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COORTE
Article Excerpts
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| From 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.
.....
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 Issue
7, Vol. 1 "“M”
Battalions: the Duce’s Own"
by Salvatore 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.
....
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.”
........ |
|
From
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.
....
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.
........ |
|
From
Issue 8, Vol. 1 "Condottieri
and the First Militia"
by Salvatore
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.
....
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...
........ |
|
From
Issue 9, Vol. 1 "Askaris:
the Story of Italian Colonial troops"
by Alberto
Parducci
....
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.
....
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.
........
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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