The 4. Alpini Division Monterosa (4. Divisione Alpina "Monterosa") was one of the divisions of the Fascist Repubblica Sociale Italiana (RSI) (Italian Social Republic) and was formed in early 1944, largely from new conscripts, as the 1st Division but in August 1944 it was redesignated to the 4th. It was trained in Münsingen by German instructors but despite its Alipini (mountain) name, it did not receive any training in mountain warfare.
It was transferred to the Liguarian coast where it was used as an anti-partisan force assinged to the mixed German-Italian Armee Ligurien commanded by Maresciallo d’Italia Rodolfo Graziani, during this period it suffered from a high rate of desertions. In September a large part of the division was sent to the Garfagnana area. On 30 October 1944 elements of the division were pushed out of their positions south of Bologna by the 1st Battalion of the 6th Infantry Regiment of the 1a Divisão de Infantaria Expedicionária (1st Expeditionary Infantry Division) of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force (Força Expedicionária Brasileira), the main unit of the first batch of Brazilian soldiers to arrive in Italy.
It surrendered in April 1945.

Commanders

Colonel Umberto Manfredin (1 Jan 1944 - 23 Mar 1944)
General Goffredo Ricci (23 Mar 1944 - 15 July 1944)
General Mario Carloni (1 July 1944 - 20 Feb 1945)
Colonel Giorgio Milazzo (20 Feb 1945 - 28 Apr 1945)

Order of battle

HQ
7. Alpini Regiment
- 1. Battalion Aosta
- 2. Battalion Bassano
- 3. Battalion Intra
8. Alpini Regiment
- 1. Battalion Brescia
- 2. Battalion Morbello
- 3. Battalion Tirao
4. Artillery Regiment
- 1. Battalion Aosta
- 2. Battalion Bergamo
- 3. Battalion Vicenza
- 4. Battalion Mantova
4. Reconnaissance Battalion
4. Anti-tank Company
4. Engineer Battalion
4. Signal Battalion
4. Transport Battalion
4. Replacement Battalion
German Advisory Staff

Sources used

Philip S. Jowett - The Italian Army 1940-45: Italy 1943-45
Carlos Caballero Jurado - Resistance warfare: resistance and collaboration in Western Europe, 1940-1945
C.C. Maximiano & R. Bonalume N. - Brazilian Expeditionary Force in World War II
George F. Nafziger - Waffen-SS and other units in World War II
Charles T. O'Reilly - Forgotten battles: Italy's war of liberation, 1943-1945
Giuseppe Rocco - L'organizzazione militare della RSI: sul finire della seconda guerra mondiale

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -