This is my review of this book. I plan on posting this on Amazon, but will listen to any suggestions to better the review. I am considering 2-3 stars.
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Peirluigi Romeo di Colloredo Mels’s White Devils! “Monte Cervino” Alpine Ski Battalion, 1941-1943 is the first English language book on this highly decorated Italian unit that fought during the Second World War. It is story worth telling, yet this book fails more than it succeeds.
Disclaimer: I have researched the battaglione alpini sciatori « Monte Cervino » for several decades and possess nearly all the listed sources in the bibliography on pages 97-98. It is my long-term interest in the « Cervino » that found me purchasing this book.
The text is sparse and the presentation of the history of the unit is very uneven. Given the subtitle is “Photos & Images form the World Wartime Archives”, the sparse text is expected as this book is meant to be mainly a visual presented of the unit. But the text is very difficult to follow and doesn’t position the reader to understand the few events described. The battalion’s entire time in Greece is covered in less than two pages (10-11) , yet the conditions under which the ‘cervinotti’ fought are not given to the reader. The Mali Treshines was a steep, long ridge that was 1923m high. In January-February 1941, Greece was undergoing its worst winter in decades. The Mali Treshines was constantly wind swept and the rocky surface offered no protection from freezing temperatures or the snow/sheet combinations of weather that stopped the fighting for many days. The 'cervinotti' manned a line along crest, unable to dig fighting positions, and slept in makeshift shelters 100-200m below the crest that provided a little protection against the weather. Men using their blankets and shelter sections would sleep huddled together, often awakening to the snow and ice that encased them during the night. Tents that were upright during the day were often blown down or collapsed by snow/ice during the night. In all this were the Greeks, often attacking this 320 man battalion with several battalions of 1,000-2,000 men. The « Cervino » was finally withdrawn on 27 March due to losses. Of the 320 men that initially held the line on 18 January, only 49 came down off the ridge for rest. Called back onto the front line on 5 March, the battalion held a section of the Mali Schendeli, a twin ridge to the Mali Treshines. When the campaign was finally over, only 152 men returned to Italy. The section on Russia is similar, with some highlights provided but the narrative never gives a solid, flowing overview of the actions of the « Monte Cervino » during that time period.
There are numerous factual errors. The « Cervino » was never issued the Carcano M91 Truppe Speciale (TS) (page 22). The main weapon was always the M91/38 moschetto da cavalleria (cavalry carbine). Forty MAB 38A were issued for Russia, not twenty as stated on page 21. In fact, the armament list on p.21 is full of errors, partially due to poor translation from Italian to English (more on this below). The Breda 37 was a weapon assigned to the 80º compagnia acc. and not part of the « Cervino » when formed for Russia (p.21); being celibate was not a requirement (p.22); the long pants were not skier’s pants but pantaloni da paracadutisti (paratrooper) M41 (p.22); the battalion was never intended to go to Finland (p.22-23), but was mobilized as the reconnaissance unit for the Corpo Spedizione Italiano in Russia (CSIR); the battalion wasn’t a reparto d’assalto (assault unit), but was authorized to carry the fascist combat knife due to training for small raids and as a mark of elite status; the Vibram ski boots were first worn in Greece at the instance of maggiore Gustavo Zanelli (he actually developed the boot); he was the first commander of the battalion and set the standard for equipping the battalion, he led it in Greece, and is never mentioned in this book. The scarponi con soule Vibram became the defining uniform element of the battalion.
The book suffers from poor computer translation from Italian to English. Reparto is translated as department instead of unit. Fucili mitragliatori is translated as submachine guns instead of light machine guns. Pista is translated as ‘Stay Away’ instead of the traditional downhill skier’s cry of ‘make way’ or ‘coming through’. Compagnia armi d’accompagnamento is translated as accompanying weapons instead of weapons support company. This latter error is made worst as the author uses the abbreviation AA in subsequent mentions which is anti-aircraft in English, instead of the Italian cp. acc. Use of personal pronouns he/she instead of it. Calling the unit ‘Matterhorn’ (the correct translation for Monte Cervino) instead of the unit’s Italian name in the picture captions is odd to my reading. Awkward phrasing can challenge readers not familiar with the unit’s history or the various campaigns. I have seen all these translation errors when using computer programs without proofreading.
The pictures are the core of the book, and here it is a mixed bag. Pictures of the « Cervino » in Greece are rare; the weather, nearly constant combat, and physical deterioration of the men likely limited those who could take pictures. Of the ten pictures of the battalion in Greece, only one is of the « Cervino ». None of the pictures in Cossard’s excellent Il battaglione sciatori « Monte Cervino » sul fronte Greco-Albanese are featured in this book. The other pictures are of different alpini battalions and are likely taken after the campaign was over. On the other hand, the pictures of the battalion in Russia are numerous and generally excellent. I believe several are stills taken from the various LUCE films made in Russia. Many of the pictures feature the 80º cp. acc., both in training prior to departing for Russia and of the company during the advance to the Don.
In all, ‘White Devils’ can give English readers a taste for this truly amazing unit, but falls short of providing a solid history. The Osprey book Italian Army Elite Units & Special Forces 1940-1943 provides a short but readable historical overview. I believe the Osprey book is a major source for White Devils as the few odd errors in the former are seen in the latter.
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Peirluigi Romeo di Colloredo Mels’s White Devils! “Monte Cervino” Alpine Ski Battalion, 1941-1943 is the first English language book on this highly decorated Italian unit that fought during the Second World War. It is story worth telling, yet this book fails more than it succeeds.
Disclaimer: I have researched the battaglione alpini sciatori « Monte Cervino » for several decades and possess nearly all the listed sources in the bibliography on pages 97-98. It is my long-term interest in the « Cervino » that found me purchasing this book.
The text is sparse and the presentation of the history of the unit is very uneven. Given the subtitle is “Photos & Images form the World Wartime Archives”, the sparse text is expected as this book is meant to be mainly a visual presented of the unit. But the text is very difficult to follow and doesn’t position the reader to understand the few events described. The battalion’s entire time in Greece is covered in less than two pages (10-11) , yet the conditions under which the ‘cervinotti’ fought are not given to the reader. The Mali Treshines was a steep, long ridge that was 1923m high. In January-February 1941, Greece was undergoing its worst winter in decades. The Mali Treshines was constantly wind swept and the rocky surface offered no protection from freezing temperatures or the snow/sheet combinations of weather that stopped the fighting for many days. The 'cervinotti' manned a line along crest, unable to dig fighting positions, and slept in makeshift shelters 100-200m below the crest that provided a little protection against the weather. Men using their blankets and shelter sections would sleep huddled together, often awakening to the snow and ice that encased them during the night. Tents that were upright during the day were often blown down or collapsed by snow/ice during the night. In all this were the Greeks, often attacking this 320 man battalion with several battalions of 1,000-2,000 men. The « Cervino » was finally withdrawn on 27 March due to losses. Of the 320 men that initially held the line on 18 January, only 49 came down off the ridge for rest. Called back onto the front line on 5 March, the battalion held a section of the Mali Schendeli, a twin ridge to the Mali Treshines. When the campaign was finally over, only 152 men returned to Italy. The section on Russia is similar, with some highlights provided but the narrative never gives a solid, flowing overview of the actions of the « Monte Cervino » during that time period.
There are numerous factual errors. The « Cervino » was never issued the Carcano M91 Truppe Speciale (TS) (page 22). The main weapon was always the M91/38 moschetto da cavalleria (cavalry carbine). Forty MAB 38A were issued for Russia, not twenty as stated on page 21. In fact, the armament list on p.21 is full of errors, partially due to poor translation from Italian to English (more on this below). The Breda 37 was a weapon assigned to the 80º compagnia acc. and not part of the « Cervino » when formed for Russia (p.21); being celibate was not a requirement (p.22); the long pants were not skier’s pants but pantaloni da paracadutisti (paratrooper) M41 (p.22); the battalion was never intended to go to Finland (p.22-23), but was mobilized as the reconnaissance unit for the Corpo Spedizione Italiano in Russia (CSIR); the battalion wasn’t a reparto d’assalto (assault unit), but was authorized to carry the fascist combat knife due to training for small raids and as a mark of elite status; the Vibram ski boots were first worn in Greece at the instance of maggiore Gustavo Zanelli (he actually developed the boot); he was the first commander of the battalion and set the standard for equipping the battalion, he led it in Greece, and is never mentioned in this book. The scarponi con soule Vibram became the defining uniform element of the battalion.
The book suffers from poor computer translation from Italian to English. Reparto is translated as department instead of unit. Fucili mitragliatori is translated as submachine guns instead of light machine guns. Pista is translated as ‘Stay Away’ instead of the traditional downhill skier’s cry of ‘make way’ or ‘coming through’. Compagnia armi d’accompagnamento is translated as accompanying weapons instead of weapons support company. This latter error is made worst as the author uses the abbreviation AA in subsequent mentions which is anti-aircraft in English, instead of the Italian cp. acc. Use of personal pronouns he/she instead of it. Calling the unit ‘Matterhorn’ (the correct translation for Monte Cervino) instead of the unit’s Italian name in the picture captions is odd to my reading. Awkward phrasing can challenge readers not familiar with the unit’s history or the various campaigns. I have seen all these translation errors when using computer programs without proofreading.
The pictures are the core of the book, and here it is a mixed bag. Pictures of the « Cervino » in Greece are rare; the weather, nearly constant combat, and physical deterioration of the men likely limited those who could take pictures. Of the ten pictures of the battalion in Greece, only one is of the « Cervino ». None of the pictures in Cossard’s excellent Il battaglione sciatori « Monte Cervino » sul fronte Greco-Albanese are featured in this book. The other pictures are of different alpini battalions and are likely taken after the campaign was over. On the other hand, the pictures of the battalion in Russia are numerous and generally excellent. I believe several are stills taken from the various LUCE films made in Russia. Many of the pictures feature the 80º cp. acc., both in training prior to departing for Russia and of the company during the advance to the Don.
In all, ‘White Devils’ can give English readers a taste for this truly amazing unit, but falls short of providing a solid history. The Osprey book Italian Army Elite Units & Special Forces 1940-1943 provides a short but readable historical overview. I believe the Osprey book is a major source for White Devils as the few odd errors in the former are seen in the latter.
