Alpine Brigade Tridentina

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Brigata Alpina Tridentina
Coat of Arms of the Alpine Brigade Tridentina
Active	1 May 1951 - 31 December 2002
Country	Italy
Branch	Italian Army
Type	Alpini
Role	Mountain Infantry
Part of	IV Army Corps 1951 - today
Garrison/HQ	Brixen

The Alpini Brigade Tridentina was a light Infantry brigade of the Italian Army, specializing in mountain warfare. Its core units were the Alpini, the mountain infantry corps of the Italian Army, that distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. The Tridentina Alpine Brigade carried on the colours and traditions of the WWII era 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina.

The brigade was based in the eastern half of the Italian province of Bolzano-Bozen. The headquarter was in the city of Brixen. It was disbanded in 2002.

1 Constitution
2 1975 Reorganization
3 1990ties Reorganization
4 Today
5 Sources

[edit] Constitution

The Tridentina was constituted on May 1st, 1951 in the city of Brixen. The brigade’s name "Tridentina" alludes to old name of the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region in northern Italy were the brigade was based and from where it drew the majority of its recruits. The brigade’s strength was around 4200 men and initially it was composed of the:^[1]

6th Alpini Regiment with the battalions
- Bolzano
- Trento
- Bassano
- Edolo (ceded to the reformed 5th Alpini Regiment on January 1st, 1953)
2 Mountain Artillery Regiment with the groups
- Bergamo (renamed "Vicenza" in 1952)
- Verona
- Asiago
Logistic battalion (from 1956 onwards)
Engineer company
Signals Company
HQ Support Platoon

In 1953 the 21st Alpini Regiment was attached to the Brigade. The regiment was dissolved in June 1964 with the exception of the Alpini battalion "Val Brenta".

[edit] 1975 Reorganization

In 1975 the Verona mountain artillery group was dissolved and the regimental level abolished. The remaining units came under direct control of the Tridentina Brigade. The new composition was:^[2]

Bassano Alpini battalion in Innichen
Trento Alpini battalion in Welsberg
Val Brenta Alpini battalion in Bruneck (reduced to reserve status in 1986)
Bolzano Alpini battalion in Brixen (Reserve)
Vicenza mountain artillery group in Elvas
Asiago mountain artillery group in Toblach
Command and Signals battalion in Brixen
Tridentina Logistics battalion in Vahrn
Anti-tank company in Bruneck
Engineer company in Brixen

[edit] 1990ties Reorganization

In 1991 the reserve battalions Val Brenta and Bolzano and mountain artillery group Asiago were dissolved. The mountain artillery group Vicenza passed to the direct command of the IV Alpine Army Corps. With the suppression of the Alpine Brigade Orobica in 1991, that Brigades remaining units (Alpini Battalions Morbegno and Edolo, the Artillery group Bergamo, the Orobica Logistics battalion and the Anti-tank company) passed to the Alpine Brigade Tridentina. In August 1992 the battalions took the names of historical Alpini regiments to carry on the regimental traditions. The Anti-tank company was dissolved. Each regiment consisted of one of the brigades Alpini battalions and an additional support company. The new composition was:^[3]

5th Alpini Regiment (Morbegno btg.) in Sterzing
6th Alpini Regiment (Bassano btg.) in Innichen
11th Alpini Regiment (Trento btg.) in Welsberg
Edolo Alpini battalion in Merano (Training & Formation - renamed 18th Alpini Regiment on September 13th, 1997; passed to COMALP in 1998)
5th Mountain Artillery Regiment (Bergamo artillery group) in Merano
Command and Signals battalion in Brixen
Tridentina Logistics battalion in Brixen

[edit] Today

In 2001 the 11th Alpini Regiment and 5th Mountain Artillery Regiment were dissolved. During 2002 the following units of the Brigade passed to other commands:

5th Alpini Regiment to the Alpine Brigade Julia
6th Alpini Regiment to the Alpine Troops Command

The brigade and its last units were dissolved on December, 31st 2002. On the next day the Tridentina Division Command was activated in Bolzano which carries on the traditions of the 2nd Alpine Division Tridentina and the Alpine Brigade Tridentina.