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Lionel Stander

Lionel Jay Stander (January 11, 1908 – November 30, 1994) was an American actor, activist, and a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. He had an extensive career in theatre, film, radio, and television that spanned nearly 70 years, from 1928 until 1994. He was known for his distinctive raspy voice and tough-guy demeanor, as well as for his vocal left-wing political stances. One of the first Hollywood actors to be subpoenaed before the House Un-American Activities Committee, he was blacklisted from the late 1940s until the mid-1960s.

Following his experience with the Hollywood Blacklist, Stander moved to Europe, where he appeared in many genre films, including several Spaghetti Westerns. He returned to the United States later in the decade, playing the role of the majordomo Max on the 1980s mystery television series Hart to Hart, earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.

Early life
Stander was born in The Bronx, New York City on 11 January 1908, to parents of Russian Jewish extraction.

During his one year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he appeared in the student productions The Muse of the Unpublished Writer, and The Muse and the Movies: A Comedy of Greenwich Village.

Career
Stander's acting career began in 1928, as Cop and First Fairy in Him by E. E. Cummings, at the Provincetown Playhouse. He claimed that he got the roles because one of them required shooting craps, which he did well, and a friend in the company volunteered him. He appeared in a series of short-lived plays through the early 1930s, including The House Beautiful, which Dorothy Parker famously derided as "the play lousy".

Early film roles
Like many New York-based stage actors, Stander found additional work in movie short subjects filmed in New York. He signed with Vitaphone and was featured (without screen credit) in the two-reel comedy In the Dough (1933), with Roscoe Arbuckle and Shemp Howard. He made several other Vitaphone comedies, usually as a comic tough guy, villain, or authority figure; his last Vitaphone short was The Old Grey Mayor (1935) with Bob Hope in 1935. That same year, he was cast in a feature, Ben Hecht's The Scoundrel (1935), with Noël Coward. He moved to Hollywood and signed a contract with Columbia Pictures. Stander was in a string of films over the next three years, appearing most notably in Frank Capra's Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) with Gary Cooper, Meet Nero Wolfe (1936) playing Archie Goodwin, The League of Frightened Men (1937), and A Star Is Born (1937) with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March.

Radio roles
Stander's distinctive rumbling voice, tough-guy demeanor, and talent with accents made him a popular radio actor. In the 1930s and 1940s, he was on The Eddie Cantor Show, Bing Crosby's KMH show, the Lux Radio Theater production of A Star Is Born, The Fred Allen Show, the Mayor of the Town series with Lionel Barrymore and Agnes Moorehead, Kraft Music Hall on NBC, Stage Door Canteen on CBS, the Lincoln Highway Radio Show on NBC, and The Jack Paar Show, among others.

In 1941, he starred in a short-lived radio show called The Life of Riley on CBS (no relation to the radio, film, and television character later made famous by William Bendix). Stander played the role of Spider Schultz in both Harold Lloyd's film The Milky Way (1936) and its remake ten years later, The Kid from Brooklyn (1946), starring Danny Kaye. He was a regular on Danny Kaye's zany comedy-variety radio show on CBS (1946–1947), playing himself as "just the elevator operator" amidst the antics of Kaye, future Our Miss Brooks star Eve Arden, and bandleader Harry James.

Also during the 1940s, he played several characters on The Woody Woodpecker and Andy Panda animated theatrical shorts, produced by Walter Lantz Productions. For Woody Woodpecker, he provided the voice of Buzz Buzzard, but was blacklisted from the Lantz studio in 1951 and was replaced by Dal McKennon.

Activism
Stander espoused a variety of social and political causes, and was a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. At a SAG meeting held during a 1937 studio technicians' strike, he told the assemblage of 2000 members: "With the eyes of the whole world on this meeting, will it not give the Guild a black eye if its members continue to cross picket lines?" (The NY Times reported: "Cheers mingled with boos greeted the question.") Stander also supported the Conference of Studio Unions in its fight against the Mob-influenced International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Also in 1937, Ivan F. Cox, a deposed officer of the San Francisco longshoremen's union, sued Stander and a host of others, including union leader Harry Bridges, actors Fredric March, Franchot Tone, Mary Astor, James Cagney, Jean Muir, and director William Dieterle. The charge, according to Time magazine, was "conspiring to propagate Communism on the Pacific Coast, causing Mr. Cox to lose his job".

During the Spanish Civil War, Stander fundraised for the Republican cause, and later campaigned for the release of the Scottsboro Boys. He was a member of the Popular Front from 1936 until 1939, and later the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League. Regarding his political beliefs, Stander later described himself as "lefter than the Left" and supported the Communist Party USA prior to the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact (which he opposed), though he was never a registered member of the party nor considered himself one.

In 1938, Columbia Pictures head Harry Cohn allegedly called Stander "a Red son of a bitch" and threatened a US$100,000 fine against any studio that renewed his contract. Despite critical acclaim for his performances, Stander's film work dropped off drastically. After appearing in 15 films in 1935 and 1936, he was in only six in 1937 and 1938. This was followed by just six films from 1939 through 1943, none made by major studios, the most notable being Guadalcanal Diary (1943).

Stander and HUAC
Stander was among the first group of Hollywood actors to be subpoenaed before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in 1940 for supposed Communist activities. At a grand jury hearing in Los Angeles in August 1940—the transcript of which was shortly released to the press—John R. Leech, the self-described former "chief functionary" of the Communist Party in Los Angeles, named Stander as a CP member, along with more than 15 other Hollywood notables, including Franchot Tone, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Clifford Odets and Budd Schulberg. Stander subsequently forced himself into the grand jury hearing, and the district attorney cleared him of the allegations.

Stander appeared in few films in 1944 and 1945. Then, with HUAC's attentions focused elsewhere due to World War II, he played in a number of mostly second-rate pictures from independent studios through the late 1940s. These include Ben Hecht's Specter of the Rose (1946); the Preston Sturges comedy The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947) with Harold Lloyd; and Trouble Makers (1948) with The Bowery Boys. One classic emerged from this period of his career, the Preston Sturges comedy Unfaithfully Yours (1948) with Rex Harrison.

In 1947, HUAC turned its attention once again to Hollywood. That October, Howard Rushmore, who had belonged to the CPUSA in the 1930s and written film reviews for the Daily Worker, testified that writer John Howard Lawson, whom he named as a Communist, had "referred to Lionel Stander as a perfect example of how a Communist should not act in Hollywood." Stander was again blacklisted from films, though he played on TV, radio, and in the theater.

In March 1951, actor Larry Parks, after pleading with HUAC investigators not to force him to "crawl through the mud" as an informer, named several people as Communists in a "closed-door session", which made the newspapers two days later. He testified that he knew Stander, but did not recall attending any CP meetings with him.

At a HUAC hearing in April 1951, actor Marc Lawrence named Stander as a member of his Hollywood Communist "cell", along with screenwriter Lester Cole and screenwriter Gordon Kahn. Lawrence testified that Stander "was the guy who introduced me to the party line", and that Stander said that by joining the CP, he would "get to know the dames more" — which Lawrence, who did not enjoy film-star looks, thought a good idea. Upon hearing of this, Stander shot off a telegram to HUAC chair John S. Wood, calling Lawrence's testimony that he was a Communist "ridiculous" and asking to appear before the Committee, so he could swear to that under oath. The telegram concluded: "I respectfully request an opportunity to appear before you at your earliest possible convenience. Be assured of my cooperation." Two days later, Stander sued Lawrence for $500,000 for slander. Lawrence left the country ("fled", according to Stander) for Europe.

After that, Stander was blacklisted from TV and radio. He continued to act in theater roles, and played Ludlow Lowell in the 1952-53 revival of Pal Joey on Broadway and on tour.

Blacklisting
Two years passed before Stander was issued the requested subpoena. Finally, in May 1953, he testified at a HUAC hearing in New York, where he made front-page headlines nationwide by being uproariously uncooperative, memorialized in the Eric Bentley play, Are You Now or Have You Ever Been. The New York Times headline was "Stander Lectures House Red Inquiry." In a dig at bandleader Artie Shaw, who had tearfully claimed in a Committee hearing that he had been "duped" by the Communist Party, Stander testified, "I am not a dupe, or a dope, or a moe, or a schmoe... I was absolutely conscious of what I was doing, and I am not ashamed of anything I said in public or private." An excerpt from that statement was engraved in stone for "The First Amendment Blacklist Memorial" by Jenny Holzer at the University of Southern California.

Other notable statements during Stander's 1953 HUAC testimony:
 * "[Testifying before HUAC] is like the Spanish Inquisition. You may not be burned, but you can't help coming away a little singed."
 * "I don't know about the overthrow of the government. This committee has been investigating 15 years so far, and hasn't found one act of violence."
 * "I know of a group of fanatics who are desperately trying to undermine the Constitution of the United States by depriving artists and others of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness without due process of law... I can tell names and cite instances and I am one of the first victims of it. And if you are interested in that and also a group of ex-fascists and America-Firsters and anti-Semites, people who hate everybody including Negroes, minority groups and most likely themselves... and these people are engaged in a conspiracy outside all the legal processes to undermine the very fundamental American concepts upon which our entire system of democracy exists."
 * "...I don't want to be responsible for a whole stable of informers, stool pigeons, and psychopaths and ex-political heretics, who come in here beating their breast and say, 'I am awfully sorry; I didn't know what I was doing. Please--I want absolution; get me back into pictures.'"
 * "My estimation of this committee is that this committee arrogates judicial and punitive powers which it does not possess."

Stander also denied having been a Communist "now or yesterday." But when asked if he had ever been a party member, he refused to answer, calling it "a trick question."

Stander was blacklisted from the late 1940s until 1965; perhaps the longest period.

Career in independent films in Europe
After that, Stander's acting career went into a free fall. He worked as a stockbroker on Wall Street, a journeyman stage actor, a corporate spokesman—even a New Orleans Mardi Gras king. He didn't return to Broadway until 1961 (and then only briefly in a flop) and to film in 1963, in the low-budget The Moving Finger (although he did provide, uncredited, the voice-over narration for the 1961 film noir Blast of Silence.)

