Battle of Porta Littoria
| Battle of Porta Littoria | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Second Battle of the Alps | |||||||
 Italian soldiers from the 12° "Mantova" artillery group | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Italian Social Republic Green Flames |
 France | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
250 men 3 305/17 howitzers[1] | Several companies | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| light | heavy | ||||||
The Battle of Porta Littoria was a series of raids and offensives executed by the French army of the Alps that started between 25 April 1945 and ended on 8 May, with the goal of the capture of the Aostan town of La Thuile (called Porta Littoria during the Fascist period in Italy). The town was defended by the 12° Artillery group "Mantova" part of the "Monterosa" Alpine Division.
Background[edit]
During the skirmishes on the Western Alps between the German Gebirgsjäger, the Italian Alpini and the French Chasseurs Alpins the town of Porta Littoria was one of the most important places in the region of Aosta Valley because it was used as a magazine for winter clothes, mountain artillery and weapons. The roads that conduced to the Col de la Traversette and the Little St Bernard Pass passed trough the town so it was used as a refreshment point for the Italo-German soldiers. After the allied Spring offensive began in 1945, the German soldiers received the order to retreat from the Alps, leaving the Italian forces to face a bigger and more organized French army, that pointed to a quick conquest and annexation of Aosta Valley and western Piedmont.
Actions[edit]
On 25 of April 1945 the French army began to intensify their artillery fire, causing severe damage to the town, where the only defenders were from the "Mantova" artillery group, that had already deployed artillery on the Col de Montgenèvre. The battery had 3 heavy howizters deployed in the town. On the 26 April the French launched an attack with vastly superior forces but they were repelled completely by the end of April 28. After the failed attack, the French bombed the town and launched small raids against it, with no results.[2]
Aftermath[edit]
On May 8, 1945, the Italian soldiers in the town surrendered to the American forces, receiving the honours of war. The "Mantova" Artillery group was the last italian unit to surrender to the Allies in World War 2.
References[edit]
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