3rd Alpini Regiment
Balkans Campaign
#### Balkans Campaign

On 10 January 1941, the Alpini battalions "Val Pellice" and "Val Cenischia" were reformed for a second time, and sent to [Albania](/wiki/Italian_protectorate_of_Albania_%281939%E2%80%931943%29 "Italian protectorate of Albania (1939–1943)"), where the two battalion were assigned to the 3rd Alpini Group, which was fighting in the [Greco\-Italian War](/wiki/Greco-Italian_War "Greco-Italian War"). In February 1941, the Alpini Battalion "Susa" was also sent to Albania, where the battalion reinforced the [3rd Alpine Division "Julia"](/wiki/3rd_Alpine_Division_%22Julia%22 "3rd Alpine Division "), which was being reformed after having suffered massive losses in the Greek counteroffensives of December and January. The "Julia" division returned to the front on 25 February 1941 and fought until the end of the war in April 1941\. Following the [German invasion](/wiki/German_invasion_of_Greece "German invasion of Greece") and [Axis occupation of Greece](/wiki/Axis_occupation_of_Greece "Axis occupation of Greece"), the "Julia" division was transferred to the [Corinth Canal](/wiki/Corinth_Canal "Corinth Canal") area and occupied the [Peloponnese](/wiki/Peloponnese "Peloponnese"). For its conduct on the Greek Front the Alpini Battalion "Susa" was awarded a [Bronze Medal of Military Valor](/wiki/Bronze_Medal_of_Military_Valor "Bronze Medal of Military Valor"), which was affixed to the flag of the 3rd Alpini Regiment and added to the regiment's coat of arms.

In the course of 1941, the Alpini Battalion "Val Chisone" was reformed and assigned to the 4th Alpini Group, which served on occupation duty in [Yugoslavia](/wiki/Yugoslavia "Yugoslavia"). In January 1942 the "Taurinense" division landed in [Dubrovnik](/wiki/Dubrovnik "Dubrovnik") and from where it moved to [Mostar](/wiki/Mostar "Mostar") in [Croatia](/wiki/Independent_State_of_Croatia "Independent State of Croatia"). From 15 April to 31 May 1942 the division participated in the [third Axis anti\-Partisan offensive](/wiki/Third_anti-Partisan_Offensive "Third anti-Partisan Offensive"). The division captured [Trnovo](/wiki/Trnovo%2C_Republika_Srpska "Trnovo, Republika Srpska") and advanced to [Kalinovik](/wiki/Kalinovik "Kalinovik"), where it made contact with elements of the [22nd Infantry Division "Cacciatori delle Alpi"](/wiki/22nd_Infantry_Division_%22Cacciatori_delle_Alpi%22 "22nd Infantry Division "); but, overall, the offensive was a failure. In August 1942 the Taurinense moved to [Nikšić](/wiki/Nik%C5%A1i%C4%87 "Nikšić") in [Montenegro](/wiki/Kingdom_of_Montenegro_%281941%E2%80%931944%29 "Kingdom of Montenegro (1941–1944)").

During 1942, the Alpini Battalion "Susa" was assigned to the 4th Alpine Valley Group of the [6th Alpine Division "Alpi Graie"](/wiki/6th_Alpine_Division_%22Alpi_Graie%22 "6th Alpine Division "). In February 1943, the regiment's depots in Italy reformed two *Monte* battalions: the Alpini Battalion "Monte Albergian" and the Alpini Battalion "Monte Granero". Both battalions were assigned to the [175th Coastal Alpini Regiment](/wiki/175th_Coastal_Alpini_Regiment "175th Coastal Alpini Regiment"), which was sent in April 1943 to the occupied French island of [Corsica](/wiki/Corsica "Corsica"). The same month the regiment formed the XXXI and XXXII replacement battalions, with personnel meant to replace losses suffered by the regiment's regular battalions. However both battalions were deployed to the [Isonzo](/wiki/Isonzo "Isonzo") valley to fight [Yugoslav partisans](/wiki/Yugoslav_partisans "Yugoslav partisans"). Upon reaching their destination the two battalions were renamed Alpini Battalion "Monte Assietta" respectively Alpini Battalion "[Rocciamelone](/wiki/Rocciamelone "Rocciamelone")". During 1943, the regiment also reformed the Alpini Battalion "Val Dora", which was assigned to the 3rd Alpine Valley Group of the [6th Alpine Division "Alpi Graie"](/wiki/6th_Alpine_Division_%22Alpi_Graie%22 "6th Alpine Division "), and the Alpini Battalion "Val Cenischia", which was assigned to the XX Skiers Grouping and renamed Skiers Battalion "Moncenisio" on 15 June 1943\.

In May and June 1943 the "Taurinense" division took part in the [fifth Axis anti\-Partisan offensive](/wiki/Battle_of_the_Sutjeska "Battle of the Sutjeska"). After the announcement of the [Armistice of Cassibile](/wiki/Armistice_of_Cassibile "Armistice of Cassibile") on 8 September 1943 most of the division "Taurinense" immediately attacked German positions and by sunrise of 9 September the division was fully engaged in combat with German forces. The division tried to reach [Kotor](/wiki/Kotor "Kotor") to be evacuated by sea to [Apulia](/wiki/Apulia "Apulia") in Southern Italy, but in heavy combat the division lost about half its strength of 14,000 men. By early October 1943, the remnants of the division and its regiments were forced to surrender to the Germans. Only about 150 men of the Alpini Battalion "Fenestrelle" and a handful of men of other "Taurinense" units managed to commandeer ships and boats and escape to Apulia.

At the same time the 175th Coastal Alpini Regiment, which included the 3rd Alpini Regiment's Alpini battalions "Monte Albergian" and "Monte Granero" fought against German forces retreating through [Corsica](/wiki/Corsica "Corsica"). In November 1943, the 175th Coastal Alpini Regiment was transferred to [Sardinia](/wiki/Sardinia "Sardinia"), where the battalion "Monte Albergian" was disbanded on 31 August 1944\.


What was the name of the division that took part in the fifth Axis anti-Partisan offensive in 1943?