Page 29 - La Grande Guerra dei Carabinieri - Flavio CARBONE

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Val Magnaboschi (Altopiano d’Asiago), 1916. Truppe di rincalzo in attesa di muoversi verso la prima linea. Sulla sinistra un Carabiniere
con il classico “cappellone”. Val Magnaboschi (Asiago plateau), 1916. Support troops waiting to move towards the front line. On the left, a
Carabiniere wearing the typical “cappellone” (large hat).
The Carabinieri on the frontline
frontline

n May 1915, the Carabinieri, which was already undergoing the mobilization process, allocated a
third of its organic force to combat operations. This led to the establishment of a mobilized Carabi-
I nieri Regiment, composed of three battalions, of over 2,500 men and of a group of Carabinieri Cav-
alry Squadrons of 220 men as security and maneuvering units with combat ability; they reported direct-
ly to the Supreme Command based in Udine. For the needs of military police, 65 mobilized sections, each
composed of 50 Carabinieri (mounted Carabinieri, foot Carabinieri and cyclists), were deployed to operational
zones, at the disposal of the High Commands, the large Army units (up to Divisions) and the Intendenze (Logistic
Commands). The Carabinieri units had to perform various tasks: from that of messengers between the Supreme
Command and the commands of the large units to the defense of high value targets.
In May 1916, an additional platoon of Carabinieri not mounted (50 units) was assigned to each Division
Command, with military personnel seconded up to the Regiment level. Thus, 20,000 Carabinieri, who represented
two-thirds of the entire Arma force, were deployed to the frontline.