At the Lugramani Barracks in Brunico, headquarters of the 6th Alpine regiment, in the presence of the deputy commander of the Alpine troops and commander of the division Tridentine, general Michele Risi, as well as the civil and military authorities of the city of Brunico, the battle of Nikolajewka was remembered today, in full compliance with the rules on the containment of the spread of CoVid-19.
78 years ago the Alpini of the division Tridentine they wrote one of the most epic pages of the history of the Italian Army: the withdrawal from the Russian Front during the 2nd World War. Thousands of heroic Italian soldiers gave their lives to get out, after days of hard fighting, from the bag in which the Axis soldiers were closed. It was the Alpini of the 6th regiment who made the last decisive effort that allowed the remaining troops to return to their homeland.
Highlight of the brief but heartfelt ceremony was the deposition of a laurel wreath at the war memorial as evidence of the deep historical roots and values that today as yesterday accompany the Alpini in arms; historical roots testified by the reading of the motivation of the Gold Medal for Military Valor granted on that occasion to the War Flag of the regiment with the following motivation:
In seven months of harsh campaign on the Russian front she proved to be a granite and powerful war unit, a very solid bundle of indomitable energy, iron will and legendary daring. During the very difficult maneuver of retreating from the always victoriously held Don front, its battalions "Vestone", "Verona", "Val Chiese", despite the exceptional adverse weather conditions and elements, the absolute lack of any supply, gave continuous brilliant proofs of their fierce warrior qualities.
Operating with rare ability in the most insidious territory, even if exhausted by the most bitter hardships and privations, overcoming every human possibility of physical and moral resistance, in Posto jalyj, and Scheljakino, in Maiakeiewa, in Arnautowo, in Nikolajewka and in numerous other very hard fights they always crushed new and overwhelming enemy forces supported by powerful armored vehicles, and with leonine fury they broke the circle of iron and fire in which the adversary, angrily determined to annihilate them, was under the illusion of having closed them.
With their intrepid valor and with their overwhelming impetuousness, in a noble contest of self-denial, daring and irresistible impetus with the battalions of the twin regiment, they overwhelmed the fierce and impetuous enemy troops, contained and stemmed their impetuous advance, creating the indispensable premise to the resumption and opened the way of salvation to numerous Italian and allied units.
First in offering, suffering and sacrifice, the three iron battalions, always faithful to their ancient tradition, have overcome their heroic victorious war history with more than legendary valor..
