forces disbanded the 6th Alpini Regiment.[2][3][4][5]
On 10 April 1946, the 6th Alpini Regiment was reformed and in 1951 assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina". In 1975 the regiment was disbanded and its flag and traditions assigned to the Alpini Battalion "Bassano". The regiment was reformed in 1993. On 1 January 2003, the regiment was assigned to the Alpine Troops Command and then reorganized as a mountain warfare training regiment. On 1 January 2009, the regiment was assigned to the Alpine Training Center. The regiment's anniversary falls on 10 June 1917, the height of the Battle of Mount Ortigara, during which four of the regiment's battalions earned a Silver Medal of Military Valor.[3][4][5]