Post by Diarist on Feb 20, 2016 17:54:18 GMT 1
The visitors from Paris and London arrived at Toulon at 09:00 and after being briefed flew to the forward HQ at Cuneo. There had been considerable progress overnight. The 30th Alpine Division attacking from the west and the 30th Alpine Division from the south had linked up south of Carmagnola. The Italian 9th Infantry Division "Pasubio", arriving from Verona, is desperately trying to hold the line. The 28th Alpine Division is slowly gaining ground against the stubborn Italian VI Infantry Brigade by attacking northeast in order to approach Torino from the northwest. It hopes to meet 27th Alpine Division which is attacking from the north after having broken through the Italian lines north of Ivrea. The fresh 32nd Infantry Division is keeping the Italian 2nd Infantry Division busy forcing it to retire to the south and east.
South of Bra the 31st Alpine and 1st Motorized Divisions and held off Italian attacks earlier in the morning but were now slowing advancing on Bra and Alba from the south. On their right the 25th Motorized Division had also been under attack but the Italian counter was already weakening. Air observers have noticed Italian forces not only regrouping to the north of the front, but also moving east presumably to counter the Yugoslavian threat. The Alpini forces facing the 1st Motorized were from N and NE Italy.
In the afternoon the visitors travelled to the 25th Motorized Division HQ at Savona before boarding the French heavy cruiser Colbert which will take them Tunis overnight.