Lorenzo Vivalda
Lorenzo Vivalda (Alba, 31 October 1890 – Ronciglione, 12 November 1945) was an Italian general during World War II, mostly known for his role in Montenegro in command of the 1st Alpine Division Taurinense and later of the Italian Partisan Division "Garibaldi" after the Armistice of Cassibile. Biography He was born in Alba on October 31, 1890, the son of Carlo Vivalda and Teresa Mulazzano. He began his military career by enlisting in the Royal Italian Army at age nineteen, being appointed second lieutenant on September 17, 1911. On the following year he left for Libya with the 2nd Alpini Regiment, participating in the Italo-Turkish war and subsequent operations against the Senussi insurgency. He distinguished himself in combat on May 25, 1913, for which he was decorated with a bronze medal of military valor. After promotion to lieutenant, he fought on the Italian front during World War I; in the summer of 1915 he fought in the Carnic Alps, receiving another bronze medal of military valor, after which he was promoted to captain and given command of the "Aosta" Alpini Battalion, distinguishing himself in combat on Mount Ortigara where he earned a third bronze medal. He then became adjutant of the commander of the 8th Alpini Group, and during the battle of Caporetto he replaced the commander of the "Val Arroscia" Alpini Battalion, who had been killed in action, during the fighting on Monte Stella, restoring order in the battalion and leading it in a counterattack until he was seriously wounded. For this action he was awarded a Silver Medal of Military Valor. After the end of the war he was assigned to the territorial military division of Pola, later being transferred to the 1st Alpine Group on May 20, 1923. On December 5, 1926 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and on September 19, 1935 he assumed command of the 81st Infantry Regiment "Torino", a post he held until November 20, 1936, when he assumed command of the 5th Alpini Regiment. He was promoted to colonel on January 21, 1937 and left command of the 5th Alpini Regiment on February 2, 1938, becoming Deputy Chief of Staff at the Armed Forces High Command in North Africa, in Tripoli, where he was at the entry of the Kingdom of Italy into World War II, on 10 June 1940. He held this post until 31 March 1941, receiving a second Silver Medal for military valor for his behaviour during the invasion of Egypt and Operation Compass. He was promoted to brigadier general on 1 July 1941, and on 12 October he was assigned to the territorial defense command of Genoa until 10 March 1942, when he was transferred to the XV Army Corps. On 15 April 1942 he assumed command of the 1st Alpine Division Taurinense, engaged in anti-partisan operations in Slovenia, Croatia, northern Dalmatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In August 1942 the Division was transferred to Montenegro, with headquarters in Nikšić, where it still was at the time of the Armistice