From COORTE Issue 7, Vol. 1 "Honor, Heart and Glory: the Xª MAS LUPO Btn" by Emilio Maluta
Patrolling took place every night. It was war of attrition which always brought back news of new dead and wounded. In our fox holes we stood in the freezing water and there were cases of frostbite. But that was war and there was more, there was the lice, the mud that gripped your feet and legs, the snow, the rain, the hunger. There was the enemy which was well armed and equipped in abundance.
On new year’s eve some marines prepared for a sortie. Luigi Sitia retells the story: “We got ready with a German squad and headed to the ruins of a house. While waiting for the time to draw near we tried to catch a wink but the Germans got busy picking the lice off each other. They are in the front line for months. The war left their emaciated faces sunken. Suddenly the door burst open and three of them come in with four mess kits full of steaming warm wine saying ‘hier, kameraden, hierher zu trinken! Is big party diese nacht...’ So we all start drinking together and slowly and quietly they start singing in a sad tone of voice: ‘Stille nacht, heilige nacht...’ It’s the memory of Christmas past that is heavy on their and our hearts.
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Fabio Bayer (nicknamed “aspirin”) was so tall he could not find a fox hole deep enough to fit in. He complained to the commander one day that he didn’t have anyone to share the fox hole with whom he could take watch turns. This was probably due to the fact that the company had an odd number. Every chance he had he reminder the commander of this “In two one suffers better; two can alternate giving each other a rest, and then if one is there to keep a lookout even the frequent shits that come from that horrible German bread can proceed without worry...so I could really use a buddy.”
He got his wish finally when they placed a new recruit in with him, but he was too green. They replaced him with a very young, blonde, Tuscan boy by the name of Menichetti. He wore the same mud and lice like everyone else so it was a good sign he was trustworthy. He also had a watch so they could set guard turns.
One night “Aspirin” wakes up and finds the comrade gone while he was supposed to be on watch. Then he hears some explosions and exchange of fire nearby. There was a moment of uncertainty then he hears a noise from the bank bottom. He yells out “Who goes there!” An unmistakable Tuscan accent answers: “Oh ‘pill’ calm down, I just went across the river bank to pay them a little visit. You’ll see ‘bean-pole’ those idiots won’t be shooting at us from the road anymore.” Bayer reflected: “to say or write about crossing the bank is easy but even when necessary you had to be a Menichetti to think to go at it alone.”
Lt. Spartaco Zeloni: “...Our machineguns react with a furious efficacy, after ten minutes the enemy retreats. It’s nice to see tanks shooting while retreating. Now I feel an extraordinary happiness to be able to move my legs again. My trousers cut down to expose the wounds show only superficial ones on both legs. I go to the medics to have them dressed. Having done that and mending my pants as well as possible I go back to the the Rossetta..."
From COORTE Issue 7, Vol. 1 "“M” Battalions: the Duce’s Own" by S. Vasta
The “M” Battalions as the elite of the CCNN (MVSN Black Shirts) proudly wore the red M’s and fascetti on their black collar flames insignia. The M of course was Mussolini’s own signature initial faithfully reproduced and made into a pin with an intertwined fascio at the base. At first, CCNN units which distinguished themselves in combat in Greece and Yugoslavia wore a small red M on their chest (on the left above the tunic pocket) but soon after it was decided to form the “M” Battalions a larger version of the red M replaced the fascio over the black collar flames.
The “M” Battalions began to be officially formed in August 1941 initially from veteran CCNN assault battalions which had displayed a high degree of combative spirit during the North Africa, Albania, Greek, Yugoslavia and Russia campaigns. Of these CCNN assault battalions, from August 1941 to April 1942, 22 became M battalions. The M battalions which previously formed legions were re-designated as Gruppi di Battaglioni (still approximately a regiment in size) each consisting of one support arms and two assault battalions. From early 1942, Two gruppi di battaglioni would form a raggruppamento, which was about a brigade in size. The M Battalions were named after Italian cities that had been particularly important to early fascists. The Gruppo di Battaglioni M were named either after its fascist commander or historic WW1 battle places and the Raggruppamento with the date of an important fascist event.