Life improved for Stander when he moved to London in 1964 to act in Bertolt Brecht's Saint Joan of the Stockyards, directed by Tony Richardson, for whom he'd acted on Broadway, along with Christopher Plummer, in a 1963 production of Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. In 1965, he was featured in the film Promise Her Anything. That same year Richardson cast him in the black comedy about the funeral industry, The Loved One, based on the novel by Evelyn Waugh, with an all-star cast including Jonathan Winters, Robert Morse, Liberace, Rod Steiger, Paul Williams and many others. In 1966, Roman Polanski cast Stander in his only starring role, as the thug Dickie in Cul-de-sac, opposite Françoise Dorléac and Donald Pleasence.

Stander stayed in Europe and eventually settled in Rome, where he appeared in many spaghetti Westerns, most notably playing a bartender named Max in Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West. He played the role of the villainous mob boss in Fernando Di Leo's 1972 poliziottesco thriller Caliber 9. In Rome he connected with Robert Wagner, who cast him in an episode of It Takes a Thief that was shot there. Stander's few English-language films in the 1970s include The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight with Robert De Niro and Jerry Orbach, Steven Spielberg's 1941, and Martin Scorsese's New York, New York, which also starred De Niro and Liza Minnelli.

Stander played a supporting role in the TV film Revenge Is My Destiny with Chris Robinson. He played a lounge comic modeled after the real-life Las Vegas comic Joe E. Lewis, who used to begin his act by announcing "Post Time" as he sipped his ever-present drink.

Hart to Hart and other roles
After 15 years abroad, Stander moved back to the U.S. for the role he is now most famous for: Max, the loyal butler, cook, and chauffeur to the wealthy, amateur detectives Jonathan and Jennifer Hart played by Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers on the 1979–1984 television series Hart to Hart (and a subsequent series of Hart to Hart made-for-television films). In 1982, Stander won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.

In 1986, he became the voice of Kup in The Transformers: The Movie. In 1991 he was a guest star in the television series Dream On, playing Uncle Pat in the episode "Toby or Not Toby". His final theatrical film role was as a dying hospital patient in The Last Good Time (1994), with Armin Mueller-Stahl and Olivia d'Abo, directed by Bob Balaban.

Personal life and death
Stander died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, California, in 1994 at age 86.

title: Lionel Stander


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Alpini

The Alpini are the Italian Army's specialist mountain infantry. Part of the army's infantry corps, the speciality distinguished itself in combat during World War I and World War II. Currently the active Alpini units are organized in two operational brigades, which are subordinate to the Alpine Troops Headquarters. The Alpini's name comes from their inceptive association with the Alps, the mountain range that Italy shares with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. An individual soldier of the Alpini is called Alpino.

Established in 1872, the Alpini are the oldest active mountain infantry in the world. Their original mission was to protect Italy's border with France and Austria-Hungary. In 1888 the Alpini deployed on their first mission abroad, in Africa, a continent to which they returned on several occasions and during various wars of the Kingdom of Italy. During World War I they fought a three-year campaign on the Alps against Austro-Hungarian Kaiserjäger and the German Alpenkorps in what has since become known as the "War in snow and ice". During World War II, the Alpini fought alongside the Axis forces primarily in the Balkans Campaigns and on the Eastern Front.

During the Cold War the Alpini formed five brigades, which during the 1990s were reduced to two.

1872 to 1887
In 1872, Captain Giuseppe Perrucchetti published a study in the May edition of the Military Review (Italian: Rivista Militare). In the study, he proposed to assign the defence of mountain borders of the recently established Kingdom of Italy to soldiers recruited locally. Indeed, thanks to their knowledge of the surroundings and personal attachment to the area, they would be highly capable and better motivated defenders. Perrucchetti drew heavily on the work of Lieutenant General Agostino Ricci, who in 1868 had organised exercises in the mountains to assess the feasibility of a specialised mountain infantry corps. Five months after Perrucchetti's article, the first 15 Alpini companies were formed by Royal decree no. 1056, with their activation effective on October 15, 1872 - the date marked as the official Corps Day. The activation of the mountain companies thus made the Alpini the oldest active Mountain Infantry in the world.

At first the Alpini were organized as a militia, capable of defending Italy's northern mountainous borders. Austria's surrender in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 resulted in Italy annexing the province of Venetia, the northern borders of which coincided in large part with the Alpine Arch. Prior to gaining the new northern borders, homeland defence was based on the so-called Quadrilatero strategy. That outdated strategy, however, ignored the geopolitics of the new Italian Kingdom. It called for primary defence of the Po Valley region ("Pianura Padana") farther to the southwest, but left the Alpine region undefended (as it was considered a territory mainly unsuitable for military operations).

Recruiting Italy's mountain valleys locals and organising them into a special corps was indeed an innovative idea. They possessed superior knowledge of mountain territory and greatest adaptability to Alpine conditions. At the beginning, the mountain regions were divided into seven military districts, each commanded by an Officer and home to at least two Alpini companies, each consisting of 120 personnel. Soldiers were equipped with the Vetterli 1870 rifle. In 1873 nine more companies were added, thus totalling 24. In 1875, the companies doubled in size, having 250 soldiers and 5 officers, which were then organised into 7 Alpini battalions. Each battalion was named after one of the seats of the seven military districts:

 * 1° Cuneo, 2° Mondovi, 3° Torino (Susa), 4° Torino (Chivasso), 5° Como, 6° Treviso, 7° Udine

In 1877, five Alpini mountain artillery batteries were formed and - in the following year - the Alpini had already grown to 36 mountain infantry companies organised into 10 battalions. On November 1, 1882, the Alpini organisation doubled in size to 72 companies and a total of 20 Alpini battalions. The latter plus 8 Alpini mountain artillery batteries were now organized into six numbered Alpini regiments and two Alpini mountain artillery brigades with their respective headquarters and support formations. Each battalion was named after the area it was required to defend in case of war:

The numbers used earlier to distinguish the battalions were dropped while - at the same time - the companies were now numbered from 1 to 72. In order to distinguish the battalions, soldiers and non-commissioned officers were issued thread tufts of various colors (the Nappina), which were added to the Cappello Alpino: white for the First Bn., red for the Second Bn., and Green for the Third Bn. of each regiment. Special Bn. and Fourth Bn. were issued blue tufts. Soldiers of the Mountain Artillery units were issued a green tuft with a black patch in the middle onto which the number of the battery was written in yellow numbers.

On June 7, 1883, the green flames (Italian: "fiamme verdi") collar patch was introduced, thus making the Alpini officially a speciality within the Italian infantry corps. The Cappello Alpino, with its black raven feather, was also introduced at that time. The distinctive headdress quickly led the Alpini to be nicknamed "The Black feathers" (Italian: "Le Penne Nere"). Officers hats had the black feather replaced with a white eagle feather. At first, the hat was a black felt hat, but as soon as the new green-grey uniform was adopted in 1909 the hat was changed to the distinctive grey felt still in service today.

The Alpini were also distinguished by the green cuffs on the dark blue tunics worn for full dress and barrack dress until 1915, and by green piping on their light blue/grey trousers. When grey-green service uniforms were trialled by the Alpini in 1906, before being adopted by the entire army in 1909, the distinctive green collar patches and typical headdress were retained.

The materials, weapons, and equipment of each battalion were stored in the major village of a specific area they were required to defend in case of war. Soldiers of a battalion were only recruited from that area. In 1887, the names of the battalions were changed from those of the defended areas to those of local villages. Therefore, e.g., the Edolo Bn. soldiers were recruited in the vicinity of that village Edolo - where the battalion's arsenal, training ground, and officer's housing were also located. Local recruitment generated strong bonds with and self-identification between the locals and the Alpini units, as men assigned to a single company were all recruited from the same village, and the companies from one valley were all part of the same battalion.

In 1887 the Mountain Troops Inspectorate (Italian: Ispettorato delle truppe alpine) was established in Rome, and took administrative command of all Mountain troops. This led to the reorganization of the Alpini Corps: on August 1, 1887, the 7th Alpini Regiment was formed in Conegliano Veneto and assigned two battalions from the 6th regiment. The number of battalions had grown by two, thus reaching 22. On November 1, 1887, the 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment was formed in Turin with nine batteries, each equipped with four 75 mm howitzers. The resulting new layout of the Alpini Corps was as follows:

 * * (renamed "Exilles" in 1889) ** (renamed "Vestone" in 1889)

1888 to 1914
Although established as a defensive mountain warfare force, the 1° Battaglione Alpini d'Africa (1st African Alpini Battalion) was established in 1887. The battalion's four companies were composed of volunteers taken from all other Alpini battalions. As part of the Corpo Speciale d'Africa (Special African Corps), the battalion deployed to Eritrea to take revenge for the lost battle of Dogali. The battalion returned on April 27, 1888, to Naples, having lost its commanding officer and 13 men due to tropical diseases.

Back in Italy, eight mules were assigned to each Alpini company in the same year. The Vetterli 70 rifle was replaced by the newer Vetterli-Vitali mod. 70/87 rifle. Also, based on a general reorganization of the Italian militia system, 38 Alpini companies and 15 mountain batteries were assigned to active units of the Regio Esercito (Royal Italian Army). In 1892 the Alpini were the first troops to be issued with the new Mod. 91 rifle, which was replaced in 1897 by the Mod. 91TS version and remained in service until 1945.

When the tensions between Italy and Abyssinia escalated into the First Italo–Abyssinian War the 1° Battaglione Alpini d'Africa was reformed and sent to Eritrea again. It would soon become the first Alpini unit to engage combat. Four batteries of the 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment were also sent to Eritrea to augment the four deployed brigades under command of Oreste Baratieri. The battalions' first engagement was on March 1, 1896, during the Battle of Adowa. The Alpini were outnumbered and heavily defeated by Abyssinian troops. Over 400 out of 530 men died, including the commanding officer, Lt.Col. Davide Menini. After the battle, the first Gold Medal for Military Valor (Italian: Medaglia d'oro al valor militare) was awarded to a member of the Alpini Corps: Capitan Pietro Cella and his Alpini from the 4th company occupied and held the Amba Rajo (English: Rajo Mountain) until March 2, thus allowing the rest of defeated Italian Army forces to flee. Capitan Cella and all his men died in the effort. In memory of their ultimate sacrifice, he has been awarded the Gold Medal for Military Valor. After such a defeat, an Alpini expeditionary regiment with 5 battalions was formed and sent to Eritrea on March 7, 1896, but it saw little combat and was repatriated in June of the same year.

