5th Mountain Artillery Regiment (Italy)

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5th Mountain Artillery Regiment
5° Reggimento Artiglieria da Montagna
Meran
Motto(s)"Sopra gli altri come aquila vola"
Anniversaries15 June 1918 - Second Battle of the Piave River
Decorations
1x Gold Medal of Military Valor[1]
1x Bronze Medal of Military Valor
Insignia
Regimental gorget patches

The 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment (

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

Cappello Alpino. The regimental anniversary falls, as for all Italian Army artillery regiments, on June 15, the beginning of the Second Battle of the Piave River in 1918.[2][3]

History

Second Italo-Ethiopian War

On 31 December 1935 the 5th Alpine Artillery Regiment "Pusteria" was formed by the depot of the

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

  • 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment, in Belluno[2][3]
    • 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Tridentina"
      )
    • Alpine Artillery Group "Belluno"
      • 3rd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Julia"
        )
      • 1st Alpine Artillery Regiment "Taurinense"
        )
      • 4th Alpine Artillery Regiment "Cuneense"
        )
      • 24th Battery (part of the Group "Belluno")
    • Alpine Artillery Group "Lanzo"
      • Command Unit (formed by the 1st Alpine Artillery Regiment "Taurinense")
      • Group "Aosta"
        of the 1st Alpine Artillery Regiment "Taurinense")
      • Group "Conegliano"
        of the 3rd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Julia")
      • Group "Vicenza"
        of the 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Tridentina")

All batteries were equipped with

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 Valor.[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

Alpine Artillery Group "Udine") and 21st (ceded once again by the Alpine Artillery Group "Vicenza").[7] The same month the Alpine Artillery 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 Alpine Artillery Group "Val Piave", with the batteries 34th, 35th, and 39th.[2][3]

World War II

See also: 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria"

On 10 June 1940, the day Italy entered

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. On 1 November 1941 the Group "Val Piave" was disbanded.[2][3][5][8]

In December 1941 the Alpine Artillery Group "Val Piave" was reformed, with the batteries 35th, 36th, and 39th, and equipped with

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

See also: Alpine Brigade "Orobica"

On 1 July 1953 the 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment was reformed in

75/13 mod. 15 mountain guns, the Mountain Artillery Group "Sondrio" with 100/17 mod. 14 howitzers, the Mountain Artillery Group "Vestone" with M30 107mm mortars, a light anti-aircraft group with 40/56 anti-aircraft autocannons, and the recruits training group. Initially only the Group "Bergamo" consisted of batteries with traditional mountain battery numbers, but on 15 March 1955 the army's General Staff ordered that also the groups with 100/17 mod. 14 howitzers and M30 107mm mortars should receive traditional mountain battery numbers. Consequently all the batteries of the regiment were renumbered and afterwards the regiment consisted of the following groups and batteries:[2][3]

The Mountain Artillery Group "Bergamo", named for the city of

2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Tridentina" in the Greco-Italian War and then in the Soviet Union, where the Italian Army in Russia was destroyed during the Soviet Operation Little Saturn.[2][3] For their conduct and bravery on the Greek front the groups of the 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Tridentina" were awarded a Bronze Medal of Military Valor, and for their conduct and sacrifice in the Soviet Union the groups were awarded a Gold Medal of Military Valor, both of which the Group "Bergamo" brought with it to the 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment. The two medal were affixed to the regiment's flag and are depicted on the regiment's coat of arms. After the announcement of the Armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943 the remnants of the Group "Bergamo" were disbanded by invading German forces.[2][3]

The Mountain Artillery Group "Bergamo" was reformed on 1 April 1948 in

Mountain Artillery Group "Vicenza".[2][3]

The Mountain Artillery Group "Sondrio", named for the city of

3rd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Julia" in the Soviet Union and been awarded, together with the other groups of the regiment, a Gold Medal of Military Valor.[2][3]

On 31 October 1955 the Recruits Training Group was disbanded. On 10 October 1957 the Light Anti-aircraft Group was transferred to the

