Mountain Artillery Group "Asiago"
An inactive Italian Army mountain artillery group that served with the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina" from 1952 until its disbandment in 1991.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Mountain Artillery Group "Asiago" was an Italian Army mountain artillery formation based in Toblach, South Tyrol. Although the group itself was established in 1952, its identity and battery traditions were linked to earlier Italian mountain artillery formations that had fought in the First and Second World Wars. It belonged to the Alpine artillery system, which was organized to support the Alpini, Italy’s specialized mountain infantry. Like the Alpini, its personnel used the Cappello Alpino as a distinctive item of uniform and tradition. The group’s name commemorated Asiago, the town and plateau associated with major fighting on the Italian front during the First World War. In December 1914, the depot of the 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment had created Mountain Artillery Group "Genova", with the 28th, 29th, and 30th batteries. That formation fought in the Trentino area, including around Monte Altissimo, Brentonico, Monte Zugna, Buole Pass, Monte Cimone di Tonezza, Val d’Astico, Monte Pelle, and Val Lagarina. It was disbanded after the war, but its battery lineages later contributed to the traditions inherited by formations associated with the "Asiago" name. During the Second World War, the 28th and 29th batteries served in Alpine Artillery Group "Val Camonica", part of the 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Tridentina". The group first took part in the 1940 campaign against France and was later re-formed for the Italian 8th Army’s deployment to the Eastern Front. Equipped with 105/11 mod. 28 mountain guns, it participated in the retreat from the Don River in January 1943. The wider Alpine Army Corps suffered severe losses, and the 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Tridentina" received the Gold Medal of Military Valor for its conduct during the campaign. The regiment and its formations were disbanded near Sterzing after the September 1943 armistice and German intervention. The postwar Mountain Artillery Group "Asiago" was formed at Toblach on 1 July 1952 within the re-established 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment, which had been recreated in 1951 at Brixen and assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina". It initially consisted of the 28th Battery. The 77th Battery was added in November 1952, and both batteries initially used M30 107 mm mortars. In 1956 they received Brandt AM-50 120 mm mortars, while the 30th Battery was formed in 1959. Subsequent reorganizations changed the distribution of mortars and pack howitzers among the regiment’s groups. By 1970 the group’s mortar battery had been converted to the 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzer. The 1975 Italian Army reform abolished the regimental level in this part of the force. On 1 October 1975, after the 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment was disbanded, Group "Asiago" became an autonomous unit under the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina". It comprised a command element, a command and services battery, and three artillery batteries, one of which was mule-carried. Its authorized strength was 610 personnel. The group received its own flag under a presidential decree issued in 1976. The Gold Medal of Military Valor associated with the 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Tridentina" was reproduced on the group’s flag and represented on its coat of arms. Following the end of the Cold War, Italy reduced its military structure. Group "Asiago" was disbanded on 8 June 1991, and its flag was transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in Rome. Its traditions were subsequently continued by a light anti-aircraft battery redesignated as the 28th Light Anti-aircraft Battery.
History
The modern Mountain Artillery Group "Asiago" was established at Toblach on 1 July 1952 and assigned to the 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment of the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina". Its historical background reached back to the First World War. In December 1914, the 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment formed Group "Genova" with the 28th, 29th, and 30th batteries. Equipped with 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns, the group fought in the Trentino theater from 1915 through 1918, including actions around Monte Altissimo, Brentonico, Monte Zugna, Buole Pass, Monte Cimone di Tonezza, Val d’Astico, Monte Pelle, and Val Lagarina. The wartime group was dissolved after the conflict. A related battery tradition reappeared during the Second World War in Alpine Artillery Group "Val Camonica". The 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Tridentina" mobilized that group in 1939 with the 28th, 29th, and 30th batteries. It supported the 5th Alpini Group during the 1940 invasion of France, advancing from the Varaita Valley into the Ubaye Valley. After being disbanded in October 1940, it was re-formed in 1942 with the 28th and 29th batteries for the Italian 8th Army’s Eastern Front deployment. The group used 105/11 mod. 28 mountain guns and joined the Alpine Army Corps in the Don River campaign. The Soviet winter offensive forced the Alpine formations into a major retreat in January 1943. During the Battle