During the 1900 Boxer Rebellion, a Mountain Artillery Battery was sent to China as part of the international relief force that lifted the siege of the International Compound in Beijing, and remained on garrison duty in Tianjin until the end of 1901. On November 13, 1902, after a short period of experimentation with skis the Alpini began to form specially-equipped and trained Skiing Companies (Italian: Compagnie Sciatori). After a heavy earthquake on September 8, 1905, in the Calabria region (Southern Italy), the Alpini deployed to the area for three months to assist in the clearance of debris and reconstruction efforts. They experienced a similar situation in 1908, after the devastating Messina earthquake.

A massive expansion of the Alpini begun in 1909. On July 15 the 2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment was formed in Vicenza with four artillery groups and a total of 12 batteries. In 1908, two new battalions - namely the Tolmezzo and Pallanza (later renamed as Intra in 1909) - had already been formed and assigned to the 7th and 4th regiments, respectively. On October 1, 1909, the "Tolmezzo" and "Gemona" battalions from the 7th Alpini regiment, along with the newly raised Cividale battalion, became the three battalions of new 8th Alpini Regiment, based in Udine. The first commander of the 8th Alpini regiment was Col. Antonio Cantore, who would become a living legend to the Alpini during World War I. As the 8th Alpini regiment was formed, the Alpini could now count on 25 battalions organised into 8 regiments, 2 mountain artillery regiments with 24 batteries organised into 8 groups, and 75 reserve companies organised into 22 battalions. Reserve battalions were named after the valleys from where their soldiers, former Alpini, were recruited (also known as the 'Valle' battalions).

In 1910 the last pre-war Alpini battalion was established as the Belluno Bn. in the very same city.

When Italy declared war on Turkey in 1911 in an attempt to conquer Libya, the Alpini units were once again deployed on desert combat. From 1911 to 1914, the Saluzzo, Mondovì, Ivrea, Verona, Tolmezzo, Feltre, Susa, Vestone, Fenestrelle, and Edolo battalions, together with the Torino-Susa, Mondovì, and Vicenza artillery groups, were deployed to Libya on missions of different duration. The first units to be sent to Libya were the Saluzzo (25 October 1911), Mondovì (3 November 1911), Ivrea (3 November 1911) and Verona (16 December 1911) battalions. When the unexpected Turkish resistance caused an embarrassingly slow advance of the Italian forces, reinforcements were sent to Libya. On October 18, 1912 Turkey and Italy signed the Treaty of Lausanne, which ended the war between the two nations. Italy, however, had now to face a full-scale rebellion by the local population, and required more troops than those deployed in combat to suppress it. Therefore, in October 1912 the Tolmezzo, Feltre, Susa, and Vestone battalions were deployed in Zanzur, Libya, and formed the 8th Special Alpini Regiment (Italian: 8° Reggimento Alpini Speciale) under the command of Colonel Antonio Cantore. The last Alpini unit to leave Libya was the Feltre battalion. It reached Italy in August 1914, while the Bedouin rebellion in Libya continued unabated.

World War I

During World War I the 26 peacetime Alpini battalions were increased by 62 battalions and saw heavy combat all over the alpine arch. During the war years the Alpini regiments consisted of the following battalions (the pre-war raised battalions are in bold; their reserve battalions, named after valleys (in Italian: Val or Valle), and the newly raised battalions, named after mountains (in Italian: Monte) drawn from the same recruiting areas as the original battalions follow below the pre-war battalions):

The Alpini battalions fielded 264 companies of one captain, four lieutenants and 250 men each. The Alpini regiments were never sent into battle, but remained at their seats to continue training recruits. The Alpini battalions were grouped together in regiment-sized Groups (Gruppo), and the groups were attached to brigade-sized Groupings (Raggruppamento), which deployed the Alpini battalions as needed.

The war, today known as the "War in snow and ice", as most of the 600 km frontline ran through mountains and glaciers of the Alps. 12 meters (40 feet) of snow were a usual occurrence during the winter of 1915/16 and thousands of soldiers were lost in avalanches. The remains of these soldiers are still being uncovered today. The Alpini, as well as their Austrian counterparts: Kaiserschützen, Standschützen and Landeschützen occupied every hill and mountain top around the whole year. Huge underground bases were drilled and dug into the mountainsides and into the ice of glaciers such as the Marmolada. Guns were dragged by hundreds of troops on mountains up to 3,890 m (12,760 feet) high. Roads, cable cars, mountain railroads and walkways were built up, through and along the steepest of cliffs. Many of these walkways and roads are still visible today, and many are maintained as Via Ferrata for climbing enthusiasts. In addition, along the former frontline it is still possible to see what is left of hundreds of kilometers of barbed wire.

In this kind of warfare, whoever occupied the higher ground first was almost impossible to dislodge, so both sides turned to drilling tunnels under mountain peaks, filling them up with explosives and then detonated the summits, including its defenders, to pieces: i.e. Col di Lana, Monte Pasubio, Lagazuoi, etc.

Climbing and skiing became essential skills for the troops of both sides and soon ski battalions and special climbing units were formed. It was during these years that the Alpini, their spirit and their deeds became famous. Most of the Alpini songs originated during this time and reflect upon the hardships of the "War in Snow and Ice".

At the war's end the Alpini counted 114,948 casualties: 14,175 KIA, 61,620 WIA, 39,153 MIA (most lost in avalanches or to mine warfare).

World War II
After World War I all battalions with the exception of the pre-war battalions were dissolved. In 1919 the Alpini gained the 9th Alpini Regiment. In 1935 the fascist government of Italy reorganized its Armed Forces, creating five Alpine divisions and forming a new Alpini regiment: the 11th Alpini Regiment. A 12th Alpini Regiment was also formed to oversee the battalions of the 9th Alpini Regiment, which were not sent with the regimental command and the 5 Alpine Division Pusteria to fight in the Italian attack on Abyssinia. After the return of the 7th Regiment, the 12 Alpini regiment was dissolved. In 1941 the 6th Alpine Division Alpi Graie was raised with reserve units of the other five Alpine divisions.

Thus Italy fielded the following six alpine divisions during World War II:
 * 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense"
 * 2nd Alpine Division "Tridentina"
 * 3rd Alpine Division "Julia"
 * 4th Alpine Division "Cuneense"
 * 5th Alpine Division "Pusteria"
 * 6th Alpine Division "Alpi Graie"

Each division consisted of two Alpini regiments with three battalions each, one Alpine Artillery Regiment with three Artillery groups, one Mixed Engineer Battalion, one Logistic Battalion and some support units. The strength of each division was 573 officers and 16,887 NCOs and soldiers for a total strength of 17,460 men. Also each division had almost 5,000 mules and 500 vehicles of various types at its disposal.

The divisions saw combat in France, Africa, Italy, Albania, The Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Greece. One Alpini battalion was employed in East Africa. In 1942, Tridentina, Julia and Cuneense division were sent to fight in the Soviet Union. In Russia, instead of being deployed in the Caucasus mountains as expected, the Alpini were tasked with holding a front on the plains of the Don River. As a result of this disastrous strategic decision, troops armed, trained, and equipped for mountain warfare were pitted in the plains against tanks and mechanized infantry, to counter which they were neither equipped nor trained. Despite this, the Alpini held the front until January 1943, when, due to the collapse of the Axis front, they were encircled by the advancing Soviet Army. The Alpini were able to break the encirclement in Battle of Nikolayevka and fight their way towards the new line of the front established after the Axis retreat. Only about one third of the Tridentina division (4250 survivors of 15,000 troops deployed) and one tenth of the Julia (1,200/15,000) were able to survive this odyssey. The Cuneense division was annihilated.

After the Armistice of Cassibile between the Kingdom of Italy and Western Allies became public on 8 September 1943, Italy split in half. The king went to the South of Italy and left the Royal Italian Army without any orders. Subsequently, most divisions of the Army surrendered without a fight to the invading German forces. The only Alpini division to resist the Germans was the 1st Alpine Division "Taurinense", which along with the 19th Infantry Division "Venezia" and remnants of the 155th Infantry Division "Emilia" resisted German attempts to occupy Montenegro. After suffering heavy casualties the divisions troops were given the choice to either surrender or to retreat into the Durmitor mountains and continue the fight. The 16,000 men, who had chosen to fight, formed then the Italian Partisan Division Garibaldi, which entered the II Corps of the Yugoslav Partisans and fought on the Yugoslav Front until it returned to Italy in March 1945.

On June 25, 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 Legnano Combat Group. 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.

In the north a fascist regime under dictator Benito Mussolini, known as the Republic of Salò continued the war alongside the Germans. Its Army, the fascist National Republican Army, raised the 4th Alpine Division "Monterosa", which was trained and equipped by Nazi Germany. The division fought along the Gothic Line, notably against units of Brazilian Expeditionary Division, U.S. 92nd Infantry Division and 8th Indian Infantry Division. At the end of the final allied offensive, the division surrendered after the Battle of Collecchio.

Cold War

After World War II the Alpini units were once more tasked with defending Italy's northern borders. On 15 October 1949 the Alpine Brigade Julia was activated in Udine; on 1 May 1951 the Alpine Brigade Tridentina was activated in Brixen; on 15 April 1952 the Alpine Brigade Taurinense was activated in Turin; on 1 January 1953 the Alpine Brigade Orobica was activated in Meran and on 1 July 1953 the Alpine Brigade Cadore was activated in Belluno. Each brigade recruited its soldiers from specific parts of the mountainous areas of Italy thus creating a strong bond with the local populations. But only in 1972 when the Taurinense joined the IV Army Corps a singular command was finally in place for all the Alpini, Alpine and Mountain units of the Italian Army.