2nd Heavy Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment. In 1956 the Group "Vestone" was equipped with Brandt AM-50 120mm mortars. In 1956-57 the regiment formed the 33rd Battery for the Group "Bergamo" and the 53rd Battery for the Group "Sondrio". In 1959 the regiment received 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers and each of the three groups now fielded two howitzer and one mortar battery. In 1963 the Group "Sondrio" moved from Schlanders to Sterzing.[2][3][9]

class=notpageimage|
Location of the regiment and its groups in the South Tyrol at the end of 1964
  • 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment, in
    Meran[2][3]
    • Command Unit
    • Mountain Artillery Group "Bergamo", in Schlanders
      • Command Unit
      • 31st Battery, with 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers
      • 32nd Battery, with 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers
      • 33rd Battery, with Brandt AM-50 120mm mortars
    • Mountain Artillery Group "Sondrio", in Sterzing[9]
      • Command Unit
      • 51st Battery, with 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers
      • 52nd Battery, with 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers
      • 53rd Battery, with Brandt AM-50 120mm mortars
    • Meran
      • Command Unit
      • 35th Battery, with 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers
      • 36th Battery, with 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers
      • 39th Battery, with Brandt AM-50 120mm mortars

In 1970 the regiment's mortar batteries were equipped with 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers.[2][3]

During the

1975 army reform the army disbanded the regimental level and newly independent battalions and groups were granted for the first time their own flags. On 10 September 1975 the Group "Vestone" was disbanded. On 30 September the 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment was disbanded and the next day the Mountain Artillery Group "Sondrio" in Sterzing and the Mountain Artillery Group "Bergamo" in Schlanders became autonomous units. Both groups were assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Orobica" and consisted of a command, a command and services battery, and three batteries with 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers, with one of the batteries being mule-carried.[2][3][9] At the time each of the two groups fielded 610 men (35 officers, 55 non-commissioned officers, and 520 soldiers).[12]

On 12 November 1976 the

President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone issued decree 846, which assigned the flag and traditions of the 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment to the Mountain Artillery Group "Bergamo", and granted the Mountain Artillery Group "Sondrio" a new flag.[2][13] On 26 September 1982 the Mountain Artillery Group "Sondrio" was equipped with M114 155mm howitzers.[2][9]

Recent times

After the end of the

Vittoriano in Rome. One year later the 52nd Battery was disbanded and the 51st Battery was reorganized as a self-defense anti-aircraft battery, which was equipped with Stinger man-portable air-defense systems. On 30 July 1991 the Mountain Artillery Group "Bergamo" was transferred to the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina". On 31 July 1992 the Mountain Artillery Group "Bergamo" lost its autonomy and the next day the group entered the reformed 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment. The regiment consisted of the following units:[2][3][9]

On 6 November 1995 the regiment moved from Schlanders to

Vittoriano in Rome.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ "2° Reggimento Artiglieria Alpina "Tridentina"". President of Italy. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x F. dell'Uomo, R. Puletti (1998). L'Esercito Italiano verso il 2000 - Vol. Primo - Tomo II. Rome: SME - Ufficio Storico. p. 194.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w "5° Reggimento Artiglieria da Montagna". Vecio.it. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Divisione Alpina Pusteria". vecio.it. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "5ª Divisione alpina "Pusteria"". Regio Esercito. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Gruppo Artiglieria da Montagna "Belluno"". Vecio.it. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Gruppo Artiglieria da Montagna "Lanzo"". Vecio.it. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  8. ^ a b Bollettino dell'Archivio dell'Ufficio Storico N.II-3 e 4 2002. Rome: Ministero della Difesa - Stato Maggiore dell’Esercito - Ufficio Storico. 2002. p. 190. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "Gruppo Artiglieria da Montagna "Sondrio"". Vecio.it. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Gruppo Artiglieria da Montagna "Agordo"". Vecio.it. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  11. ^ "Gruppo Artiglieria da Montagna "Val d'Orco"". Vecio.it. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  12. ^ Stefani, Filippo (1989). La storia della dottrina e degli ordinamenti dell'Esercito Italiano - Vol. III - Tomo 2°. Rome: Ufficio Storico - Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito. p. 1189.
  13. ^ "Decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 12 novembre 1976, n. 846". Quirinale - Presidenza della Repubblica. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
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