Black feathers in Svalbard: the Alpini expeditions, 1928

• Published in: Polar Record
• Main Authors: Bosco, Piero, Stone, Ian R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2004
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Ecology; Geography, Planning and Development; Svalbard; Nobile; Alpiniøya; Polar Record
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247404003651; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247404003651

This paper lists all the Italian expeditions in search of the airship Italia , commanded by General Umberto Nobile, which crashed to the north of Svalbard on 25 May 1928. There were several such expeditions that involved members of the Alpini, the elite mountain corps of the Italian army. The Italian government had allowed Nobile the services of nine Alpini under the command of Captain Gennaro Sora. The original intention had been that they should assist at the base and, in emergency, should act as a rescue team. This they proceeded to do after it had become clear that the airship had disappeared. The Alpini completed much travelling around Svalbard and while unsuccessful in the main object of their search, accomplished some exploration, including the discovery of an island that was named Alpiniøya by Sora.