 * IV Alpine Army Corps
 * CoA mil ITA alp bde Julia.png Julia
 * CoA mil ITA alp bde Taurinense.png Taurinense
 * CoA mil ITA alp bde Tridentina.png Tridentina
 * CoA mil ITA alp bde Cadore.png Cadore
 * CoA mil ITA alp bde Orobica.png Orobica

After the 1976 reform the IV Alpine Army Corps was responsible to defend the Italian border along the main chain of the alps from the Swiss-Austrian-Italian border tripoint in the west to the Italian-Yugoslavian border in the east. In case of war with Yugoslavia the IV Alpine Army Corps would remain static in its position guarding the left flank of the Italian V Corps, which would meet the enemy forces in the plains of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The only brigade which would have seen combat in such a case would have been the Julia.

In case of a war with the Warsaw Pact the IV Alpine Army Corps had two war plans: one in the case the Soviet Southern Group of Forces and Hungarian Army would march through Yugoslavia and the other in case the Warsaw Pact would violate the Austrian neutrality and march through Austria. In case the enemy forces would come through Yugoslavia, the Julia would cover the mountainous left flank of the 5th Corps, which with its four armoured and five mechanized brigades would try to wear down the enemy before it could break out into the North Italian Padan plain. The other Alpini brigades would remain static.

In the more likely case the Soviet and Hungarian divisions would invade Austria and march through Southern Styria and through the Drava valley in Carinthia the Alpini brigades would have been the first front line units of the Italian Army: the Julia would have defended the Canal valley, the Cadore would have defended the Piave valley and the Tridentina the Puster valley, while the Orobica had a special mission and the Taurinense would remain in reserve.

Structure

After the end of the Cold War, all but the Julia and Taurinense Brigades were dissolved, thus leaving the following Alpini units, that still carry the "fiamme verdi" collar insignia:

 * Divisione Tridentina 2017.png Tridentina Division:
 * Divisione Tridentina 2017.png Command and Tactical Supports Unit "Tridentina" Nappina blu - Comando Alpino.png
 * CoA mil ITA alp bde Taurinense.png Alpine Brigade "Taurinense"
 * CoA mil ITA rgt alpini 001.png 1st Alpini Command and Tactical Supports Unit Nappina blu - Brigade supports.png
 * CoA mil ITA rgt alpini 002.png 2nd Alpini Regiment Nappina verde.png "Saluzzo" Battalion
 * CoA mil ITA rgt alpini 003.png 3rd Alpini Regiment Nappina blu.png "Susa" Battalion
 * CoA mil ITA rgt alpini 009.png 9th Alpini Regiment Nappina blu.png "L'Aquila" Battalion and Nappina rossa.png "Vicenza" Battalion
 * CoA 1 Artimon Rgt.svg 1st Field Artillery Regiment (Mountain) Nappina artiglieria.png "Aosta" Mountain Artillery Group
 * CoA mil ITA rgt genio 32.png 32nd Engineer Regiment Nappina amarante.png 30th Sapper Battalion
 * CoA mil ITA btg trasporti 01.png Logistic Regiment "Taurinense" Nappina viola.png Logistic Battalion
 * CoA mil ITA alp bde Julia.png Alpine Brigade Julia
 * CoA mil ITA rgt alpini 014.png 14th Alpini Command and Tactical Supports Unit Nappina blu - Brigade supports.png
 * CoA mil ITA rgt alpini 005.png 5th Alpini Regiment Nappina bianca.png "Morbegno" Battalion
 * CoA mil ITA rgt alpini 007.png 7th Alpini Regiment Nappina bianca.png "Feltre" Battalion
 * CoA mil ITA rgt alpini 008.png 8th Alpini Regiment Nappina rossa.png "Tolmezzo" Battalion
 * CoA 3 Artimon Rgt.png 3rd Field Artillery Regiment (Mountain) Nappina artiglieria.png "Conegliano" Mountain Artillery Group
 * CoA mil ITA rgt genio 02.png 2nd Alpine Engineer Regiment Nappina amarante.png "Iseo" Sapper Battalion
 * CoA mil ITA rgt logistico julia.png Logistic Regiment "Julia" with Nappina viola.png Logistic Battalion
 * as part of other Military Commands:
 * CoA mil ITA rgt alpini 004.png 4th Alpini Paratroopers Regiment Nappina blu - Comando Truppe Alpine.png "Monte Cervino" Battalion
 * CoA mil ITA rgt trasmissioni 02.png 2nd Alpine Signal Regiment Nappina amarante.png "Gardena" Battalion and Nappina amarante.png "Pordoi" Battalion
 * Scudetto del Centro Addestramento Alpino.png Alpine Training Center Nappina rossa.png "Aosta" Battalion, in Aosta
 * CoA mil ITA rgt alpini 006.png 6th Alpini Regiment Nappina verde.png "Bassano" Battalion (high altitude training), in Bruneck (South Tyrol)

Armament
Currently an Alpino is equipped with a Beretta ARX 160 assault rifle, usually fitted with an Aimpoint M3 Reddot, a Beretta 92 FS pistol, OD/82SE hand grenades, a Type III AP/98 (they are now slowly being provided with the newest NC4/09 bulletproof vest, phasing out the AP/98) bullet-proof vest and a 3rd generation night vision device.

The squad automatic weapon is the FN Minimi or, alternatively, the Rheinmetall MG3. Supporting fire can be provided also by M2 Browning (0.50") machine gun, the Hirtenberger M6C-210 Commando 60 mm, man-portable light mortar or by the MO-120-RT-61 120 mm heavy mortar.

Mobility is provided by the use of Iveco VTLM Lince 4WD tactical vehicles, Puma 6x6 Armored Personal Carriers and Bv 206 / Bv 206S all terrain tracked vehicles.

The anti-tank weapons are the Panzerfaust 3 rocket propelled grenade and the MILAN 2 and TOW II anti-tank guided missiles. The later two will be replaced by the Spike anti-tank guided missile over the next years.

In 1999 the artillery regiments have been issued with the FH-70 howitzer. This has led to a great increase in firepower compared to the previously used OTO Melara Mod 56 pack howitzer, but also reduced their versatility. Indeed, they are not designated now as "mountain artillery", but as "Field Artillery (Mountain)" regiments.

Currently the Alpini are being provided with a small number of ARX-160 rifles to field-test the designated standard rifle of the Italian Army in harsh and cold environments.

Ranks of the Alpini
The Alpini share the ranks of the Italian Army but have an additional rank insignia on their Cappello Alpino uniform. All enlisted personnel and junior non-commissioned officers wear no insignia, only officers and senior NCOs wear them and special rank insignia are used by them in the form of chevrons increasing by rank until the rank of Colonel and by silver collar ribbons by general officers.

 Enlisted and Junior NCOs – No Insignia
 * Alpino
 * Caporale – Private E1 (Corporal)
 * Caporal Maggiore – Private First Class (Corporal Major)
 * Primo caporal maggiore – Lance Corporal (Corporal Maj. 1st Class)
 * Caporale maggiore scelto – Corporal (Senior Corporal Major)
 * Caporal Maggiore capo  – Master Corporal (Chief Corporal Major)
 * Caporal Maggiore capo scelto – Lance Sergeant (Senior Chief Corporal Major)
 * Sergente – Sergeant
 * Sergente maggiore – Staff Sergeant (Sergeant major)
 * Sergente maggiore capo – Sergeant First Class
 * Sergente maggiore capo scelto - Sergeant First Class

Senior NCOs
 * Maresciallo – Master Sergeant (Marshal): 1 small plain green chevron
 * Maresciallo ordinario – First Sergeant (Ordinary marshal): 1 small plain green chevron
 * Maresciallo capo – Sergeant Major (Chief Marshal): 1 small plain green chevron
 * Primo Maresciallo – Command Sergeant Major (First Marshal): 1 green chevron with red border
 * Luogotenente – 1st Command Sergeant Major/Warrant officer (Sublieutenant) : 1 small green chevron with red border and a gold star
 * Primo luogotenente – Chief warrant officer(Sublieutenant 1st class): 1 small green chevron with red border and a gold star

Junior and Field Officers
 * Sottotenente – Sublieutenant/Second lieutenant : Plain gold small chevron
 * Tenente – Lieutenant : Two gold small chevrons with blue border
 * Capitano – Captain : Three gold chevrons with two blue borders
 * Maggiore – Major: Three gold chevrons with one blue border
 * Tenente Colonello – Lieutenant colonel : Four gold chevrons with two blue borders
 * Colonello – Colonel : Six gold chevrons with three blue borders

General Officers
 * Generale di Brigata – Brigadier General (Brigade General) : One bright gold star on the silver collar marking
 * Generale di Divisione – Major General (Divisional General): Two gold stars on the silver collar marking
 * Generale di Corpo d'Armata – Lieutenant General (Corps General): Three gold stars on the silver collar marking

National Alpini Association
The ANA (Associazione Nazionale Alpini or National Alpini Association) is a registered society representing the "Veci" ( ie "the old ones" in English; singular: "vecio" ) or former members of the Alpini corps. As the "Veci" see themselves as merely "on leave" rather than veterans, the ANA is colloquially known to be the 10th Alpini Regiment. Every year since 1920 the ANA has organized a national reunion the "Veci". Hundreds of thousands of Alpini congregate with family and friends in an Italian city for a weekend in the late spring to celebrate and have a good time while remembering old times.

Hymn of the Alpini Corps
The Alpini Hymn L'Inno degli Alpini or Trentatrè - valore Alpino is the official hymn of the Alpini Corps, adapted from an old French mountain song by D'Estel and Travel. As the official anthem of the corps it forms part of the various songs and marches played by the Corps' military bands on parades and concerts, in the latter, the second to the last song to be played before the Italian National Anthem. I Dai fidi tetti del villaggio i bravi alpini son partiti, mostran la forza ed il coraggio della lor salda gioventù.

Son dell'Alpe i bei cadetti, nella robusta giovinezza dai loro baldi e forti petti spira un'indomita fierezza.

Chorus (2x) ''Oh valore alpin! Difendi sempre la frontiera! E là sul confin tien sempre alta la bandiera.''