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On the night of the 23rd, the most forward position of the CSIR, led by Colonel Lombardi and held by the Val Tagliamento, 18º Battaglione/3º Bersaglieri, a horse artillery group of 75/27’s, and a Savoia cavalry squadron, received the order to get ready to hold positions against an impending attack to the last man. The vital importance of the CSIR’s position was underscored by the fact that failing to hold would allow the Russians to break into the Ukraine and behind the Germans. During the “Christmas Battle” under extreme weather conditions and against determined Russian force, the Italian line held.
On December 26, the entire Italian line with a few German units counterattacked throwing the enemy back to their starting points and forcing it to abandon the field leaving a considerable amount of war materiel, casualties and prisoners.
During this counterattack the Tagliamento advanced furthest, to Woroshilowa, which was a Russian supply depot taken and held against repeated enemy counterattacks. It is said that when the survivors of the Legion marched back past Iwanoka a German major ordered his detachment to present arms, commenting to Consul Nicchiarelli that: “a new term should be invented to describe the legionnaires of Woroshilowa: panzer soldaten.”
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From COORTE Issue 8, Vol. 1 "WWI: Italian Expeditionary Corps in the Near East" by Alberto Rosselli
During the course of the First World Conflict, Italian forces of the Army, Navy and even the Air Force had the opportunity to intervene alongside the British, French, Serbian, Greek and Russian allies on various different fronts, even very far from the borders of the motherland. In fact, during the period between May 24, 1915 and early November, 1918, over 60,000 Italian soldiers fought against Austro-German, Bulgarian, Turkish and Senussi armies in France, Albania, Macedonia, in the Sinai Peninsula and in Libya. Not counting that even as early as the Fall of 1914, a small but fierce volunteer expeditionary corps (led by the Menotti brothers, Ricciotti and Sante Garibaldi), later absorbed by the Regio Esercito, set out to help France, distinguishing itself for its courage and boldness on the Vosges mountain range of North-Eastern France.
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On the 26th of September, 1918, spearheaded by cavalry units, the Italian battalions hurled themselves at the enemy, overtaking the heights of Baba, Planina and Draghisetz, cutting off the Bulgarian retreat, which attempted to withdraw ever northwards in order to reach Kicevo-Kakkandelen Pass. On the 27th after brief rear action engagements, the Italians conquered a vast portion of the Cesma Massif and the town of Karaul Kruska, while the Italian left wing, after having besieged Pribitzi, proceeded hell-for-leather towards Sop, where, for the entire following day, the valorous Bulgarian troops resisted the persistent butting of the Sicilia Brigade, which was badly mauled in the process. In the meantime, in Albania, the Italian army deployed between Elbasan and Tomor began to flood eastward reaching Ohrida (located on the lake of the same, which marks the boundary between the land of the Eagles and Serbian Macedonia), Demin Hissar and, on the 29th, Trebuniste and Lin.
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From COORTE Issue 8, Vol. 1 "Condottieri and the First Militia" by S. Vasta
Warfare in medieval and Renaissance Italy (ca. 1100-1600) was characterized by incessant clashes between independent Italian States, foreign interventions and, by early 16th century, foreign domination. This 4-500 year period in Italy, starting from approximately 1158 with the wars of the Italian communes against the Germans (the Holy Roman Empire of the Hohenstaufens) was actually ideal ground for developing the “art of war” just as later it had been for the Swiss (early 1300’s) when they also began fighting against each other and the Hohenstaufen dynasty, analogously giving rise to the professional Swiss infantry. It was during this time that Italian leaders launched revolutionary changes in technology and conduct of warfare, making the Italian Renaissance a transitionary period between medieval and modern warfare in Europe. It was a time of experimentation, inventions and learning, as we all know, but often overlooked are the origins of several important landmark innovations in the field of modern European warfare that can be traced to the Italian early medieval and Renaissance periods. These military reforms were a blend of ancient Roman and modern Italian ideas: the citizen militia, the hired professional soldier (the condottiere) and the standing army.
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In 1176 the Milanese once again fighting Barbarossa were victorious at Legnano by employing infantry formations and tactical maneuver against the German Emperor’s feudal army of knights and lances. Before Barbarossa could concentrate, the Milanese attacked his divided force and defeated it piecemeal.
