Italian Alpine Troops Badge of the 2nd Alpine Division TRIDENTINA

Italian Alpine Troops Badge of the 2nd Alpine Division TRIDENTINA

The 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" was a large mountain unit of the Royal Italian Army, based in Merano.

The "Tridentina" Division took part in the Ethiopian War Campaign of 1935-1936 with the 21st Battery of the Vicenza Artillery Group, part of the 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria". On June 10, 1940, when Italy entered the Second World War, the large unit was deployed on the French front in the Balte-Orc-Stura di Lanzo sector and took part in operations against France from June 10 to 24, occupying Ville des Glaciers and Col de l'Eveillon. In July 1942, it received orders to transfer to Russia, where it was assigned to the Alpine Corps of the 8th Army during the Italian-Russian campaign and deployed on the Don, initially at Millerowo and then between Yagodnij and Gorbatovo.

In mid-December of the same year, the Russians broke through the Don Front, and the "Tridentina" Division, which had remained to cover the retreat, was encircled along with the entire Alpine Corps. The few remaining elements still in possession of weapons and capable of fighting came primarily from the "Tridentina." On January 17, 1943, with the Don Front broken, the Division began its retreat toward the Dnieper in prohibitive weather and operational conditions. From January 17 to 28, after a very long retreat, the bulk of the column forced its way through Opyt, Nowo Karlowka, Ladomirowka, Scheljakino, and Nikolajevka. The victory in the battle fought near the village of Nikolaevka allowed part of the 8th Army and the Axis forces trapped in the pocket to escape the Soviet encirclement and on 29 January the remnants of the Division reached Bessarab.