''Sentinella all'erta per il suol nostro italiano dove amor sorride e più benigno irradia il sol. ''

II Là tra le selve ed i burroni, là tra le nebbie fredde e il gelo, piantan con forza i lor picconi le vie rendon più brevi.

E quando il sole brucia e scalda le cime e le profondità, il fiero Alpino scruta e guarda, pronto a dare il "Chi va là?"

Repeat Chorus 2x

Alpini in Media

 * The 1943 film Men of the Mountain, an Italian propaganda production starring Amedeo Nazzari and Mariella Lotti
 * Centomila gavette di ghiaccio ('One hundred thousand mess tins of ice'), a best seller book by Giulio Bedeschi, former medical officer in the Gruppo Conegliano of 3rd Mountain Artillery Regiment (Julia Division) in World War II. The book is about the epic Ritirata di Russia ('Retreat from Russia') that involved Alpini and other Axis units during the 1942/1943 winter.
 * Mino, an Italian TV series about the Aosta battalion in World War I.
 * Il sergente nella neve ('The sergeant in the snow'), a book by Mario Rigoni Stern about the Vestone battalion (Tridentina Division) in World War II.
 * Mai tardi ('Never late'), a book by Nuto Revelli about the Tirano battalion (Tridentina Division) in World War II.
 * The mission called "Avanti Savoia!", in the video game Battlefield 1, has the Alpini as protagonists

title: Alpini


text:
Talk:Alpini

Alpini Project
I began a project to create articles about all the Alpini regiments, brigades and some of the battalions. I wrote articles about the following units:
 * 1st Alpini Regiment
 * 2nd Alpini Regiment
 * 3rd Alpini Regiment
 * 4th Alpini Parachutist Regiment
 * 5th Alpini Regiment
 * 6th Alpini Regiment
 * 16th Alpini Regiment
 * 18th Alpini Regiment
 * 4 Alpine Division Cuneense
 * Alpine Brigade Cadore
 * Alpine Brigade Orobica
 * Alpine Brigade Tridentina
 * Alpenkorps
 * Battle of Nikolayevka
 * COMALP

and began these articles, which I will expand considerably in the next few months:
 * 7th Alpini Regiment
 * 8th Alpini Regiment
 * 9th Alpini Regiment
 * 10th Alpini Regiment
 * 11th Alpini Regiment
 * 12th Alpini Regiment
 * 14th Alpini Regiment
 * 15th Alpini Regiment
 * Alpine Brigade Julia
 * Alpine Brigade Taurinense
 * 1 Alpine Division Taurinense
 * 2 Alpine Division Tridentina
 * 3 Alpine Division Julia
 * 5 Alpine Division Pusteria
 * 6 Alpine Division Alpi Graie
 * 1 Mountain Artillery Regiment
 * 2nd Alpine Artillery Regiment
 * 3 Mountain Artillery Regiment
 * 4 Mountain Artillery Regiment
 * 5 Mountain Artillery Regiment
 * 6 Mountain Artillery Regiment
 * 2 Engineer Regiment
 * 32nd Alpini Engineer Regiment
 * 2nd Alpine Signal Regiment
 * 24th Alpine Maneuver Regiment
 * Monte Cervino Battalion
 * Cappello Alpino
 * Battle of Cimone d'Arsiero
 * Battle of Cosmagnon
 * Battle of Monte Adamello
 * Battle of Monte Fior
 * Battle of Monte Grappa
 * Battle of Monte Kukla
 * Battle of Monte Nero
 * Battle of Monte Ortigara
 * Battle of Monte Pasubio
 * Battle of Monte Solarolo
 * Battle of Monte Vodice
 * War in Snow and Ice
 * Kaiserjäger
 * Luigi Reverberi
 * Veci
 * Alpini songs

I'm happy for any contribution someone might want to add to this project. --noclador (talk) 06:20, 19 December 2007 (UTC)

layout
I think this one is the best, 15px is too small (you can't see any major difference between the icons at 15px). Noclador, are the 4th alpini, 6th alpini and Alpini formation centre "Aosta" subordinated to the Tridentina Brigade? --Eurocopter tigre 07:59, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

Then, shouldn't we make the 4th and 6th icons 25px sized? If they are independent units subordinated directly to the COMALP... Also, if you'd like to respond here, to maintain continuity, go right ahead, I'm watching the page. Eurocopter tigre 11:24, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

Structure
I propose making a new article about the structure of the alpinis, where we should include the infos from the Origins and WWI sections - they are becoming quite boring with all those regiments listed there. Any thoughts? Eurocopter tigre 08:26, 4 June 2007 (UTC)

Alpini Companies
This is a list of the Alpini battalions and their respective companies - to have them ready for the various Alpini articles I have inserted them here as a resource.

1° Alpini Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Ceva
 * 1 Alpini Company
 * 4 Alpini Company
 * 5 Alpini Company
 * 101 Support Arms Company (former Bicocca Battalion Company)
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Pieve di Teco
 * 2 Alpini Company
 * 3 Alpini Company
 * 8 Alpini Company
 * 102 Support Arms Company (former Moncenisio Battalion Company)
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Mondovi “nostri i silenzi e le cime”
 * 9 Alpini Company
 * 10 Alpini Company
 * 11 Alpini Company
 * 103 Support Arms Company (former Monte Cervino Battalion Company)

2° Alpini Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Borgo San Dalmazzo
 * 13 Alpini Company
 * 14 Alpini Company
 * 15 Alpini Company
 * 104 Support Arms Company (former Monte Spluga Battalion Company)
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Dronero
 * 17 Alpini Company
 * 18 Alpini Company
 * 19 Alpini Company
 * 105 Support Arms Company (former Monte Adamello Battalion Company)
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Saluzzo (active battalion)
 * 21 Alpini Company
 * 22 Alpini Company
 * 23 Alpini Company
 * 106 Support Arms Company (former Monte Pelmo Battalion Company)
 * 217 Anti-tank Company (former Val Maira Battalion Company)

3° Alpini Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Pinerolo
 * 25 Alpini Company
 * 26 Alpini Company
 * 27 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Fenestrelle
 * 28 Alpini Company
 * 29 Alpini Company
 * 30 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Exilles
 * 31 Alpini Company
 * 32 Alpini Company
 * 33 Alpini Company
 * Nappina blu.png Alpini Battalion Susa “a brusa ,suta ‘l susa” (active battalion)
 * 34 Alpini Company (pieta’ l’e’morta)
 * 35 Alpini Company (la vipera)
 * 36 Alpini Company (l’ardia)
 * 133 Mortar Company (la nobile tonante) (former Monte Cervino Battalion Company)
 * 221 Anti-tank Company (former Val Varaita Battalion Company)

4° Alpini Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Ivrea
 * 38 Alpini Company
 * 39 Alpini Company
 * 40 Alpini Company
 * 86 Alpini Company (former Monte Levanna Battalion Company)
 * 111 Support Arms Company (former Monte Levanna Battalion Company)
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Aosta “ch’a costa lon ch’a costa viva l’aousta” (active battalion)
 * 41 Alpini (Officers Training) Company (i lupi)
 * 42 Alpini (Officers Training) Company (la valanga)
 * 43 Alpini (Volunteers Training) Company (l’ardia)
 * 88 Alpieri (Mountaineers) Company (i lupi de la thuile) (former Monte Spluga Battalion Company)
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Intra
 * 7 Alpini Company
 * 24 Alpini Company
 * 37 Alpini Company
 * 112 Support Arms Company (former Monte Rosa Battalion Company)

5° Alpini Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Morbegno “avanti!” (active battalion)
 * 44 Alpini Company (l’ardia)
 * 45 Alpini Company (l’fer)
 * 47 Alpini Company
 * 107 Mortar Company (la’ dove voglio) (former Monte Saccarello Battalion Company)
 * 262 Anti-tank Company (former Val Brenta Battalion Company)
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Tirano “... mai tardi!”
 * 46 Alpini Company
 * 48 Alpini Company
 * 49 Alpini Company
 * 109 Mortar Company (former Monte Arvenis Battalion Company)
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Edolo “dur per durà”
 * 18 Command & Service Company (l'indispensabile) (former Dronero Battalion Company)
 * 50 Alpini Company (la balda)
 * 51 Alpini Company (la veloce)
 * 52 Alpini Company (la Ferrea)
 * 110 Mortar Company (la nobile) (former Monte Matajur Battalion Company)
 * Nappina blu.png Alpini Battalion Vestone
 * 53 Alpini Company
 * 54 Alpini Company
 * 55 Alpini Company

6° Alpini Regiment
later added units:
 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Verona
 * 56 Alpini Company
 * 57 Alpini Company
 * 58 Alpini Company
 * 73 Mortar Company (former ??? Battalion Company)
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Vicenza “ad ardua su per Alpes patria vocat”
 * 59 Alpini Company
 * 60 Alpini Company
 * 61 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Bassano “di qui non si passa!” (active battalion)
 * 62 Alpini Company (la valanga)
 * 63 Alpini Company (la furiosa)
 * 74 Alpini Company (la travolgente) (former ??? Battalion Company)
 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Bolzano (carried the tradition of the Monte Baldo battalion) “fulmineo come l'aquila forte come il leone”
 * 92 Alpini Company
 * 141 Alpini Company
 * 142 Alpini Company
 * 127 Mortar Company (former Monte Albergian Battalion Company)
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Trento (carried the tradition of the Sette Comuni battalion ) “audacemente ascendere”
 * 94 Alpini Company
 * 144 Alpini Company
 * 145 Alpini Company
 * 128 Mortar Company (former Monte Albergian Battalion Company)

7° Alpini Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Feltre “ad excelsa tendo” (active battalion)
 * 64 Alpini Company (la Crodarola)
 * 65 Alpini Company (la Manilla)
 * 66 Alpini Company (el camors)
 * 125 Mortar Company (la tonante) (former Monte Granero Battalion Company)
 * 269 Anti-tank Company (former Val Fella Battalion Company)
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Pieve di Cadore “per l'onor del bataion”
 * 67 Alpini Company
 * 68 Alpini Company
 * 75 Alpini Company
 * 167 Mortar Company (former ??? Battalion Company)
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Belluno “sunt rupes virtutis iter”
 * 77 Alpini Company
 * 78 Alpini Company
 * 79 Alpini Company
 * 116 Mortar Company (former Monte Mercantur Battalion Company)

