▁April , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁abandoned ▁their ▁positions ▁on ▁the ▁A osta ▁front , ▁including ▁the ▁Red oute ▁Ru in ée . ▁They ▁were ▁ordered ▁to ▁concent rate ▁south ▁of ▁I v rea . ▁During ▁their ▁retre at , ▁they ▁were ▁har ass ed ▁by ▁Italian ▁part is ans . ▁Although ▁they ▁intended ▁to ▁blow ▁up ▁brid ges ▁and ▁t unn els ▁and ▁render ▁the ▁highway ▁( St ata le ▁ 2 6 ) ▁and ▁railway ▁unus able , ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Regiment , ▁Lieutenant - Col onel ▁Arm ando ▁De ▁Fel ice , ▁threatened ▁the ▁German ▁troops ▁with ▁ret ali ation ▁to ▁prevent ▁demol itions . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁April , ▁De ▁Fel ice ▁contact ed ▁August o ▁Adam , ▁the ▁local ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁part is ans ▁affili ated ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Liber ation ▁Committee ▁to ▁secure ▁his ▁co operation ▁against ▁any ▁French ▁invasion ▁of ▁Italian ▁territory , ▁which ▁was ▁given . ▁ ▁French ▁attacks ▁The ▁French ▁first ▁attacked ▁the ▁Red oute ▁Ru in ée ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁March ▁a ▁second ▁attack ▁towards ▁the ▁Little ▁Saint ▁Bernard ▁began . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁March , ▁French ▁art illery ▁began ▁p ounding ▁the ▁Red oute ▁Ru in ée ▁while ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁Battalion ▁of ▁ch asse urs ▁al p ins ▁advanced ▁on ▁the ▁fort . ▁A ▁heavy ▁fog ▁prevent ed ▁accurate ▁art illery ▁spot ting ▁and ▁the ▁attack ▁was ▁called ▁off . ▁A