The Emperor was routed and barely escaped with his life to Pavia. Frederick I was forced to sue for peace and most of the Italian peninsula was free once again from foreign domination thanks to their citizen militia, new tactics and military organization which kept the communes free for centuries...
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From COORTE Issue 9, Vol. 1 "Askaris: the Story of Italian Colonial troops" by A. Parducci
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In 1894 Gen. Baratieri created the "Milizia Mobile" (mobile militia) based on 8 companies of about 2,000 retired askaris who, during the Agordat Campaign, in the hundreds had asked to form a fighting unit against the Dervish. The companies were dislocated in the relative places of formation for the Milizia Mobile: 2 at Asmara, 2 at Cheren, 1 at Adi Ugri, 1 at Agordat, 1 at Arkiko and 1 at Saati. Great fame was achieved by the companies led by Capt. Mulazzani, by lieutenants Volpicelli, (who fell at Amba Alagi), Lucca, (who fell at Adua), Marozzi, (who succeeded Lt. Lucca), and Sapelli; also, Barca’s bands, who had their baptism of fire at Serobeiti in 1892, plus other Eritrean and tigrine bands, all composed by men from numerous tribes from various regions, who on almost every single occasion, covered themselves with glory.
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The beginning of the year 1896 was born under a dark star because of the siege and surrender of the fort at Macallè (Makale) under the command of Maj. Galliano (three companies of III° Battaglione Indigeni, one company of VIII° Battaglione Indigeni, and one native battery) but continued with the victorious battles of Alequà Pass, Sequai, Gulusit, Mai Maret until the hellish battle of Adua of March 1, 1896, which witnessed the heroic sacrifice, at the side of national troops, of Gen. Albertone’s Brigata Indigeni (I, VI, VII, VIII Battaglioni Indigeni, 1ª Brigata Artiglieria Indigena, and bands of the Acchelè Guzai), of the 1ª Compagnia/V Battaglione Indigeno, part of Brigata Arimondi, of the Battaglione Indigeni di Milizia Mobile, and of the Compagnia del Chitet di Asmara which was part of Brigata Da Bormida, and finally of the III° Battaglione Indigeni of Brigata Ellena. The massacre at Adua was followed by victorious battles such as those of Monte Mocram, Tucrùf, Guna Guna, Bacharit, Cherseber, until the cessation of war inside Eritrea in June 18 of the same year.
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Generally, collective and individual Medaglie d'Oro were not originally supposed to be awarded to native troops, however, as previously mentioned, in 1929 the Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali dell'Eritrea was assigned the first Medaglia d'Oro al V.M. to its flag with the following dedication:
"In one hundred and fifty battles, gloriously sustained in the service of His Majesty, the King of Italy, gave constant heroic proof of solid military discipline, of proud warrior spirit, of unshakeable loyalty and highest valor, shedding its own blood with an élan and devotion which never knew limits".
Eritrea - Somalia - Tripolitania - Cirenaica, 1889 - 1929.
The second Medaglia d'Oro al V.M. was awarded in 1936:
"With the kind of daring inherent in their race - fueled by love for the Flag and by faith in the highest destinies of Italy on Africa’s soil - gave, during the war, innumerable shows of pure heroism. With great generosity, as much as its loyalty is sure, offered its own blood for the consecration of the Italian Empire." Italo-Ethiopian War of October 3, 1935 - May 5, 1936.
IV Battaglione Eritreo "Toselli" which was already awarded the Croce di Guerra al V.M. for the Tripolitania Campaign in 1922, was given in 1936, the only battalion among all the Italian colonial troops, the Medaglia d'Oro al V.M. with the following dedication:
"Faithful to the task of avenging the heroic sacrifice of Amba Alagi, in the same places which saw the epic virtue of Maggiore Toselli and his men, followed their tradition and renewing its glories with great losses of lives and blood. In the Tembien it fought with the usual valor and at Mecan Pass, during harsh and hard fought battle, for thirteen hours, resisting all assaults and counterattacking with overwhelming impetus, routed a fierce enemy and won a decisive victory." - Mechennò - Zeban Cherchetà, January 20 - Passo Mecan (Mai Ceu) March 31, 1936.
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