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Post by Diarist on Mar 11, 2016 4:11:50 GMT 1
General Smith is holding an example of the leaflets dropped over Torino during the night. It reads, "Surrender and remain Italian or resist further and Piedmont becomes French again!"
The battle plan today is to crush the Italian 9th Infantry Division then have breakfast in Torino tomorrow. He then outlined the plan. A brigade-sized battlegroup of units from the 31st Alpine and 1st Motorized Divisions with air support will push NE towards Asti - a feint! The bulk of the 29th Alpine, 31st Alpine and 1st Motorized will then assault the Italian 9th from the west thru southeast with the 1st Mot. Division probing around the 9th's left flank to link up with the 29th and attempt to encircle the Italians. The objective is Torino's front door to the southeast, Chieri.
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Post by Diarist on Mar 20, 2016 19:07:15 GMT 1
After a one hour artillery barrage and with air support the 96e Régiment d'Infanterie Alpine with the 23e GRDI (Recon) assaulted towards Govone on the weakly defended border between the 9th and 26th Italian Infantry Divisions. On its left flank the 81e Régiment d'Infanterie Alpine, also from 31e Division d'Infanterie Alpine, attacked the 9th Division's left flank while the 29e Division d'Infanterie Alpine attacked the 9th ID from the west and remnants of the 4th Alpini Division from the south attempting to widen the gap between the two divisions. Exploiting the success of the 96e Régiment the bulk of the 1re Division d'Infanterie Motorisée, supported by 30 FT-17 tanks, advanced northwards between the 96e and 81e Régiments, through Canale and Monta in the rear of the Italian 9th Division. The French 1re Motorisée was now receiving most of the air support and its left flank soon made contact with forward elements of the 34e GRDI (Recon) from the 29e Alpine. The Italian 9th Infantry Division had been surrounded. The 1re Motorisée advanced further northwest towards Poirino, 10km SE of Torino and in the rear area of the 4th Alpini Division.
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Post by Diarist on Mar 21, 2016 7:05:06 GMT 1
By the evening French forces were advancing on Torino from all directions and to the south the fighting was already in the outskirts of the city. The Italians had no available reserves and east of Torino there was no organized defence at all. The Italian 10th Infantry Division was trying to disengage some of its units facing the 27th Alpine Division in order to send them south to plug the gaping hole west of the 26th Division but they were also under considerable pressure. As darkness approached the fighting continued unabated.
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Post by Diarist on Mar 23, 2016 8:52:47 GMT 1
Elements of the French 1re Division d'Infanterie Motorisée have entered Moncalieri from the southeast and have occupied the high ground to north overlooking the city of Torino while units from the 30e Division d'Infanterie Alpine have reached Stupinigi from the southwest. Both divisions are within one mile of the city centre. |
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