of Nikolayevka, the surviving elements of Group "Val Camonica" supported the 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina" alongside other Italian and German formations. The Alpine Corps reached Axis lines on 1 February, but only a fraction of the Tridentina’s original strength survived. For its conduct in the campaign, the 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment "Tridentina" and its groups received the Gold Medal of Military Valor. The regiment was later disbanded near Sterzing following the 8 September 1943 armistice. The postwar 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment was re-formed at Brixen on 1 May 1951. It created Group "Asiago" at Toblach the following year. The group began with the 28th Battery and added the 77th Battery in November 1952. Both used M30 107 mm mortars. In April 1956, Brandt AM-50 120 mm mortars replaced the earlier weapons. The 30th Battery was formed in February 1959. A 1960 reorganization distributed the group’s equipment within a broader structure of mountain artillery groups, with 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers and Brandt mortars forming the principal artillery assets. In April 1970, the group’s mortar battery was converted to 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers. The 1975 army reform transformed the unit’s institutional status. The 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment was disbanded on 30 September, and Group "Asiago" became autonomous on 1 October under the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina". Its organization comprised command, command and services, and three firing batteries; one battery retained mule transport, reflecting the logistical requirements of mountain warfare. The group had 610 personnel, including officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers. A presidential decree dated 12 November 1976 granted the group its own flag. The Gold Medal of Military Valor awarded to the wartime Tridentina artillery regiment was duplicated on the group’s flag and displayed on its coat of arms, reinforcing the connection between the Cold War unit and its wartime predecessors. After the Cold War, Italian force reductions led to the unit’s final dissolution on 8 June 1991. Its flag was deposited at the Shrine of the Flags in the Vittoriano in Rome on 19 June. A later light anti-aircraft battery, redesignated the 28th Light Anti-aircraft Battery, carried forward elements of the group’s traditions. The group’s regimental anniversary followed the standard Italian Army artillery observance of 15 June, commemorating the opening of the Second Battle of the Piave River in 1918.
- 1991
Disbandment
[1]The group was disbanded on 8 June, and its flag was transferred to the Shrine of the Flags in Rome later that month.
- 1976
Presentation of the unit flag
[1]Presidential decree 846 granted the group a flag bearing the duplicated Gold Medal of Military Valor associated with the Tridentina artillery tradition.
- 1975
Autonomous unit status
[1]Following the Italian Army reform and dissolution of the 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment, Group "Asiago" became an autonomous unit under the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina".
- 1970
Conversion to pack howitzers
[1]The group’s mortar battery was equipped with 105/14 mod. 56 pack howitzers.
- 1959
Formation of the 30th Battery
[1]The regiment formed the 30th Battery for Group "Asiago".
- 1956
Adoption of 120 mm mortars
[1]The group’s batteries were equipped with Brandt AM-50 120 mm mortars.
- 1952
Formation of Group "Asiago"
[1]The modern Mountain Artillery Group "Asiago" was formed at Toblach, initially with the 28th Battery and later the 77th Battery.
- 1951
Re-establishment of the 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment
[1]The 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment was re-formed at Brixen and assigned to the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina".
- 1943
Don River retreat and Nikolayevka
[1]The group took part in the Alpine Army Corps’ retreat from the Don River and the Battle of Nikolayevka during the Soviet winter offensive.
- 1942
Re-formation for the Eastern Front
[1]Group "Val Camonica" was re-formed with the 28th and 29th batteries and assigned to the Italian 8th Army’s Alpine deployment.
Products and positioning
A defunct military organization rather than a commercial brand; it represented Italian Alpine artillery capability, unit continuity, and the military traditions of the Tridentina formations.
Brand decisions
1991
Post-Cold War disbandmentStrategyBackground
The Italian Army reduced its force structure after the end of the Cold War.
Action taken
Mountain Artillery Group "Asiago" was disbanded on 8 June 1991 and its flag was placed in the Shrine of the Flags in Rome.
Aftermath
A later 28th Light Anti-aircraft Battery continued elements of the group’s traditions.
1975
Conversion to an autonomous groupStrategyBackground
The Italian Army’s 1975 reform abolished the regimental level for the relevant formations and granted independent units their own flags.
Action taken
The 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment was dissolved and Group "Asiago" became an autonomous unit assigned directly to the Alpine Brigade "Tridentina".
Aftermath
The group continued with its own command, services battery, and three artillery batteries until its post-Cold War disbandment.
Sources2 sources
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