8° Alpini Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Gemona “mai daur”
 * 69 Alpini Company
 * 70 Alpini Company
 * 71 Alpini Company
 * 155 Mortar Company (former Monte Canin Battalion Company)
 * 216 Anti-tank Company (former Val Natisone Battalion Company)
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Tolmezzo “o la’o rompi” (active battalion)
 * 6 Alpini Company (la bella)
 * 12 Alpini Company (la terribile)
 * 72 Alpini Company (la cazzuta)
 * 115 Mortar Company (la tormenta) (former Monte Saccarello Battalion Company)
 * 212 Anti-tank Company (former Val Tagliamento Battalion Company)
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Cividale “farce cividat”
 * 16 Alpini Company
 * 20 Alpini Company
 * 76 Alpini Company

9° Alpini Regiment

 * Nappina blu.png (originally Nappina bianca.png) Alpini Battalion L'Aquila (active battalion) (raised April 13th, 1935 - carries the tradition of the Monte Berico battalion)
 * 93 Alpini Company
 * 108 Alpini Company
 * 143 Alpini Company
 * 119 Mortar Company (former Monte Clapier Battalion Company)
 * 264 Anti-tank Company (former Val Cismon Battalion Company)

1° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Val Tanaro
 * 201 Alpini Company
 * 204 Alpini Company
 * 205 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Val Arroscia
 * 202 Alpini Company
 * 203 Alpini Company
 * 208 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Val Ellero
 * 209 Alpini Company
 * 210 Alpini Company
 * 211 Alpini Company

2° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Val Stura
 * 213 Alpini Company
 * 214 Alpini Company
 * 215 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Val Maira
 * 217 Alpini Company
 * 218 Alpini Company
 * 219 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Val Varaita
 * 221 Alpini Company
 * 222 Alpini Company
 * 223 Alpini Company

3° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Val Pellice
 * 224 Alpini Company
 * 225 Alpini Company
 * 226 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Val Chisone
 * 228 Alpini Company
 * 229 Alpini Company
 * 230 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Val Dora
 * 231 Alpini Company
 * 232 Alpini Company
 * 233 Alpini Company
 * Nappina blu.png Alpini Battalion Val Cenischia
 * 234 Alpini Company
 * 235 Alpini Company
 * 236 Alpini Company

4° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Val d'Orco
 * 238 Alpini Company
 * 239 Alpini Company
 * 240 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Val Baltea
 * 241 Alpini Company
 * 242 Alpini Company
 * 280 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Val Toce
 * 207 Alpini Company
 * 243 Alpini Company
 * 281 Alpini Company

5° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Val d'Intelvi
 * 244 Alpini Company
 * 245 Alpini Company
 * 247 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Valtellina
 * 246 Alpini Company
 * 248 Alpini Company
 * 249 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini (Fortification) Battalion Val Camonica
 * 250 Alpini Company
 * 251 Alpini Company
 * 252 Alpini Company
 * Nappina blu.png Alpini (Fortification) Battalion Val Chiese “sota la cener brase”
 * 253 Alpini Company
 * 254 Alpini Company
 * 255 Alpini Company

6° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini (Fortification) Battalion Val d'Adige
 * 256 Alpini Company
 * 257 Alpini Company
 * 258 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini (Fortification) Battalion Val Leogra
 * 259 Alpini Company
 * 260 Alpini Company
 * 261 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini (Fortification) Battalion Val Brenta “vigile e saldo”
 * 262 Alpini Company
 * 263 Alpini Company
 * 274 Alpini Company
 * 353 Mortar Company

7° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini (Fortification) Battalion Val Cismon “ad excelsa tendo”
 * 264 Alpini Company
 * 265 Alpini Company
 * 277 Alpini Company
 * 347 Mortar Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Val Piave
 * 267 Alpini Company
 * 268 Alpini Company
 * 275 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Val Cordevole
 * 206 Alpini Company
 * 266 Alpini Company
 * 276 Alpini Company

8° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini (Fortification) Battalion Val Tagliamento “mai avornde”
 * 212 Alpini Company
 * 272 Alpini Company later 216 Company
 * 278 Alpini Company later 269 Company
 * 308 Mortar Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini (Fortification) Battalion Val Fella “mai daur”
 * 269 Alpini Company
 * 270 Alpini Company
 * 271 Alpini Company
 * 273 Alpini Company
 * 312 Mortar Company
 * 313 Mortar Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini (Fortification) Battalion Val Natisone “sburte Nadison!”
 * 216 Alpini Company
 * 220 Alpini Company
 * 279 Alpini Company
 * 288 Alpini Company

1° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Monte Mercantur
 * 98 Alpini Company
 * 116 Alpini Company
 * 121 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Monte Saccarello
 * 107 Alpini Company
 * 115 Alpini Company
 * 120 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Monte Clapier
 * 114 Alpini Company
 * 118 Alpini Company
 * 119 Alpini Company

2° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Monte Argentera
 * 99 Alpini Company
 * 117 Alpini Company
 * 122 Alpini Company
 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Cuneo
 * 297 Alpini Company
 * 298 Alpini Company
 * 299 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Bicocca
 * 81 Alpini Company
 * 100 Alpini Company
 * 124 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Monte Viso
 * 80 Alpini Company
 * 101 Alpini Company
 * 123 Alpini Company

3° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Monte Granero
 * 82 Alpini Company
 * 125 Alpini Company
 * 126 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Monte Albergian
 * 83 Alpini Company
 * 127 Alpini Company
 * 128 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Courmayeur
 * 303 Alpini Company
 * 304 Alpini Company
 * 305 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Monte Assietta
 * 84 Alpini Company
 * 129 Alpini Company
 * 130 Alpini Company
 * Nappina blu.png Alpini Battalion Moncenisio
 * 85 Alpini Company
 * 102 Alpini Company
 * 131 Alpini Company

4° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Monte Levanna
 * 86 Alpini Company
 * 111 Alpini Company
 * 132 Alpini Company
 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Pallanza
 * 282 Alpini Company
 * 283 Alpini Company
 * 302 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Monte Cervino
 * 87 Alpini Company
 * 103 Alpini Company
 * 133 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Monte Rosa
 * 112 Alpini Company
 * 134 Alpini Company
 * 135 Alpini Company

5° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Monte Spluga
 * 88 Alpini Company
 * 104 Alpini Company
 * 136 Alpini Company
 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Monte Mandrone
 * 159 Alpini Company
 * 160 Alpini Company
 * 161 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Stelvio
 * 89 Alpini Company
 * 113 Alpini Company
 * 137 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Monte Tonale
 * 285 Alpini Company
 * 286 Alpini Company
 * 293 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Monte Adamello
 * 90 Alpini Company
 * 105 Alpini Company
 * 138 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Monte Ortler
 * 306 Alpini Company
 * 307 Alpini Company
 * 308 Alpini Company
 * Nappina blu.png Alpini Battalion Monte Suello
 * 91 Alpini Company
 * 139 Alpini Company
 * 140 Alpini Company
 * Nappina blu.png Alpini Battalion Monte Cavento
 * 309 Alpini Company
 * 310 Alpini Company
 * 311 Alpini Company

6° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Monte Baldo (later Bolzano) “fulmineo come l'aquila forte come il leone”
 * 92 Alpini Company
 * 141 Alpini Company
 * 142 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion 'Monte Berico (later L’Aquila) “d aquila penne ugne di leonessa”
 * 93 Alpini Company (fai strada)
 * 108 Alpini Company (a zump di camosce)
 * 143 Alpini Company (la scassata)
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Monte Pasubio
 * 290 Alpini Company
 * 291 Alpini Company
 * 292 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Sette Comuni (later Trento) “audacemente ascendere”
 * 94 Alpini Company
 * 144 Alpini Company
 * 145 Alpini Company
 * 128 Mortar Company

7° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Monte Pavione
 * 95 Alpini Company
 * 148 Alpini Company
 * 149 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Monte Antelao
 * 96 Alpini Company
 * 150 Alpini Company
 * 151 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Monte Pelmo
 * 106 Alpini Company
 * 146 Alpini Company
 * 147 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Monte Marmolada
 * 284 Alpini Company
 * 300 Alpini Company
 * 301 Alpini Company

8° Regiment

 * Nappina bianca.png Alpini Battalion Monte Arvenis
 * 109 Alpini Company
 * 152 Alpini Company
 * 153 Alpini Company
 * Nappina rossa.png Alpini Battalion Monte Canin
 * 97 Alpini Company
 * 154 Alpini Company
 * 155 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Monte Matajur
 * 110 Alpini Company
 * 156 Alpini Company
 * 157 Alpini Company
 * Nappina verde.png Alpini Battalion Monte Nero
 * 294 Alpini Company
 * 295 Alpini Company
 * 296 Alpini Company

other Alpini battalions

 * Alpini Battalion Val Venosta
 * 282 Alpini Company (previously Pallanza Alpini Battalion)
 * 283 Alpini Company (previously Pallanza Alpini Battalion)
 * 284 Alpini Company (previously Monte Marmolada Alpini Battalion)
 * Alpini Battalion Val Fassa
 * 227 Alpini Company
 * 237 Alpini Company
 * 273 Alpini Company
 * Alpini Battalion Val Pescara
 * 285 Alpini Company (previously Monte Tonale Alpini Battalion)
 * 286 Alpini Company (previously Monte Tonale Alpini Battalion)
 * 287 Alpini Company

Mountain Artillery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Susa “susa d’fer”
 * Nappina artiglieria 1 btr.png 1 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 2 btr.png 2 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 3 btr.png 3 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Aosta “nulla via invia” (active battalion)
 * Nappina artiglieria 4 btr.png 4 Battery (la pomonite)
 * Nappina artiglieria 5 btr.png 5 Battery (la fulmine)
 * Nappina artiglieria 6 btr.png 6 Battery (la Garibaldi)

