3rd Alpini Regiment

The 3rd Alpini Regiment was formed on 1 November 1882. It consisted of the three battalions: Val Stura, Val Maira and Monti Lessini, named after the valleys and localities from which their soldiers were recruited. In 1886 the battalions were renamed, taking their new names from the location of their main logistic depot: Fenestrelle, Susa and "Susa 2°".

In 1908 the composition of the regiment changed: the Pinerolo battalion was moved from the 4th Alpini Regiment and the "Susa 2°" battalion was renamed "Exilles".

The 3rd regiment saw its first action in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911, fighting Ottoman forces in the Libyan desert. During World War I, the regiment consisted of 13 battalions and saw heavy fighting in the Alps against Austria's Kaiserjäger and Germany's Alpenkorps. The battalions of the regiment in these days were (pre-war raised units in bold, followed by their first and second line reserve battalions):

• Pinerolo, Val Pellice, Monte Granero
• Fenestrelle, Val Chisone, Monte Albergian, Courmayeur
• Exilles, Val Dora, Monte Assietta
• Susa, Val Cenischia, Moncenisio

On 10 September 1935, the 1st Alpine Division “Taurinense” was formed and composed of the 3rd Alpini and 4th Alpini Regiment and the 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment. The division participated in 1936 in the Italian conquest of Abyssinia.

In 1940 the regiment, as part of the Taurinense division, fought in the Italian attack on Greece. After the German invasion of Yugoslavia the “Taurinense” performed garrison duties in Montenegro where the regiment disbanded after the signing of the Italian armistice with the Allies on 8 September 1943. Most of its soldiers joined the Italian Partisan Brigade Garibaldi, which operated in central Yugoslavia.

On 25 June 1944, the 3rd Alpini regiment was recreated in Southern Italy with the battalions Piemonte and Monte Granero. Along with the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment it formed the 1st Italian Brigade of the Italian Liberation Corps, which fought in the war on the Allied side. After the Bersaglieri regiment had suffered heavy casualties the two regiments were merged on 30 September 1944 to form the Special Infantry Regiment, which entered the Combat Group "Legnano". The Combat Group was equipped with British weapons and materiel and fought as part of the Polish II Corps on the extreme left of the British 8th Army near the river Idice.

After World War II, only the "Susa" battalion was reformed on 23 November 1945, as part of the 4th Alpini regiment and it carried on the traditions and regimental colours of the 3rd Alpini.