 * Mountain Artillery Group Pinerolo “mai niun davanti”
 * Nappina artiglieria 7 btr.png 7 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 8 btr.png 8 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 9 btr.png 9 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 40 btr.png 40 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Mondovi “mai pau,mai noc”
 * Nappina artiglieria 10 btr.png 10 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 11 btr.png 11 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 12 btr.png 12 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Conegliano “davanti al conegliano o si scappa o si muore” (active battalion)
 * Nappina artiglieria 13 btr.png 13 Battery (come li cretis)
 * Nappina artiglieria 14 btr.png 14 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 15 btr.png 15 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Udine “tasi e tira”
 * Nappina artiglieria 16 btr.png 16 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 17 btr.png 17 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 18 btr.png 18 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 34 btr.png 34 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Vicenza “per ardua ardes” (active battalion)
 * Nappina artiglieria 19 btr.png 19 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 20 btr.png 20 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 21 btr.png 21 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 45 btr.png 45 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Belluno “bello e uno”
 * Nappina artiglieria 22 btr.png 22 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 23 btr.png 23 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 24 btr.png 24 Battery (o la passa o la brusa)

 * Mountain Artillery Group Osoppo “anin... vanin furtune”
 * Nappina artiglieria 25 btr.png 25 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 26 btr.png 26 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 27 btr.png 27 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Asiago “tira e tasi”
 * Nappina artiglieria 28 btr.png 28 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 29 btr.png 29 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 30 btr.png 30 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Bergamo “berghem de sass”
 * Nappina artiglieria 31 btr.png 31 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 32 btr.png 32 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 33 btr.png 33 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Vestone
 * Nappina artiglieria 35 btr.png 35 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 36 btr.png 36 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 39 btr.png 39 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Pieve di Cadore “pi dur de’na piera”
 * Nappina artiglieria 37 btr.png 37 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 38 btr.png 38 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 50 btr.png 50 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Agordo “oms, crets canons dut un toc”
 * Nappina artiglieria 41 btr.png 41 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 42 btr.png 42 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 43 btr.png 43 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Lanzo “con il ferro e il fuoco a mete eccelse”
 * Nappina artiglieria 44 btr.png 44 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 47 btr.png 47 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Val Chisone
 * Nappina artiglieria 48 btr.png 48 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 49 btr.png 49 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 50 btr.png 50 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Sondrio (former "Val d’Orco" Group) “piu’ in alto dell’aquila”
 * Nappina artiglieria 51 btr.png 51 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 52 btr.png 52 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 53 btr.png 53 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Val Po'
 * Nappina artiglieria 64 btr.png 64 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 72 btr.png 72 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 73 btr.png 73 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 116 btr.png 116 Battery

 * Mountain Artillery Group Verona (former "Val d’Adige" Group) “ne’ discendere ne’ morire”
 * Nappina artiglieria 75 btr.png 75 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 76 btr.png 76 Battery
 * Nappina artiglieria 77 btr.png 77 Battery

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified 2 external links on Alpini. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://www.webcitation.org/6HuPxzoqr?url=http://www.esercito.difesa.it/root/unita2_sez/arma_ftr_rgt_alp.asp to http://www.esercito.difesa.it/root/unita2_sez/arma_ftr_rgt_alp.asp
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20070211200413/http://www.nevasport.com/nevablogs/d/los-alpini-italianos---the-italian-alpini/1241 to http://www.nevasport.com/nevablogs/d/los-alpini-italianos---the-italian-alpini/1241

When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.

Cheers.— InternetArchiveBot  (Report bug) 05:13, 2 January 2018 (UTC)

title: Talk:Alpini


text:
Bethungra Spiral

The Bethungra Spiral is a heritage-listed rail spiral on the Main Southern line near Bethungra, between Junee and Cootamundra. The spiral carries the northbound track, forming a part of the Sydney–Melbourne rail corridor.

It is a listed heritage item, having been added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

History
The original single-track line, opened in 1878, was graded at 1 in 40 for Sydney bound trains, which imposed a severe limitation on train loads and also caused congestion as bank engines were attached and detached.

When the line was duplicated in the late 1940s, an 8.9 kilometre spiral deviation was built. The spiral makes use of local geography in the shape of a convenient hill around which the uphill ("up", or Sydney-bound) track spirals in order to gain the necessary height over a longer distance, thus giving a lesser gradient. However, the fact that the hill is on the "down" (southbound) side of the original track necessitated two crossings of the original line by the new northbound track — one a tunnel to take it to the eastern (or "down") side of the original track in order to then spiral around the hill, and a viaduct beyond the spiral to take the new track back to the left hand side of the original line, as Australian trains run on the left, as in the UK, France and Japan. The Spiral has two short tunnels, one already mentioned at the beginning of the Spiral, for the "up" track to cross beneath the original line to reach the "down" side, and a second tunnel that allows it to pass over itself at a later point in the Spiral, having circled the hill to gain height.

The spiral increased the distance travelled by uphill (northbound) trains by about two kilometres. Downhill (southbound) trains continue to use the original line. The ruling gradient of the new uphill line is 1 in 66.

Due to the extensive blasting required to create 27-metre deep cuts through granite, the line suffers from rockfalls, with twelve significant falls happening between 1960 and 1987. In January 1994, the spiral line closed for a four-month rebuild, which saw the cuts widened and regraded to benched 55 degree slopes as part of the One Nation project.

Description
Starting at the lower left corner of the interactive map, the "up" track to Cootamundra (and thence to Sydney) is the one on the left. It diverges from the "down" track and has been built at a less steep gradient than the "down" track and so is able to pass under it (through a tunnel) then sweeping around the hill (passing through the second tunnel in the process), gaining elevation all the while until crossing over itself above the second tunnel. It is now higher than the down track and on its right (if northbound), and at an overpass further north (click on "Full screen" to view), crosses back over to the left and eventually the two tracks converge just short of the Olympic Highway level crossing.

Heritage listing
The Bethungra Spiral is of high significance, illustrating a means of ascending a significant mountain range with easier grades than the original line (now the "down" track). It is a major civil work and an ingenious engineering solution using the technology available at the time of construction. The site has major landscape value.

Bethungra Spiral was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria: The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. This item is assessed as historically rare. This item is assessed as scientifically rare. This item is assessed as architecturally rare.

Tourism
A traveller who has just passed through Bethungra township on the way to Cootamundra is alerted to its existence nearby by a sign indicating the turnoff to the Rail Spiral Lookout and Bethungra Dam on the right of the Olympic Highway. An all-vehicle dirt road leads, after about 3km, to a parking area and interpretive signboard. Nearby is the substantial viewing platform from where may be seen the Sydney-bound train emerge from the tunnel and two minutes later cross over that same tunnel.

There are other spots on that road from where three railway tracks can be seen at three different heights on the adjacent hillside to the east of the Olympic Highway. The bottom and top tracks are the "up" (northbound) track before and after it has crossed the "down" (southbound) track and traversed the Spiral, while the middle track is the original single-track line, which is now the "down" (southbound) track.

Inland Rail
The route of the proposed Inland Rail entails a new section of line from Illabo, west of Bethungra, to Stockinbingal, to obviate the need for northbound trains on the Inland Railway to climb the Bethungra Spiral to Cootamundra then drop down to Stockinbingal to continue north towards Forbes then Parkes. It is projected that this section of the Inland Railway will be completed by 2025. The Spiral will remain in use as part of the Melbourne-Sydney line.

Model railway
The Epping Model Railway Club, of Epping, New South Wales, has created a detailed model of the spiral in HO scale. The setup, which measures approximately 5x3 m is demountable and is occasionally shown as a fully operational exhibit at appropriate functions.

2022 derailment
Around 0340 on 15 January 2022 ten trucks of a 1500 m freight train left the rails at the highest point of the spiral, above the cutting. Fortunately the affected carriages did not fall into the cutting, and no injuries were recorded but the line was out of action for a week while the damaged carriages were being removed and the track repaired.

title: Bethungra Spiral


text:
Special Operations Command (Australia)

The Special Operations Command (SOCOMD) is an Australian Defence Force command that was established on 5 May 2003 to unite all of the Australian Army's special forces units and by 2008 was fully operational. Australia's Special Operations Command is of equivalent status to Australia's Fleet, Forces and Air Commands. It is modelled on the equivalent commands in the United States and British military forces, and is led by a major general as Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST).

The origins of SOCOMD began in 1979 with the army creating a small Directorate Special Action Forces—Army. On 13 February 1990, Headquarters Special Forces was established, which was renamed in 1997 to Headquarters Special Operations and in 2003 to Special Operations Headquarters or SOCOMD.

History

 * East Timor (May 2006 – 2007)
 * Security for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne (March 2006)
 * Afghanistan (2001–02) (2005–06) (2007–2021)
 * Iraq (2003–09) (2014–)
 * Security for the 2003 Rugby World Cup (October – November 2003)
 * Security for President George W. Bush's visit to Canberra (October 2003)

While Special Operations Command had not formally commenced operations at the time, it appears that the headquarters may have overseen the boarding of the North Korean freighter MV Pong Su in April 2003, which involved elements of both the Special Air Service Regiment and 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (Commando) Tactical Assault Groups.

In November 2018, the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting held in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea had Special Operations Command involvement to enhance the Papua New Guinea Defence Force's Incident Response Group to provide security as world leaders, including Scott Morrison, Mike Pence, Xi Jinping, Dmitry Medvedev and other government and economic leaders were in attendance. The Incident Response Group had received extensive training to build its capabilities in preparation for the meeting from SOCOMD units and the New Zealand Special Operations Component Command.

Organisation

As of 2020, the Special Operations Command comprised the following units:
 * Headquarters, Special Operations Command Headquarters (SOHQ) (GJBC and Russell Offices)
 * Headquarters, Special Forces Group
 * Special Air Service Regiment (Swanbourne, WA) Incorporates the role of Tactical Assault Group (West).
 * 1 Squadron
 * 3 Squadron
 * 4 Squadron
 * 152 Signals Squadron
 * Specialist Support Squadron
 * Operational Support Squadron
 * 1st Commando Regiment a mixed Regular Army and Army Reserve Unit
 * Regimental Headquarters (Randwick Barracks, Sydney)
 * 1 Commando Company (HMAS Penguin, Sydney)
 * 2 Commando Company (Williamstown, VIC)
 * 301 Signals Squadron (Randwick Barracks, Sydney with elements in the commando companies)
 * 2nd Commando Regiment (Holsworthy, NSW) Incorporates the role of Tactical Assault Group (East).
 * A Company
 * B Company
 * C Company
 * D Company
 * 126 Signals Squadron
 * Operations Support Company
 * Logistics Support Company
 * Special Operations Engineer Regiment (Holsworthy, NSW)
 * A Squadron
 * B Squadron
 * Logistic Support Troop
 * Special Operations Logistics Squadron (Holsworthy, NSW)
 * Defence Special Operations Training and Education Centre (Holsworthy, NSW)
 * Australian Defence Force School of Special Operations (Holsworthy, NSW)
 * Australian Defence Force Parachuting School (HMAS Albatross, NSW)

Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST)
The Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST) is responsible for the peacetime 'raise, train and sustain' functions of Special Operations Command reporting to the Chief of Army, while the Chief of Joint Operations is responsible for the operational functions of Special Operations Command deployments. The SOCAUST is responsible for the domestic counter-terrorism deployments of Special Operations Command reporting directly to the Chief of the Defence Force.

The following have held the position of Special Operations Commander Australia, with the ranks and honours as at the completion of their tenure:

title: Special Operations Command (Australia)


text:
User talk:Ksnortum

heap hiːp/Submit noun noun: heap; plural noun: heaps 1. an untidy collection of objects placed haphazardly on top of each other. "a disordered heap of a lot of boxes" synonyms:	pile, stack, mass, mound, mountain, quantity, load, lot, bundle, jumble; More collection, accumulation, gathering; assemblage, store, stock, supply, stockpile, hoard, aggregation, agglomeration, accrual, conglomeration; rickle; bing; rareamassment "a disordered heap of boxes" an amount of a particular loose substance. "a heap of gravel" 2. informal a large amount or number of. "we have heaps of room" synonyms:	a lot, lots, a large amount, a fair amount, much, a good/great deal, a deal, a great quantity, quantities, an abundance, a wealth, a profusion, plenty, masses; More many, a great many, a large number, a considerable number, a huge number, numerous, scores, hundreds, thousands, millions, billions; informala load, loads, loadsa, a pile, piles, oodles, stacks, scads, reams, wads, pots, oceans, a mountain, mountains, miles, tons, zillions, gazillions, bazillions, more … than one can shake a stick at; informala shedload, lashings; informalgobs; informala swag; vulgar slanga shitload; vulgar slangan assload "we have heaps of room" antonyms:	a little, not much, a few, not many 3. informal an untidy or dilapidated place or vehicle. "they climbed back in the heap and headed home" adverbBRITISHinformal adverb: heaps; adverb: heap 1. a great deal. "‘How do you like Maggie?’ ‘I like you heaps better!’" verb verb: heap; 3rd person present: heaps; past tense: heaped; past participle: heaped; gerund or present participle: heaping 1. put (objects or a loose substance) in a heap. "she heaped logs on the fire" synonyms:	pile up, pile, stack up, stack, make a pile of, make a stack of, make a mound of; More assemble, accumulate, collect, amass; store, store up, stock up, stockpile, hoard "she heaped logs on the fire" load something copiously with. "he heaped his plate with rice" (of a spoon or other container) with the contents piled above the brim or edge. adjective: heaped "a heaped teaspoon of sugar" form a heap. "clouds heaped higher in the west" 2. direct a great deal of praise, abuse, criticism, etc. at (someone or something). "she heaped praise on the public for its generosity as charity donations continued to pour in" synonyms:	shower on, lavish on, load on; More bestow on, confer on, give, grant, vouchsafe, assign to, award to, favour with, furnish with "they heaped praise on her" give someone or something (a great deal of praise, abuse, criticism, etc.). "the film has been heaped with praise by critics and audiences alike" Origin

Old English hēap (noun), hēapian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hoop and German Haufen.

General Welcomes
Hi. My name is Leonard. I'm a relative newcomer to Wikipedia I think I've been tinkering for a month or so now) I was looking ath the use-define chain page. I have a comp-sci background too, and the page seems like it's really heavy on the algorithm and really light on explanation.  I have some impulse to remove a lot of the algorithmic stuff.

What do you think? (I'm going to say this on the talk page for the page itself as well. Maybe you could reply there? Best wishes,

Lcuff 17:14, 13 August 2005 (UTC)

Here's a kind welcome from a Wikipedia newbie. Have fun editing!--mssever (Blog) 02:43, Jun 27, 2005 (UTC)

Papa Stronsay
Welcome, and thank you for your edits to this article. The weblinks you have added are useful; I have reinserted the internal links as it seems likely that we will have articles on them at some point; having the red links will encourage people to write them. Warofdreams 28 June 2005 09:17 (UTC)

Frank Purcell
On the whole, I would much rather an article be well-referenced and in wikipedia than deleted. If you can dig up your references and save this article from the howling pit that is AfD, that would be great. :-) Captainktainer * Talk 21:46, 1 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Thanks, done. --KSnortum 21:50, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

 * For the curious, the article was deleted. --KSnortum 23:19, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

Dave Kelly
"They" deleted our article about Dave Kelly (the web artist) despite his continued and prominent contributions to the web. He has several articles in Wikipedia where he is the primary or major contributor. Quite honestly, I don't get it. --KSnortum 00:06, 28 December 2006 (UTC)

 * ''I've been away from Wikipedia for some time, so I was horrified and angered that the Dave Kelly artile was deleted. I understand there was sdome discussion about this and I'm sorry I didn't get in on it.  Other web artsits have pages on Wikipedia so I'm baffled as to why Dave got "picked on".  I understand vaguely that there weren't enough references or citations, but he has a significant web presence and there are several articles in Wikipedia where he is the primary or major contributor.  I may want to restart the article but I don't want it to suddenly disappear again.  Can you give me some pointers or a quick run-down on why the previous article was deleted so I can avoid those pit-falls again?  Thanks  --KSnortum 00:24, 28 December 2006 (UTC)

 * Hello KSnortum - it was deleted via the result of a debate at Articles for deletion/Dave Kelly (artist). Please feel free to ask more questions about the rationales in question and how they were stacked up against one another. Blnguyen (bananabucket) 05:55, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

This pretty much sums up how I feel about it:

I love it. Todd Goldman rips off the "non-notable" Dave Kelly and gets a page. --KSnortum 23:58, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Stray page
Hi, in addition to your regular userpage User:Ksnortum you seem to have created the page User:KSnortum as well. Do you want to keep it around for anything, or can it be deleted? User:Angr 09:13, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

 * How odd. I didn't even know URLs could be case sensitive!  Yeah, sure, blow it away!  --KSnortum 23:45, 19 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Okay. URLs at all Wikimedia projects are case sensitive, except for the first letter of a page name. Thus User:Ksnortum and User:ksnortum are the same page, but User:Ksnortum and User:KSnortum are different pages. (The exception is at Wiktionary, where, for example, Hut and hut are different pages.) User:Angr 07:49, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

Whiny Rant
I guess I'm pretty miffed about what feels like a bait and switch in policy by Wikipedia. If I'm objective about it, I can see the usefulness it in, but it still feels yucky.

The whole point, when I joined Wikipedia, was that you should Be Bold, make changes. Of course, don't add patent nonsense, but make a contribution. There were many requests for articles and (what do you know!) I knew something about them. I added something substantial to several articles.

Now a couple of those articles have been deleted. They were articles that people asked for, but now they're considered "non-notable." Many of my comments have been removed because there was no citation. In one case, I had first-hand knowledge of what happened, but this didn't matter.

I understand what Wikipedia is trying to do: become a more respectable and reliable source of knowledge. But if this was their original intent, it wasn't make clear when I join. Wikipedia still says it's "the encyclopedia that everyone can edit" and tells people to "be bold", but really they should be telling people to be careful. I don't add anything these days that isn't a minor grammar or formatting edit, or that doesn't have a reference.

Wikipedia often says that it's better than traditional encyclopedias in many ways, but in one way they will never be (because of these now policies). Traditional encyclopedias had articles written by experts. I mistakenly thought that these experts were being replaced by the collective knowledge of the Internet. I was mistaken. Wikipedia will only be a repository or knowledge gleaned from other sources. In this way two of its policies compete: that nothing should be added that isn't referenced and that nothing should be plagiarized. It it's not "original work", it comes from somewhere. Perhaps this isn't plagiarism in the strictest sense but it's such a narrow path to walk.

Bottom line: Wikipedia is still very useful, but not much fun. It could have been a lot more than it's shooting for.

Article on electron acceptors
Hi, I noticed one section of the wikipedia page that you made on electron acceptors, and noticed an error. "the chlorinated solvents such as tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), dichloroethene (DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC)." This snippet is referencing biological remediation in subsurface soils and groundwaters, where these compounds act as electron donors and exert considerable oxygen demand. They can be remediated through reductive dechlorination by bacteria of the genus dehalococcoides. So yeah, not an electron acceptor. Typically oxygen is the electron acceptor in chlorinated solvent oxidation.

This is literally the first time I have noticed and commented on an error on wikipedia so I am not sure what the correct procedure is. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Direstrats220 (talk • contribs) 01:58, 14 December 2014 (UTC)

 * Sorry for the late reply. I believe the procedure is to either make the change or start a paragraph in the article's talk page.  I have no problem with you making the change. KSnortum (talk) 13:09, 6 September 2015 (UTC)

ArbCom elections are now open!
MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 13:05, 23 November 2015 (UTC)

title: User talk:Ksnortum


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User talk:Curuinor

Welcome to Wikipedia!
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If you have any questions, feel free to ask me on my talk page. Thanks and happy editing, Alphax τεχ 05:45, 6 Jun 2005 (UTC)

title: User talk:Curuinor